A: Go to Disney World, of course!
No. Let's be serious shall we. It's so easy for believers of long time to judge the new believers. I recently heard a sermon about judgment. It was from Matthew 7:1-5. In it the pastor clarified the scripture and stated, that we as new, right in the middle, or old believers, mustn't judge other believers or non-believers' hearts. So what does this mean? It means that when it comes to judgment of another, only our Father in Heaven is capable of judging fully and wholly. All we are asked to do according to scripture is to judge the situation. Evaluate it to the best of our ability to identify what's happening. Once discerned, you make a decision whether to be a part of it or not. There is no way for any of us to know why the situation took place, what is in the other person's heart, or what their feelings/thoughts are. So stop assuming!
Now that we have established the base ground for the topic at hand, let's begin examining. When an individual comes to Christ for the first time, or is growing in Christ, he/she is filled with His spirit. His spirit works within us to make us anew. The old becomes dead and the new life, new body, new mind comes forth. However, it isn't like flipping a switch. So for those that judge and say; 'how can you not love everyone? Christ asks us to love one another. He wants us to live in fellowship and encourage one another,' I say, give us time. For it is said:
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heard of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
Ezekiel 36:26-27
Does this say I should immediately start healing people, changing water into wine, raising the dead, and loving everyone I encounter? Not really. God places His spirit within us to help us get to Christ's statutes. The Spirit leads us away from our old ways. He allows us to understand what we once did not. He heals our brokenness for us to live within Him. He erases our past and shows us the bright light of the future. A future, where we will be able to love one another and live in the Kingdom of Heaven. But it's a process folks. It doesn't happen as soon as you emerge from the water of baptism. Have faith though...it will come to fruition, for He promises us that. It is written:
"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."
Romans 6:6-8
"Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
He who find his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."
Matthew 10:32, 38-39
I say to you, do not be dismayed my dear believers who find it difficult to love each and every man and woman alive in this world. It doesn't mean you are not Christlike. It simply means that the Holy Spirit still has work to do within you. Give it time, patience, prayer, and supplication. For what is written is true and it will come to pass.
Amen!
