THE SPIRIT OF JUDGMENT
P. Martin
I desire to say a word, dear brethren, as to the spirit of judgment. Reference was made in prayer last night to the need for the spirit of judgment among the saints. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, was showing them that the saints are to have a judgment of every matter. The epistle begins that way; chapter 1 refers to the cross, where God’s judgment as to every matter was manifested. We need constantly to come back to the cross of Christ—the cross of our Lord Jesus and to take our bearings from it. Reference was made to it in the preaching on Lord’s day. Paul could speak of the cross, “through which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world”, Galatians 6: 14. It is a great landmark for the believer to take his bearings from, for every moral matter was assessed and judged in perfection at the cross.
But then Paul does not stop there in this first epistle; he goes on later (and we might wonder that he should say it to the saints at Corinth), “Do ye judge what I say” (1 Corinthians 10: 15).
They were to have a judgment of what Paul said. And that often tests us, dear brethren, as to whether we have the ability to judge in relation to matters that arise among us. Paul was awakening that spirit amongst the Corinthians.
These verses came to mind as our brother was speaking—he referred to delegated judgment, and here Paul says, “the saints shall judge the world”. You might say, We are just a small company here. And yet Paul would say, Well, however small we feel ourselves to be—and may we never cease to feel
small—“the saints shall judge the world”. That is a wonderful thing. And then he goes on to say, “Do ye not know that we shall judge angels?”—these heavenly beings, who are sent out as ministers on account of those who shall inherit salvation (Hebrews 1: 14). Yes, the saints shall judge angels. We may wonder why he should say this but I think it is to awaken with the saints at Corinth, and also with us, the need for the spirit of judgment now. We shall later take up our part in administration in the heavenly city, with Christ in His universal dominion.
What a day that will be!
So Paul goes on to say that if the saints are to judge angels then matters that come up in our day-to-day life are to be faced in the spirit of judgment by us. And that, dear brethren, is really one’s burden, that we might take on the spirit of judgment in our day-to-day walk. It has often been said as to one who helped us, that he had a judgment of everybody he met, and maybe we should have. It is not that we would speak of it, but the saints are to have a judgment of every matter that comes up in their pathways, and thus we shall not be tossed around by the judgment of others, or by the winds that blow—often contrary—in the path of the testimony. The Lord, I think, would establish us, that we might have our own judgment formed in the presence of Christ.
I have been thinking in that regard of Samuel. It says that he judged Israel. It was a difficult time and we might wonder where the spirit of judgment developed with Samuel. It developed, I think, firstly through the valuation of the word of God. He arose at a time when a vision was not frequent; there was not much light in Samuel’s day; but he arose at that time, and he valued the word of God. That is one of the things that will form us most in our judgment—we must always be
regulated by the word of God. How necessary it is! He was a prophet, and not only a prophet, but a seer, for it says, “for he that is now called a Prophet was in former time called a Seer “, 1 Samuel 9: 9. Saul came to him and asked him at the gate of the city if he could see the seer.
And Samuel said, “I am the seer” (1 Samuel 9: 19). Dear brethren, it is a wonderful thing to be able to see what the Lord is doing at the present moment. We may often see the side of what man has done, but can we see also what the Lord is doing? How necessary that is. I believe the more we value the living word of the Lord the more we shall be conscious of what He Himself is doing. Mr. Gardiner used to remind us that the movements of the Lord are discerned through the ministry which He gives. Can we see what the Lord is doing at the present moment? I often have to ask myself that question. I think Samuel could. He had to be adjusted. How often we need adjustment, and we shall need it all the time we are here, but I believe adjustment will come as we make way for the living character of the word of God.
Samuel had a circuit, as we will recall, and one place on his circuit was Gilgal (see 1 Samuel 7: 16, 17). We need to keep near to Gilgal, if our judgment is to be maintained rightly, for if the flesh is operating in me my judgment of matters will not be clear; I may emphasize one side at the expense of another; but in returning to Gilgal my judgment will be clear and balanced.
Also on Samuel’s circuit was Ramah, to which he returned, for there he had his house and, dear brethren, we need to get back to our house for there the truth is to be worked out in us. It involves being alone with God—going into our closet and shutting our door, being apart from every other influence to come under divine influence and thus be formed rightly in our judgment. All this is
involved in Ramah where the truth is not just held mentally but is worked out in our lives and circumstances in our own knowledge of God.
Well, may the Lord help us that we may be formed by the truth and that thus there may be in our local companies persons who are able to judge as to any matter that may arise. May the Lord bless the word.
Word in meeting for ministry, Helston
4 August 1987