The first segment of this study covered the judgment of the believer’s sins. We now move on to the next kind of judgment – the judgment of the believer’s self!
This judgment is far more than judging things in the believer’s life. When we, as believers, judge our own selves, everything comes to light – good and bad. We then confess the bad –
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And then forsake it –
Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
It is not enough to just judge sin in the believer; he must judge self
To judge oneself, is to practice self-abnegation. When the believer sees self the way God sees him – he will renounce self. Essentially, this is replacing the self-life with the Christ-life. Christ IS the believer’s life. Col. 3:4 – When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.
To judge oneself is to deny oneself. This is much more than self-denial. Self denial is denying one’s self of the gratification of the flesh. If we only practice self-denial, we are treating the symptom and not the cause. But to deny self – is to ATTACK the cause, because in that self there is “no good thing.” Deny self – and pick up your cross and follow Him! Mark 8:34-38 –
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
To judge self is to LOSE the self-life, and find the Christ-life. Gal.2:20 – I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
To judge self is to no longer be self-conscious, but to become Christ-conscious. Matt. 28:20 – Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
To judge self is to no longer be self-controlled, but to be Christ-controlled. Acts 9:6 – And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
And the most important – to judge self is to no longer practice self-esteem, but to esteem others better than self. Phil. 2:3 – Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
“Comparative Christianity” is something we all practice, some more than others. The only One we should compare ourselves with is Jesus Christ. This comparison will help you to judge yourself against Him, not other believers. Egoism and pride must be forsaken! Praise Him!
The Vine Vigil 