June 17th - Don't Be Judged By Religious Ritual

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect…” (Hebrews 10:1)

The above was written to Jews who had believed and followed Jesus as their Messiah. They were considering returning to the Law and its rituals as the way to righteousness. The writer was reminding them that the Law nor the rituals surrounding the obedience to it could make them perfect.

Gentiles who had believed in Jesus were being told by some of the Jewish followers of Jesus that they too had to observe the rituals of the Law of Moses. Paul tells them that they should not allow these Jews to judge them by religious rituals...

“Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17)

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we will not be judged, nor rewarded, concerning our attendance at Church nor its associated rituals. We will be judged by whether we believe "the word" of Christ Jesus that He is the SAVIOR of the world. Jesus said…

“If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him; THE WORD I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.…” (John 12:47-48)

And what is “the word” which Jesus spoke which will “judge him” who rejects it? His word that He came “to save the world”. 

Jesus will SAVE the world and all those who have been part of it because that is what he came to do. He did not come to condemn the world.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17)

Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world will be “judged” WRONG and be ashamed when in fact Jesus returns and saves everyone from death. At that time all will give account of their life to God including what they believed about God our Savior. ALL humanity will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord bringing "glory to God"…

“God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

"For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:8-12)