For there [in Jerusalem] thrones are set for judgment,
Thrones of the house of David.
— Psalm 122:5
The more the church life is healthy, the more judgment we will experience. It is when the church life becomes weak that there is little judgment among us. Instead, there are opinions and unnecessary talk. There is self-vindication, complaining, excuses, and many other things. That means there is no judgment. When there is no judgment, then there is no building or testimony among us….
Peace comes out of judgment. If we have struggling, strife, anxiety, and unrest in our personal lives, if we are confronting a lot of hardship and difficult decisions, then we should come to the Lord in the church life for judgment. We should not just come for the enjoyment of the Lord’s presence. We should come so that we may let ourselves be judged by the Spirit through the meetings and through the saints. Once judgment comes, peace comes. Once judgment comes, rest comes. Then we realize, “There are no more frustrations.” The more judgment we experience in the church life, the more peaceful we become….
Opinions and unhealthy things come into the church life only when judgment is not there. We should love judgment. This is not judgment to bring in condemnation, but judgment to bring in peace and building up. We should even pray, “Lord, judge me through the church life. Lord, judge me through the saints and through the leading ones. Judge me through the experiences of life and the enjoyment of the riches. Judge me through the meetings and the gatherings of the church. In my local church life, may You set the thrones of judgment!” Then the real peace will come in.
Adapted fromThe Journey of Life, pages 27, 29, 30.
Monday: “The Prevailing Ministry of Paul”