1Corinthians 4:1-5 (NIV):
1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ
and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
2Now it is required that
those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
3I care very little if I
am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge
myself. 4My conscience is
clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges
me. 5Therefore judge
nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will
bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the
motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise
from God.
In this passage, the apostle Paul warns us not to judge others
but instead to leave the judgment business up to the Lord upon his
return. Instead of making judgments about others we ought to be
concerned about our own lives; stay faithful to what has been
entrusted us by God.
How does
this passage apply to believers today? Sadly, the church often
does display judgmental attitudes. Furthermore, active church folk
often expect recognition of their contributions or their gifts. This
passage addresses both these attitudes. "Judge not" and "trust
that God will reward for faithful service" would be two prime themes
to be developed into a sermon from this passage.