2 Corinthians 5: 16 - 17 NKJV
I'm often amazed at how often I am swift to judge others for something they are no longer responsible for. That is, the very behaviors which they exhibit in my presence. Now, I know that I am not alone in this rush to judgement, but it all too often humbles me as I realize what I'm doing. How could I not be humbled? Wasn't I once as they are? In 2 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul warns us against playing judge and jury with those around us. As Paul tells us, we're to not regard ANYONE according to the flesh. That is, we're not to regard anyone as a result of their behaviors or actions towards us. I'm thinking that this is living in the love and grace of Christ. That despite all that others may throw at us, our eyes are not on the person in front of us, but on Jesus. After all, was it not Jesus Himself who gave His own life for us while we were yet sinners {Romans 5:8}? In fact, whether it was a taxpayer, adultress or one so wicked that he considered himself the chief of all sinners, it was Jesus who refused to condemn the obviously guilty. Make no mistake, I myself was guilty of my transgressions {Romans 3:23}. Instead of condemning me, Jesus saved me from those things of old. In the eyes of Jesus, those old things have passed away. This is exactly why I am often humbled by my judgement of others. For if Jesus had used that very same measure against me that I have shown others, I would be hopelessly lost. Those things have passed away. I'm thinking that this would be enough to humble even the harshest soul. As Saul was enroute in his persecution of the early followers of Jesus, he was brought to his knees by Jesus Himself on the road to Damascus. Think of all the persecutions which Saul visited on the early followers of Jesus. The old things have passed away.
35‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’37“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’40“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Matthew 25: 35 - 40 NKJV
It's certainly no surprise to me that what was once seen as good behavior towards others we now disguise as simply charity. Jesus didn't see it that way. Do we see Christ in the person who insults us? Do we see Jesus in that one who has stolen from us? Certainly not! Not only do we condemn their behavior...but all too often we condemn them for those things which have passed away as well. All too often we fail to see the words of Jesus spoken in Matthew 25..."inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Now, I certainly have never felt that I was cheating nor condemning Jesus with anything I've done, but perhaps I was looking at it from the wrong perscpective. For as a result of those old things having passed away...we are now a new creation in Christ. Therefore, we now live in our new creation...as Jesus {Galations 2:20}. And not just ourselves, but ALL who now have the Spirit of Christ. Of course, I cannot tell one who now has the Spirit of Jesus simply by their appearance. Perhaps this is why Paul warned us not to regard anyone according to the flesh. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
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