What does the phrase, don’t judge by appearance mean? How do we
avoid judging by appearance? Oft times, we tend to look on the
outward appearance of a matter and fail to discern the Truth
which may be hidden beneath the surface. This is a concern as we have
been taught in God’s Word not to judge by appearance:
John 7:24
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Jesus made this statement right after He was being accused (yet
again) of violating the Hebrew Pharisee’s interpretation
of the law:
John 7:23
If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of
Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a
man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
In other words ...
Jesus was healing someone on the Sabbath and the Pharisees started
accusing Him of violating the law and He put them in their place, by
sharing the heart of the law:
Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of
mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of
the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and
not to leave the other undone.
Jesus was saying don’t judge by appearance of a matter, but
rather to check the fruits ...
So, are we to understand that it is only by the
words and deeds that we are to discern a matter?
Don’t Judge by Appearance Concern
Judge Not Bible Verse Meaning
Okie dokie ... I have a Judge not Bible scenario for ya.
What if we see a Christian man sneaking into a strip club looking
very suspicious looking around as he enters.
That is pretty obvious huh? What are we to say to him the next day?
Do we remain silent or are we to correct him?
Now, before you discern based only upon word or deed, please choose
to add in one more hidden factor ... What if ... This man had
received a call from his Mom who told him that his sister called her
and told her two guys that she met took her to that club without her
consent and would not allow her to leave and the Christian man was
going to get his sister out of danger and the reason he was looking
both ways was to see if he saw his sister in the parking lot?
Judge not Bible verse advice ... My friend, we must choose to
prove all things before we do our Spiritual math on a matter:
Remember that Jesus was seen in some pretty unsavory places and
people judged Him:
Matthew 9:11-13
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto His disciples, Why
eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard
that, He said unto them, They that be whole need
not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will
have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Don’t Judge by Appearance Danger
Judge Not Bible Verse Fears and Tears
Jesus had to go where the lost and troubled souls were to be able to
reach them. God is looking to get His children in to Heaven
... not keep ’em out. In particular the lost souls. Here
is how Jesus explained it ...
Luke 15:4-7
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them,
doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after
that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he
calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them,
Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto
you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that
repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no
repentance.
God is seeking the lost souls and uses Christians to do
so. This brings us to a question ... How far would you go to reach a
sheep? What if they were in an “unsavory” place? Paul
shared something with us that I would like to share with you ...
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant
unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a
Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as
under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them
that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God,
but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without
law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am
made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And
this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker
thereof with you.
Paul was a chameleon lizard of sorts, in that he would blend with his surroundings as to gain souls for the Lord. He became as the appearance of the lost sheep to make them comfy with him as to bring them to the Lord. He built bridges so that they could easily cross from their existing worldly lifestyle to the Lord’s Christian walk.
Paul added a very important statement after this ...
1 Corinthians 9:27
But, I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by
any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.
Don’t Judge by Appearance Reason
Judge Not Bible Verse Research
Paul is saying that he had to keep himself in check, as not to be
overcome by the darkness that he was in as he was reaching for these
lost souls.
2 Peter 3:17
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware
lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own stedfastness.
In other words ... Beware of being lured into their world when
trying to bring a lost soul to the Lord. If you feel
Called by the Lord to reach and teach lost souls in the service
to the Lord ... Then, of course do so but, without bias and don’t
judge by appearance. Also, don’t try this at home unless you
are wearing all of the Armor of
God.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may
be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having
on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Do you believe that it is possible that God uses our past choices and
circumstances to have us better equipped to reach lost souls who are
walking in the same darkness that we were once in seeing as we know how to escape that darkness?
If so ... What experiences do you have that can help others in the
same darkness and what are you doing to help others? Ponder on that a
bit. Our Father wants His children back. What limitations do you
believe that He has placed upon us as to reach them?
Don’t Judge by Appearance Prophecy
Judge Not Bible Verse Lest Ye Be Judged
Don’t judge by appearance tidbit of truth ... We are to use everything that we have to reach the lost. From past experiences
to talents we obtained in our lives to Spiritual gifts. Please
consider making a list of what you have that could reach a lost soul
and apply it in your day to day lives. To those called to reach for
these lost souls, we have been taught well:
Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye
therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Then Jesus said ...
Matthew 10:17-19
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and
they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought
before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them
and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how
or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour
what ye shall speak.
There will be those who will judge you as you reach for lost souls as
they did Jesus. They will accuse you of being like them
because you are hanging out with or talking with lost souls, but God
judges the heart and knows why we do what we do.
What of this statement that Jesus said:
Matthew 10:19
But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall
speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall
speak.
Luke shared exactly what was meant:
Luke 12:11-12
11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates,
and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall
answer, or what ye shall say:
12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in
the same hour what ye ought to say.
We are to use our past experiences, talents and Spiritual gifts to
reach the sheep ... But, the absolute best Spiritual gift that we
have is the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit within us. We are
to listen for Him to respond when we are whispered against for
merely doing our job. We must not allow our own emotions to be the
reaction. If we learn to do this, we will respond as Jesus did
when confronted, as His Words too ... Were inspired by the Holy
Spirit.
Let us no longer judge by the appearance of any person or
matter. But, rather seek what the Lord sees. To have God’s
eyes. He sees the heart of every matter. Pray to
have God give you His eyes as to truly see. This Judge not
Bible verse adventure taught us that we don’t judge by appearance and
simply warns us against judging others and situations before we
determine truth as to discern properly lest we be judged by
appearance and not by the heart.
