If We Would Judge Ourselves

If We Would Judge Ourselves

“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

This is a message that presents us with a glorious possibility for the future. It is a heavenly calling to us. The last thing people do is judge themselves. They are inclined to blame others, to accuse them and judge them. That is why there is so much enmity and strife among people.

Those who accept the light Paul gives us here, enter into the salvation for which Jesus prays in John 17: “That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

If there is disunity the usual thing is for both parties to justify themselves; and if they cannot explain away the fact that they have sinned, they will blame the other party for their sin—just like Adam did. In other words, they are saying: we “have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”! 1 John 1:8.

Such people have an impenitent heart. They are hard and unjust. They will not accept the judgment, but they are treasuring up for themselves wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Rom. 2:4-5. That is the day when God will judge the world. If they had understood to reckon God’s longsuffering for salvation, they would have judged themselves and been willing to be chastened by God. Instead of being condemned together with the world, they could have been along in the rapture. 2 Pet. 3:14-15.

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’” 1 Pet. 4:17-18.

The fact that we judge ourselves and are willing to be chastened by God proves that we are righteous and belong to the house of God, which is built up by those who are willing to be saved. That is the church. 1 Pet. 2:4-5. However, it is difficult even for them to be saved—which means to be transformed. Rom. 8:28-29. “Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” They treasure up for themselves wrath in the day of wrath. They will be condemned together with the world.

We who have the hope to see Him as He is, we purify ourselves even as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3. We are not occupied with justifying ourselves, but with finding something we can acknowledge and from which we can cleanse ourselves so we can be built up to be “a spiritual house, a holy priesthood.” Then we belong to the chosen generation, “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Pet. 2:9.