ESOCS Devotional 10 April 2025 – The One True Judge
MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:5
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 4:1-9
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 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. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
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A man who is faithful and diligent to his God must despise the ill words of men for his own good. So long as he believes and knows in his heart that his God approves of him, the thoughts men have for him, should mean little. We all as humans are quick to judge, forgetting that no one is without sin or free from judgement (John 8:7). We judge one another based on our earthly beliefs, condemning people quickly without considering our own sins, forgetting that every sin is the same before God.
In all we do as Christians, we should endeavor not to put ourselves as judges before men because it is not by our standards that anyone should live. We are not to judge ourselves but God only has that right. It should therefore come as comfort that God is our final judge. His judgement is what will determine us. What our Lord Jesus thinks of us, and what witness He would give unto the Father should be our driving force in how we live our lives.
Apostles and Ministers therefore should be mindful of the things they say as judgements or sentences they pass; they should be cautious of how they judge others and themselves. For the time comes when the Lord will bring to judgement, both the things we do in secret, and in the open – both the secret and open desires and thoughts of our hearts. The Heavenly Judge would bring these things to light, and Jesus Christ our witness would make them manifest. Therefore, in all we do, let us take to heart the fact that one day, there would come a judge and a day of judgment, when we won’t be able to buy our way through, but we would stand, in all our glory or shame, as the deeds of time on earth is shown before all men.
CHALLENGES: We should endeavor to always be mindful of our place in the life of others. Let us not make ourselves lords over men.
PRAYER POINT: Lord, grant us the grace to live our lives in all consciousness of the final day of judgement.
FURTHER READING: Exodus 19:14-25; 20:1-End; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
ESOCS Devotional 10 April 2025
