Word@Work Luke93 - Luke 6:37
Published: Fri, 04/30/10
Word@Work from BeaconLight
EQUAL TREATMENT
Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (NIV)
True relationships require mutual understanding and respect. People working in the same company need to share common values: families cannot hold together unless they choose to love each other. Jesus had just commanded the disciples to be merciful, because that is how our Heavenly Father operates. Mercy is part of the 'family value system' of heaven; it is essential to Christian faith. Those who receive mercy must show mercy.
Jesus was warning the disciples that hypocrisy in this area is unacceptable to Father God. The spiritual leaders of His day were good at making up rules to catch people out and condemn them. Indeed religion based on rules will always end up being hypocritical, because even the religious leaders cannot keep them all. But Jesus came to show a totally different way of being in favour with God - a way that is open to everyone: trusting God for mercy because of Christ's death and resurrection. So those who have escaped judgement, should stop accusing others. And how can those who rejoice that their condemnation was placed on Jesus, condemn others?
Of course, at this stage in His ministry, Jesus had not yet died for sins, nor had the Holy Spirit been given to the church. But this was the disciples' training course. They were learning the principles which needed to be taught in the church for many years until Jesus returned. Peter must have remembered because he wrote, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). The principle of forgiveness is contrary to our fleshly nature but totally consistent with God's nature. It is the antidote to the poison of bitterness, and the window of hope to those trapped by evil. To put this into practice today, identify somebody you have to work with or see often, who is out of order: pray for that person and choose not to resent them. Where you have been wronged, forgive.
Prayer: Loving God, my Heavenly Father. Thank You for these words which warn me against the danger of slipping back into legalistic worldly thinking, and damaging the work of Your grace in my heart. Forgive me for the ease with which criticism grasps my heart and I become a hypocrite. I want Your Word to reshape my thinking, and with Your help I will choose to change my arrogant attitudes of heart. Thank You for those difficult people, those 'thorns in the flesh' You put in my way, so that I may learn how to demonstrate Your grace. In Jesus name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
True relationships require mutual understanding and respect. People working in the same company need to share common values: families cannot hold together unless they choose to love each other. Jesus had just commanded the disciples to be merciful, because that is how our Heavenly Father operates. Mercy is part of the 'family value system' of heaven; it is essential to Christian faith. Those who receive mercy must show mercy.
Jesus was warning the disciples that hypocrisy in this area is unacceptable to Father God. The spiritual leaders of His day were good at making up rules to catch people out and condemn them. Indeed religion based on rules will always end up being hypocritical, because even the religious leaders cannot keep them all. But Jesus came to show a totally different way of being in favour with God - a way that is open to everyone: trusting God for mercy because of Christ's death and resurrection. So those who have escaped judgement, should stop accusing others. And how can those who rejoice that their condemnation was placed on Jesus, condemn others?
Of course, at this stage in His ministry, Jesus had not yet died for sins, nor had the Holy Spirit been given to the church. But this was the disciples' training course. They were learning the principles which needed to be taught in the church for many years until Jesus returned. Peter must have remembered because he wrote, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). The principle of forgiveness is contrary to our fleshly nature but totally consistent with God's nature. It is the antidote to the poison of bitterness, and the window of hope to those trapped by evil. To put this into practice today, identify somebody you have to work with or see often, who is out of order: pray for that person and choose not to resent them. Where you have been wronged, forgive.
Prayer: Loving God, my Heavenly Father. Thank You for these words which warn me against the danger of slipping back into legalistic worldly thinking, and damaging the work of Your grace in my heart. Forgive me for the ease with which criticism grasps my heart and I become a hypocrite. I want Your Word to reshape my thinking, and with Your help I will choose to change my arrogant attitudes of heart. Thank You for those difficult people, those 'thorns in the flesh' You put in my way, so that I may learn how to demonstrate Your grace. In Jesus name. Amen.
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