But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32
Getting corrected for doing something wrong is difficult for most people. Very few people ever want to be told that they are wrong or that they did something wrong. It makes people feel bad and often inferior to someone else. Although no one likes to be corrected, many people are quick to correct the mistakes in others. They like to help others become better while refusing to look at the faults within themselves.
As Paul talks about the need to examine oneself, he tells the Corinthians that God will chasten or judge them in the Lord so that they will not be condemned by the world.
People are very quick to say that no one should judge anyone, while they are judging others. Feelings of inferiority occur when one is judged. It makes one feel bad and lower, of less value.
Without there being a judgment, there can then never be any right or wrong, good or bad. Everything becomes neutral. However, God does judge.
Believers in the church are judged by God. This judgment is not to condemn the believer as the world tries to do, but to build up and change the believer. In judgment, God points out faults and sins in a person’s life that need to be dealt with. Then by the Holy Spirit, God leads and directs a person in how to change and become more like Jesus.
While this judgement may be painful it is for the best for the believer. It moves the believer off of the path towards sin and death and puts the believer onto a path towards life removing all eternal condemnation that the world will receive.
Being chastened and judged by God is a good thing in the life of the believer.
As God looks at your life, He will see things that need to be improved or removed. The moment that He points these things out to you is His moment of chastening and judging you. All of this is done out of perfect love to build you up, not to tear you down. It is done to keep you from the eternal judgment of condemnation that the world will be put under in the end for refusing to follow Jesus.
Be willing to follow Jesus and accept His chastening in your life.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will chasten you to make you better; that you will accept God’s judgment in your life; and that you will become more like Jesus each day.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
