#31. Aug 03, 2015
2015 Devotional. Our goal for these weekly devotionals is to grow in humility and to grow spiritually by memorizing selected passages, putting them into context, and by applying them to our daily living. These passages are taken from: “100 Verses Every Christian Needs to Know” by Freeman-Smith. All passages are from the NIV.
Luke 6:37
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
This passage we are memorizing is set in the context of Jesus choosing and teaching his disciples when they went up on a mountain to pray. After that Jesus teaches a large group of diverse people gathered there on a level place (Lk. 6:20-49). We know it as “The Sermon on the Mount” (Mt. 5,6,7). Luke’s rendering is not as comprehensive as in Matthew who fills three chapters but the gospel of Mark does not cover it at all. The corresponding passages to Lk. 6:37 we find in Mt. 7:1-5, Matthew adds the parable of: “the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye”. Luke adds two more parables: “give and it will be given to you” and “Can the blind led the blind”. Luke puts the emphasis on Jesus as the perfect human and the way of salvation for Jews and Gentiles alike. Luke also emphasizes the family and the poor. Matthew puts the emphasis on Jesus as the King of the Kingdom.
Verse 37 is Jesus’ Word and He tells us not to judge, do not pronounce judgment. This is a legal term, meaning censure, giving us the modern term “acting as judge and jury”. We must discern what is right or wrong but judging is not a believer’s right, judging belongs to God. We must not condemn or pronounce guilty or you may be guilty and condemned, only God truly condemns. Instead forgive, especially if forgiveness is not asked for, and be set free. Unforgiveness destroys a person in three ways, it is like a prison that separates you from life in the community, separates you from your spiritual life with Christ, and slowly eats away your quality of life. Life is too short to let yourself be hampered by what other people do! Forgive and be free!
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