Making judgments
How do we read verses like these that talk about the righteous and the wicked? Does everyone fall into one of these categories? Most people would say that it is pretty obvious that a few are really wicked, some are very good and most just about good enough. Yet we know that 'all have sinned and come short of God's glory' and we are only made righteous 'by grace through faith and that not of ourselves'. The righteous, who are rooted like a tree in living waters, are the forgiven, not the good. The wicked, who have no substance so that the wind blows them away, are the unrepentant, but not necessarily the most wicked.
Surveys reveal that the church is often perceived to be both hypocritical and judgmental; that Christians are, almost by definition, telling others that they are wrong or wicked and insisting that Christians are all right. If only we could make them see that we are not talking about merit; that we are all in the 'wicked' category and that only grace, not works, makes us righteous in the end. Meanwhile weeds and wheat will grow together in the same field until the final harvest judgment. We may be living and working with some weeds who may change into wheat tomorrow. 'Do not judge, or you too will be judged,' Jesus said.
So in ordinary every day living we may well have to challenge wickedness and honour righteousness - in Christians as well as non-Christians, and sometimes in the same person. Judging which category people are in we can, and should, leave to the Lord. But we have to stand by the truth that it is he, and he alone, who watches over our ways and will one day judge us all in love and justice. And only he who can change weeds into wheat.
Comments
There are currently no comments for this article.
