1. www.rossvillechurch.com 781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741 4-17-11 We are not called to be lords or judges over one another, but to bless and lift up one another.
2. Romans 14 1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
3. 5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike . Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it . He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
4. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living. God has not appointed us judges over one another; Jesus is Lord of all . Let us be submissive and obedient servants of God, through the Lord, Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is to love one another, encourage one another, and build one another up .
5. Leviticus 25 17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God. Oppress = to rage against; to do violence; to suppress or maltreat. Strong's Hebrew Let God be God . Don't try to improv e on His Work. Don't get in His Way . God is well able to correct His Own servants.
6. John 15 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is My Commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Do you lack joy ; are you often sad or lonely ? Begin to live your life God's Way . Love as Jesus loves -- selflessly . He gave Himself for us.
7. Ephesians 4 1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness , with longsuffering , forbearing one another in love ; 3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace . What does a worthy Christian walk look like?
8. Text: 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought (despise or look down on) thy brother? for we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Too many Christians are harshly critical of people, and think they are doing right in God's sight. It ain't so ! We are not called to be mean to people, but good.
9. Galatians 5 22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. We are not called to put one another down, but rather to build one another up , and encourage one another.
10. Luke 6 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: If we grant mercy , mercy shall be granted unto us . Luke 6 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
11. Matthew 6 12-15 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
12. When Christians sin after we are saved, we will be chastised by our Lord to bring us to repentance. The chastisement will continue until we are forgiven. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:15 We will all pay for unforgiven sins in this life . To hold a grudge is to keep on paying as long as we live, and the sins just keep piling up .
13. Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought (despise or look down on) thy brother? for we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ . 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
14. 2 Corinthians 5 8 We are confident, I say , and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. 10 For we must all appear before the Judge-ment Seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
15. 1 Corinthians 3 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward . 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss : but he himself shall be saved ; yet so as by fire.
16. Only Christians will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and we aren't there to be judged saved or lost . Or to suffer loss of rewards, We are there to receive our rewards, According to the way we lived as Christians.
17. Wood, hay, stubble are the works we have done in our own strength and our own wisdom . They tend to be proud, harsh, and impatient . Burned up in fire of Judgment. Gold, silver, precious stones are those works we did by the Leadership and Power of the Holy Ghost. Humble, Meek, Patient These will survive the fires of judgment, and for them we will receive reward .
18. To sum it up : All Christians will be judged by Jesus Christ, and no Christian is set above another to judge him. We are all the servants of the Lord, Jesus Christ; to our own Master we stand or fall. He holds us , and though we stumble, we shall not be cast down.