Judge Not by Appearance but Judge Righteous Judgment

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.—John 7:24.

By acting contrary to this advice of our prophet, the children of God often distress their poor hearts. Perhaps in no one instance more than this. "My feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped," said the Psalmist. Why? What was the case? Alas! alas! he had been looking at the outward appearance of the wicked. How happy, gay, and joyful they seemed! So that corrupt nature and carnal reason had erected a tribunal in opposition to faith and truth. "Verily," says he, "I have cleansed my heart in vain," etc. But he was soon undeceived and brought to "judge righteous judgment," from the records of truth in the sanctuary of his God—Psalms 73. Professors of old had a severe check (Malachi 3.) for thus judging. "Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord: ye have said it is vain to serve God," etc. "You call the proud," that is, the self-righteous, but disobedient persons, whom I resist and abhor, "happy." Christian, beware of judging of men. Be cautious of determining of matters by appearances. They are very deceitful. Judge of no man's state by appearances: evil actions we may condemn; good actions we should applaud. But to judge and determine the eternal state of any by appearances, we have no authority.
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How awful were the falls of David and Peter! To what dreadful lengths of cruel persecutions against Christ, his truth, and members, did Paul run! Yet how did the rich grace of our God triumph in their repentance and salvation! Therefore, believer, even as to thine own eternal state, judge not from present sense and appearance, though all things seem against thee. Oppose not thy frames and feelings to God's truth, love, grace, promises, and oath in Christ Jesus. And they all point—to whom? Even to sinners, lost and perishing sinners. Whatever else thou hast lost, a sense of sin is with thee. True, sayest thou, and a dreadful sense it is. I also know the same; I have a fellowship with thee in the same sorrowful truth. But still, "this is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation at all times, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Is there a doubt in thine heart, a fear in thy mind, a sin upon thy conscience, but he is able to relieve and cleanse thee from? "Be not faithless, but believing," saith thy Lord,—John 20:27.

Not diff'rent food or diff'rent dress,
Compose the kingdom of our Lord;
But peace and joy and righteousness,
Faith and obedience to his word.

When weaker Christians we despise,
We do the gospel mighty wrong,
For God, the gracious and the wise,
Receives the feeble with the strong.

- excerpt from William Mason's A Spiritual Treasury for the Children of God, Volume 1, September 9