A Required Duty of All Members  

Some of you may shudder when you imagine your local church sharing the “judging process” with all the saints there.  You’ve seen enough of the freelance “judging” of some of the church members.  But even when the church situation is imperfect, the scriptures call for this distribution of responsibility.

Paul, for example, calls the Corinthians to be judges among each other on even moral and legal questions.  He says, “is it so that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?” (I Cor. 6:5).  The way that Paul phrases his question, he expects there to be several Corinthian saints who could do this “extra-curricular” judging between their brethren.  The difference between Paul and us is that Paul expected lots of good judges in the church and was surprised at the lack while we expect no one in the church to be able to do such a thing and are surprised if it ever happens.  Paul, that is, had faith in the work of the Spirit in the church, even through the hiccups in that sanctification process. 

The author of Hebrews also exhorts all the Christians to “exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (3:13).  “To exhort” is to strongly encourage, but considering the context (the possibility of being hardened in sin), it also carries a connotation of judging and rebuking, here.  And this commandment is given to them even though these Christians were struggling to reach “full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (5:14).  They weren’t fully mature yet, but they were still called to be part of the rebuking, judging, encouraging process. 

All the church is the court for these matters, not just a select few with seminary degrees. And it is essential that everyone help in the judging process for two reasons: not only to make sure the judging goes in edifying directions but also so that everyone can “have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” 

How best for people of the Spirit of God to learn God’s view of truth and error, of good and evil, than by exercising their judgment on a regular basis in the safe company of all the saints?

Chapter 4.26:  Be Ready for the Long Haul

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