When judges are in the headlines, questions arise about how divine law and secular law relate to each other. Then there is the question of how divine law relates to your own life, the way you are judged and the way you judge others. This is of special interest when you have been a long time on your quest. God is so real to you that it affects every aspect of your life. Still, you have questions, endless questions, about this wondrous being and his role in the universe he created.
Repeatedly in the Bible we are told that God provides justice as the judge of humanity. His judgement springs from His law, just as the judgements of appointed or elected human judges are founded on secular laws. But how does divine law differ from laws made by human beings to order human activities? Where does religion fit into that equation?
The writers of the Old Testament often projected their own ideas and experiences of judgement onto God. They portrayed a stern, all-powerful judge whose actions were tainted with anger and vengeance. This was not justice at all. Even Abraham, that first great figure of the patriarchal age, took God to task over it. God was so angry at the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that he was prepared to raze them to the ground, destroying good and bad citizens alike. It was an outraged Abraham who scolded:
Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth do right? Genesis 18:25
In what is a mystery to us, God, God’s law, and God’s justice are one, in the same way that God, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one. God is simple and indivisible and doesn’t judge in the way humans must, through individual laws and regulations and the process of reasoning. Divine law is the ordering principle of God’s will as it is worked out in creation.
In our material creation you can recognize good judges by the love they have for other human beings and the good they do as a result. The measure of that good is how effective it is in bringing about the kingdom of God on earth. The Bible describes many of the qualities of good judges:
Ability: They have a good grasp of their legal system, and the experience and education to apply the law.
Trustworthiness: They are trusted to oppose dishonesty in all its forms, especially when used to cheat others in order to enrich or advance the interests of the cheater.
Fairness: They don’t show partiality for one person or group over another for any reason.
Courage: They don’t fear human opposition, even when it endangers them, when their decisions are true and well-founded in good laws.
Mercy: They use the law to repair, not to punish.
Fear of God: They know what God expects of them and their work.
What if a judge’s idea of what is good is in conflict with the laws of the land and the beliefs of others? How does a judge separate personal religious conviction from the purpose and intent of those laws? When making a ruling, a Christian judge may well be thinking of King Jehoshaphat’s charge to his appointed judges:
Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. 2 Chronicles 19:6-7
There is a difference, however, between judging for the Lord and judging for a specific religion. In a democracy the laws must apply fairly to all citizens, no matter their beliefs and whether or not they are of any particular religion. Individual churches have their own ways of judging the behaviour of their members. A secular legal system demands that judges set aside their personal religious beliefs and apply the law in harmony with both its letter and its spirit. Guidance for judges who find themselves in such a position comes from the apostle Paul, who asked:
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13
~isms and generalities
Beyond the formal legal systems of churches, states and nations, there are the informal courts of public opinion. In our time, these courts thrive on social media, and in households and other places where people gather together. Sadly, these courts are ordered by no laws and justice is seldom to be found. Their product is uninformed judgement, better known as gossip and slander. It isn’t influenced by any of the qualities that mark the good judge.
As a child and young adult, I grew up in a highly judgemental environment. Inevitably, I developed into a very judgemental adult. Changing that mindset required recognition that it existed at all. This is very difficult when that state of mind has been your reality from the earliest years. The process of healing the damage is an ongoing part of my personal quest. The goal is not only to correct judgemental thoughts. Beyond that it’s to reach the point where they are not the first reaction to people and situations.
Nothing blinds you so much to the pitfalls of popular judgement than -isms and generalities. They allow you to slap a label onto whole groups of people. You can’t see the individuals for the crowd. They inflict a form of blindness, the foundation for every prejudice. Indulging in them means stealing respect and humanity from those who don’t look or think like you. The apostle Matthew offers a clear warning to those who are tempted to act as a judge toward other people.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-5
How have you struggled with the temptations of judgement with your own life? What has been most helpful in overcoming them? You’re welcome to leave a comment on this post below. The comments policy for this website is near the bottom of the Nuts & Bolts page. (Please note: Anselm’s Quest is in the throes of a theme change, so I apologize for its current appearance and any difficulties you encounter in locating specific content.)