The Iron Pen #70

God & Country

"The Bible is the Chief moral cause of all that is good, and the best corrector of all that is evil, in human society; the best book for regulating the temporal concerns of men, and the only book that can serve as an infallible guide to future felicity. It is extremely important to our nation, in a political as well as religious view, that all possible authority and influence should be given to the Scriptures, for these furnish the best principles of civil liberty, and the most effectual support of republican government. The principles of genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations, are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority. The man, therefore, who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that Book may be accessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer." Noah Webster - 1833

Martyrs of the Reformation

"I would sooner read five lines of the Bible than hear five masses In the Church." (Anne Askew - Martyred for her faith at Smithfield in 1545)

Is It Right To Judge?

Is it right to judge? An increasing number assert it is not! Often, those who make that assertion parrot, Judge not, that ye be not judged, and even characterize those who dare to discern as "squint-eyed legalists." But, the truth be known, those that practice sin often depict those who practice righteousness as intolerant legalists in an effort to defend their sin under the guise Christian "liberty" while denying the moral absolutes of God and their accountability to Him.

To be sure the Lord Jesus Christ commanded us to "judge righteous judgment…." (John 7:24). An examination of the entire verse makes it clear that there is a judgment that Christ commends and a judgment that Christ condemns. In order to be sure that we "judge righteous judgment" we need to follow the following biblical guidelines.

Our judgments are…

To be of ourselves first – Romans 2:1-2

Not to be based on outward appearances – John 7:24

To be based on neither human passions nor personal preferences – John 8:15

Neither to be made hastily nor with insufficient facts – Proverbs 18:13

To be according to the Scriptures – Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:16

To be made under the control of the Holy Spirit not the flesh – 1 Corinthians 2:15

Further, the Bible clearly reveals four different areas in which believers are to exercise spiritual discernment and make judgments.

4 Areas The Bible Commands Us To Make Judgments In

We are to make…

Moral Judgments: Between Right & Wrong – 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Doctrinal & Philosophical Judgments: Between Truth & Error – 1 John 4:1

Practical Daily Judgments: Between Worldliness & Godliness – Titus 2:12

Fellowship Judgments: Between Steadfastness & Compromise – 2 Thessalonians 3:6&14

It is clear for the Bible that righteous judgment is to be part and parcel of every believers life.

(Taken from my 24 page booklet "Is It Right To Judge")

Sound Biblical Advice From John Bunyan

(John Bunyan 1628-1688 was an English Baptist Preacher who was jailed for 12 years for his preaching and while in prison he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress and eight other books)

Daily bring thy heart and the Word of God together

"Daily bring thy heart and the Word of God together, that thy heart may be leveled by it, and also filled with it. The want [lack] of performing this sincerely is a great cause of that unfaithfulness that is in us. Bring, then, thy heart to the Word daily, to try [examine] how thou believest the Word today, to try [examine] how it agrees with the Word today. This is the way to make clean work daily, to keep thy soul warm and living." (Psalm 119:9-11; Psalm 17:4-5)

Let thy heart be more affected with what concerns the honor of God, and the profit and glory of the Gospel

"Let thy heart be more affected with what concerns the honor of God, and the profit and glory of the Gospel, than with what are thy concernments as a man, with all earthly advantages. (see John 15:8; Matthew 6:33; 2 Thessalonians 1:12). This will make thee refuse things that are lawful, if they appear to be inexpedient. (see 1 Corinthians 6:12 & 10:23) Yea, this will make thee, like the Apostle of old, prefer another man’s peace and edification before thine own profit, and to take more pleasure in the increase of the power of Godliness in any, than in the increase of thine own goods and interests." (Philippians 2:1-8)

Reckon with thine own heart every day

"Reckon with thine own heart every day, before thou lie down to sleep, and cast up both what thou hast received from God, done for Him, and where thou has failed and been wanting. This will beget praise and humility, and put thee upon redeeming the day that is past; whereby thou wilt be able, through the continued supply of grace, in some good measure to do thy work before thee." (see Psalm 4:4-5; Psalm 103:1-5; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Philippians 2:13-16).