This morning I thank God that we are alive and well and that God is still in charge of our lives. My brothers and sisters in the Lord this is our moment to shine and lift up the Name of Jesus higher. Let us hold on to that which is good and show to the world that we are sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. — Matthew 7:1

Few things are as politically incorrect these days as saying that other people are wrong about their religious beliefs. We must make sure that our claims are within the context of the word of God.

“Aren’t you judging other people when you say they’re wrong? And didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 7:1, ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged’?”

Many people has replaced John 3:16 as the favorite verse that people like to quote.” “Unfortunately, though, many of them misinterpret what Jesus was saying. Jesus wasn’t implying that we should never make judgments about people.”

“Because in John 7:24, Jesus said, ‘Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment’. He was clarifying that it’s all right — in fact, it’s a good thing to make proper judgments about people. What Jesus condemned is a critical and judgmental attitude or unholy sense of moral superiority.

“The Bible says in Galatians 6:1 that if a fellow Christian is caught in a sin, then those who are spiritual should seek to restore him or her ‘in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted.’ God wants us to examine ourselves first for the problems we so readily detect in other people. Only then should we seek to remove the speck in the other person’s eye Matthew 7:1–5.

So judgmentalism is the ugly refusal to acknowledge that ‘there but for the grace of God go I.’ ”

“So the key issue is our attitude?” I conclude that we should guard our own behaviour. It is not to make yourself better in the eyes of the innocent by lying on others to stand out as a perfectionist. On the other hand the innocent is not so innocent since they fall for anything that comes to their ears. It goes without saying the “no better the beef, no better the barrel”.

“Yes, that’s right. We can hold our convictions firmly and yet treat people with dignity and respect even though they disagree with us. We can have a spirit of humility while at the same time explaining why we believe someone is wrong. Ephesians 4:15 talks about ‘speaking the truth in love’. That should be our goal.”

Reflecting on this, I also realized Jesus said, Watch out for false prophets. — Matthew 7:15

Unfortunately these people don’t wear False Prophet labels! So how will we know who they are? Jesus continued,

They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. — Matthew 7:15-16, emphasis mine

So, without using the actual word, Jesus was telling us to judge prophets by their fruit. Yes a tree is judged by the fruits it bear and David said in Psalm one that man is like a tree. Therefore, man must bear the required fruits as a believer according to the word of God. If you are not bearing the fruits there is no need to judge you. Your fruits tells exactly what you are and where you stand.

As Christians, we must judge with the wisdom and discernment God provides us. But we must always avoid a critical, judgmental spirit.

When are you tempted to judge? Is it when your heart feels critical and when you feel superior to someone? What is a situation in which it would be proper and godly to judge?

I trust that you will hold to the word of God and let nothing change you for who you are. O will always be a servant to serve the people of God.

Your servant and brother,
+ Sir Godfrey Gregg
Archbishop and Presiding Prelate
Administrator and Apostolic Head
Follow me on Twitter @ArchbishopGregg
@MysticPatriarch