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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
"Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you." - Matthew 7:1-2 (AMP)
Everyone with whom we come into contact, we physically see. But those of us who belong to Christ must also see the unseen while we are seeing what is visible and discernable with our five senses. Otherwise, we can be trapped into coming to totally wrong conclusions, and led into judging othrs for condemnation.
Most people are quick to form opinions about others. It can done easily, often subconsciously. So it can be performed in secret. This is human nature, which is saying they are being judged by the fallen and corrupt spirit in them. It all seems perfectly logical to most - these unexpressed, unreasoned impressions about someone.
We can all do it. We all do it - in one way or another.
This provokes the natural mind to set itself up so as to elicite the most comfortable action, words, and opinion from the other who is perceived as measuring and "sizeing them up". But the other is also doing something similiar. So we have a world of human game playing. But often the game becomes more hurtful than any game played on a playing field. There are no enforcable rules, all is hidden to the players. We cannot know the thoughts of others, but we can relate to them on the basis of what is in them that is unseen. A very important revelation is refealed by one of Job's friends during his severe trial:
"But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." - Job 32:8
There is a spirit in humans that is created in similarity to God's Spirit. In this way, we were created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). This spitit makes us who we are in a way that is hidden, even from our own conscioousness. This is the reason Paul went to an extreme measure to save one's spirit from eternal condemnation (1 Corinthians 5:4-5). One's spirit is at the deepest level of subconsciousness. It is invisible and one is not conscious of it. But it is what receives the Holy Spirit when we are truly converted, and if we endure to the end of life, it is perfected and resides in heaven (Hebrews 12:22-23).
The existence of this spirit in mankind is the key that unlocks the way to understand, relate to, and to actually love every other human being - no matter who they are, what they have done to us, or themselves. Thus, when we begin to relate to someone, no matter who it is, we must see them in two ways: first, of course, we see them physically, we hear them physically, and intuatively in other ways that tend to lead to to certain opinions about them. What we see and hear physically, and feel mentally must be looked past. We must "see" spiritually, realizing that within this person is a "spirit" made in God's image. As such, it is priceless in value and importance to God.
Perhaps all that we can see or feel or think of that person temps us to judge them in a condemning way. This prevents us from treating or thinking of them the way God would have us to do. Here is where our other vision must take over:
We must look past all that we can see physically and logically. We must see their spirit! Look at their spirit that is more valuable than all the world, and all they are otherwise. It is precious beyond exprfession! It is God's image! Yes, it has been corrupted, twisted, bruised, deceived, and ignored, and probably they do not know it even exists.
The is the "secret" revealed in God's Word. This is the way to love all people. Look right through, straight to their spirit, and realize, what they can be, and what God can cause them to be. If they will repent, and turn to Him, He will give them the Holy Spirit to indwell their spirit. Then they are begotten by God, ready for maturing thruough their betotten spirit now, and destined for life eternal.
Can we see now how we can judge, but without condemnation? See the spirit in others according to what it can become. This is how we should "see" others. May God help us - by the Holy Spirit in our spirit - to see others differently. This is what Jesus did on the cross. He looked past what mankind is, to what they were created to be, and could be. So shoud we.
"It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life." - John 6:63 (AMP)
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