Do you judge other people?

Of course you do, We all do. I mean who hasn't watched countless news stories of murderers, rapists, and other various criminal related activities and had highly judgement attitudes towards the culprits on screen? It's simply just what we humans do. But have you ever wondered why we make these judgement calls?

We are judgmental beings because we're made in God's image. God cares about justice and because we're made in His image, we care about justice. All the courts systems we set up is evidence of that. Within each of us is a God-given conscience. It's like a referee in our heads. Like the 'angel and devil on your shoulder' concept. It's that place of the knowledge of right and wrong.

Your conscience is like an impartial judge in the court room of your mind, judging the thoughts you think about, the words you say, and the deeds you do (including the thoughts, words, and deeds of other people). That's why when you watch a news clip of a disgusting child molester, your conscience screams out from within you "that is wrong!" That's why when you tell an outright lie, steal from work or cheat on your spouse with an adulterous thought of another, your conscience screams out from within you "that is wrong!" And what usually comes next is guilt.

With all of these internal and external judgement calls firing left right and centre, how can we know whether our judgements are right or wrong? Do we just go by gut feeling or is there a more objective way?

Think about a sports referee for a moment. A referee makes judgement calls all the time about the actions of the players during a game. How does the referee know whether an action committed by a player is right or wrong? Well, he judges all actions according the the rule book. The rule book is the ref's objective standard in which he judges by. Believe it or not humanity has a 'rule book'. An objective standard in which we can judge all acts in life by. God's success criteria if you will. It's the Ten commandments (See Exodus 20:1-21). God has written theses laws on our heart so we can know what right and wrong is, and more importantly so we can judge our own actions and see whether we are doing what is right in the eyes of God, or whether we're breaking his law and under his judgement and condemnation.

Referees judge all actions according to the rule book

How would you feel watching a rugby game being refereed by someone who doesn't know the rules? I could image some unpleasant words being shared among the boys. "How can this ref make the right judgement call if he doesn't know the rules?" And yet sadly people all around the world make judgement calls on all sorts of moral issues but don't have an objective standard in which they can judge anything by. They don't know the rules. They are refereeing their lives by what feels good and kinda sounds right and throwing the rule book out the window.

The results can be seen in the widely accepted practices of abortion and homosexuality in our society. This is evidence that the rule book is very much out the window. The problem with the rule book being thrown out is that right and wrong disappear with it. People are then left to make up their own right and wrong. So without any objective rules to follow, a pedophile can stand in the 'this feels right for me' camp. Here's a simple guide to judging morals correctly. If God says an act is right, it's right. If God says an act is wrong, it's wrong.

So how do you relate to God's law? I'll be honest I've broken them all. Many times. I've loved other things more that God, made up a God that I was happy with, used God's and Jesus' name to curse, been busy doing stuff and not thinking about God, disrespected my parents, hated people in my heart which is murder in God's eyes, lusted after many women which is adultery in God's eyes, stolen things, told lies and desired things that belonged to others. I am what the song Amazing Grace refers to as 'a wretch'.

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see".

That's why I'm a Christian. Saving grace is in Christ alone. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Have you ever wondered why you feel guilty about something you've done that no body else knows about? Well that's because you've violated your God-given conscience, and deep down you know that God knows all about you, what you think about, what you talk about, and the deeds you do in darkness. Don't be fooled. His eyes are in every place beholding the wicked and the good. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God, to whom we must give an account.

Instead of judging others, let us soberly judge ourselves.

Listen...

... to the voice of your conscience...

...what is it saying?

 Please visit needgod.com to examine yourself under God's law and be sure to navigate to the end of the presentation where the Good News about Jesus is clearly explained. I hope that God gives you faith to believe.