God wants us to be forgiving when others wrong us.

Part 2

Yesterday we learned that Jesus taught us to “judge not.”  Now let’s see what He meant when He taught:

“Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:”
Do not Condemn – It is not Jesus’ way of life for believers.  Those people who fall into the habit of judging other people unjustly find it easy to take the next step in condemning them.  This word “condemn” is translated from the ancient Greek word that means “to give judgment against (one), to pronounce guilty,…to condemn.”1  The opposite of condemning is to show mercy.  Isn’t this the way Jesus treats us?  How did Jesus treat sinners when He met them?  Remember the woman who was brought to Jesus, she was caught in adultery, “in the very act?”  Her “condemners” were out for her blood, but Jesus saw it differently.  After her “condemners” left the scene, how did Jesus speak to her?  He asked her who condemns her now?

“She said, No man, Lord.  And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more,” (John 8:11).

What mercy!  Please don’t think from this verse that Jesus ever ignored sin, He did not.  But by His sacrifice on the cross, He dealt with our sin, and all others.  What was Jesus’ attitude toward all sinners on this earth?

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved,” (John 3:17).

If Jesus could show mercy to the blatant sinners in His day, shouldn’t we be merciful as well?

“Mercy will ever incline us not to condemn those unmercifully whose faults are certain and visible; to lessen, conceal, and excuse them as much as we can without prejudice to truth and justice; and to be far from aggravating, divulging, or even desiring them to be punished.”2  Clarke

It is not our business to be “armchair judges” sitting on the bench condemning people we think who need it.  Let’s be merciful!

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful,” (Luke 6:36).

Who has God brought into your life that you need to show mercy to right now?  Will you be merciful to that person the way God showed you mercy?

Don’t be Judgmental
Don’t Condemn

Come back tomorrow to see what “forgiveness” means.

1.  J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
2.  Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.