Facing difficult trials and being purified by fire is very uneasy to our flesh. I myself have faced many difficult trials where my life was open to the world for ridicule and judgment. I learned that when we judge, we will be judged the same measure.
Luke 6:38 says "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
As Christians we often hear this passage when the pastor is talking about the offering. It sends us the message that when we give our tithes and offerings it will be measured back. This is true and God has proven this truth to me many times.
A new revelation came to me about this passage of scripture. This also pertains to every aspect of life. Unfortunately, as people we love to judge others and circumstances. During the times when I have faced public judgment I had a choice. Can I love my neighbor and the things being said, even if they are not all true? Often when people pass judgment there is some truth because we are all sinners and never 100% free of failure. The accuser of the brethren (Satan) often uses others to escalate the stories and consequences to a level that causes hurt and pain to the people involved.
In the book of Romans it also came to me that we are all the same in God’s eyes. The word of God tells us that all have fallen short of the Glory of God. Romans 3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." This is in the address to the Roman people but it also lines up with the foundational word of God as a whole.
The key scripture that I was reading when I gained the revelation about judgment was found in:
Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
When we gained this revelation we began to weep. We asked God; “Why do we have these feelings of judgment? I know by the word of God not to judge people”. These scriptures and questions gave me visions.
The first dream was Carrie and I judging others. I looked at who was receiving our judgment and it was US. As people we often separate ourselves from situations and try to look at the “Truth” of a situation and eliminate the false accusations. I found myself sitting on a bench as if my judgment of the circumstances actually mattered. The fact was our interpretation of judgment has no more or less authority than anyone else’s. In fact I am as guilty as the accused. God tells us this truth in Romans 2:1.
In this dream I saw all people placed in a pool of water. The pool was called judgment. Everyone that God had created was placed in it. No one was excluded. In this pool people were throwing judgment out as fast as they could. They were judging fast and furious. And their judgement was coming back on them, making the water rise, causing them to drown themselves. As the water continued to choke out the people they continued to judge and the water continued to rise. The people were helpless in this sin. They could not understand how the judgment they passed on others was also their own. Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. It’s an issue of the heart.
Then a revelation came to me about Jesus. He came to a people that had fallen. He came to a place where everyone was in the same pool of judgment. I believe he looked at us in this pool and said “I am not at the same place spiritually as they are. But I love them enough to place their judgment on me and destroy it by my death on the cross and resurrection." The point was that people were separating themselves from others that were judging others or being judged. Their flesh was trying to place them outside the pool and point the finger at the ones in it. They had failed at finding enough love in their heart to refrain from judgment. They had deceived themselves into pointing fingers believing that it will not be pointed back at them. The word tells us that we are not worthy.
Jesus was the only one outside of the pool. He stood blameless from judgment and placed it all on himself anyway. He succeeded where we couldn’t. We are often unable to love enough to lower our selfish pride enough to stand by others side without judgment, no matter what.
For Jesus the “no matter what” was the ridicule, shame and death at the cross. We often believe through the self righteousness in us that we don’t deserve to be judged the same as others. Jesus deserved absolutely none of the judgment and he took it all. I began to weep when I thought of Jesus being asked to speak for himself on the day of crucifixion. He remained silent, refusing to speak his case. I believe Jesus didn’t answer because he refused to judge. The truth of his righteousness would have destroyed everyone. His judgment was blameless. The people were all in the “Pool”. I believe he gave us the ultimate example when he chose to remain silent when he had the chance to Judge. He is the only one that ever had the right to judge. He didn’t. Thank God for the obedience of Jesus! We need to walk in the understanding that HE gave us!
Christians are people who recognize they are not righteous by their own work, but only by Jesus' righteousness alone. Christians are bought back by Grace through Faith because they recognize Jesus as their righteousness and substitue for their failure. Thank God for His forgiveness!