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He Who Judges Me is the Lord

Sam Stringer

Dec 16, 2024

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is
required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged
by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing against myself, yet I
am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
1 Corinthians 4:1-4

Whose opinion of you gives you confidence in your faith? How are you doing? Are you resting in Jesus or
are you distracting yourself from the nagging discomfort of silence and your thoughts? I write my initial
question and think about the many funerals I’ve preached at or attended and am reminded that it does not
matter how much of a pedestal any preacher or friend or family member puts someone on, because in the
end it’s only God and their faith in Christ that will make a positive, eternal difference.

If we look back at the early part of 1 Corinthians, we may recall that Paul addressed a growing dissension
over which particular leader the people in this group were declaring their loyalty to. He doesn’t waste
much time in 1 Cor. 1 to say these words in vv. 12-13: Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of
Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

He revisits this again in 1 Cor. 3:4-7: For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of
Apollos," are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom
you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the
increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the
increase.

Where did Paul want people to put their attention? Jesus. How did he want them to regard him, or other
leaders appointed by God? As servants of God and stewards of (the Gospel). Their job was not to be
popular or rich or powerful, but to be faithful. Now, the issue of the passage at hand that’s the real take-
away is this: what are we using to console ourself over being faithful, and perhaps moreover,
justified (declared righteous) before God?

Paul says that he sees it as a very small thing that he be judged by a church or by a human court as
being faithful or justified in God’s sight. Here’s the part that gets me, though: “in fact, I do not even
judge myself. For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this.” What is he saying?
He is not using his emotions, his record, his knowledge or any of that to determine whether he’s justified
before God. A clear conscience (I know nothing against myself) is not indicative of being justified,
either. The point is, we cannot lean into our service or Bible knowledge or sufferings or any of it to console
our hearts in being justified. We must daily trust Jesus and take our minds and hearts back to the only
thing that ever justifies a person: the Savior, the Son of God, giving His life for our sins and we by faith
trusting in that. I have heard all too many times the statement, “I know God says I’m forgiven, but I can’t
forgive myself.” You know what? It’s a small thing whether you can forgive yourself and it’s actually quite
arrogant to make little of God’s forgiveness in relationship to your own.

People assuring you of your place in Heaven won’t put you there. Knowing a lot of Scripture won’t put you
there. Having given much, making great sacrifices, attending church regularly and even participating if not
leading in the activities…will not get you there. Being a pastor won’t get you there. Justification by faith in
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s prescribed means of peace. It’s so easy to trust in Him
at one point only to continually go back to trusting in other things, often the opinions of others or
ourselves, to make us feel secure, but that’s not how God works. While there will be confirmations of
God’s work in our lives made by other people, or by our own experiences with Him, we still have to rest in
the finished work of Christ as our only source of hope.

You may be struggling today or this season of life with how you’re doing and may very well not feel like
you’re enough before God. Please remember that being enough with Him doesn’t come from what you do
but from Him doing the saving work for you and you trusting in that. In aligning with this, I guarantee you
will grow in your bravery. When the car is out of sorts, sometimes we have to pop the hood to see what’s
going on; this is so true when you see a person who claims Christ as their Lord to be losing their peace,
joy, kindness, courage and so forth. Go back again to the reason why any of us would be pleasing in His
sight: our faith in His sufficient Son. Rest in Him again today.

Sam Stringer

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.

Braver Than Lions

©2024 by Braver Than Lions

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