THE NATURAL MAN JUDGES THE OUTWARD- GOD JUDGES THE HEART

1COR.2:14,15 TELLS US THE SPIRITUAL MAN JUDGES ALL THINGS.
But, how is this possible when Jesus told them in Mt.7:1-3 not to judge lest they should be judged? It is because they were not spiritual, but only natural. And as natural men they themselves were not ready to be judged because they had not yet been judged as all who are spiritual have. Because all who are spiritual have already been judged to be righteous by the faith of Christ.

When the natural man judges he looks on the outward appearance. But, God looks on the heart. And 1Cor.2:14,15 tells us there is a spiritual man that "judges all things". Here we are told this is something that those who have received God's gift of the spirit allows the believer to do. And it is only by this judgment that we can know that a man is not walking after the flesh, but after the spirit.

If we can only see to judge by what is on the outward we do not see as God does. Therefore our judgment can not be as God's is. So how can we see what's in a man's heart as God does? By being born of the Spirit to be the spiritual man that Paul said judges all things.

And Jesus told us plainly in Mt.12:33-37 what the fruit is that shows a man's spirituality. And that this fruit is not what a man does. Because if it is the outward appearance it is works.

This is why Jesus said the fruit that shows if a man has believed unto eternal life is the words that come from his heart. He explained this by saying that the fruit that makes a tree bad or a tree good is the words from a man's mouth. "Not of works lest any man should boast".

Because when judging a man's works we are judging as natural men looking on the outward appearance. But, to see what is in a man's heart Jesus said we must listen to what he says. We must hear the fruit of his mouth.

This is why it is so vitally important that we know and understand the word of God. So that when we compare and contrast what God says the atonement is really for, with what someone says they believe about it, we will know where their heart is. And what kind of tree it is.

This also insures that we won't get caught up in salvation by works doctrines like original sin and sin nature. And this is exactly what Paul was talking about in Rom.8.

In Rom.8:1 Paul said that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Who walk not after the flesh. But after the spirit." He was not referring to a "sin nature" in the flesh that forces men to constantly do bad things and violate the law given to Israel through Moses. These are outward works.

Remember, to be the spiritual man who is able to "judge all things" we must be able to see what is in a man's heart to know what he truly believes. 

Have you heard the saying actions speak louder than words? Jesus says the opposite in Mt.12. And so does Paul in Rom.7,8. Because he teaches what Jesus told him to. So if you think actions speak louder than words then you judge as the world does. And not as God does.

Here in Rom.8 Paul was referring to what he had just written in Rom.7 where he showed the Israelite that he must be "dead to the law to be joined with Christ." He must be dead to any belief that works have anything to do with how he is saved and how he stays saved.

In Rom.7:24 Paul says that if he tries to be joined with Christ without first being dead to the law he will be the "wretched man" who is still in need of deliverance from "the body of this death". Which is his own mortality.

So when Paul says in Rom.8 "who walk not after the flesh", it reveals to us the "sin in my members" he is referring to in Rom.7:17. And that sin is an idolatry of the law that produces in him a self righteousness.

It is this self righteousness, a real righteousness that law keeping produces, but a righteousness that can not give eternal life, that Paul said in Phil.3:6-8 he now considered "dung" and "loss" compared to simply knowing Jesus. It is this self righteousness that causes an Israelite to remain under the law in a fleshly works system that Paul says in Gal.3:21 was never intended to bring eternal life. Instead of living in the spirit in a system based on grace through faith as Paul said in Eph.2:8,9 that alone brings deliverance from death to life.

So you see, we can't have it both ways. We can not both believe we are saved by grace through faith and not of works. While at the same time believing that if good works are not present this shows a man is not saved. This is exactly what Paul was telling them they must not do in Rom.7,8.

Because as Paul said in Rom.11:5,6 works and grace are mutually exclusive when it comes to salvation. Saying, "If by grace then it can not be by works. Otherwise grace is no more grace." This is why Paul says works and grace are enemies in Rom.8:7.

Should there be outward signs that show a person has been saved? Yes. Because if a man knows God's love he should begin to love as God does. This is what James referred to in James2 when he said, "Show me your faith without works. And I will show you my faith by my works." Unbelievers can not see your faith without works. But, Jesus said believers can see it in a man's heart by the words that come from his mouth.

But, must there be outward works if a man is really saved? Of course not. Because it is the natural man that looks on the outward. But, God, and those who are spiritual because they have been born of the Spirit, look on the heart. And they do so by hearing the words from a man's mouth.

This is why Proverbs13 tells us "A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth". And "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke." These "riches" are what is in a man's heart. Not what he has that is of the outward appearance.

Only when the believer learns to listen to what is being said will he too be able to see what is in a man's heart. And will no longer be as the natural man who only sees with his natural eyes in the outward appearance. But, when a man is spiritual he will "see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" as Jesus said in Mt.7:5. He will see clearly to remove whatever it is that is keeping the man from trusting in Jesus for eternal life.

So we must be careful not to focus our attention on the outward when looking for fruit of a man's salvation. We must begin to see the fruit from what is in the heart by hearing what they say. By asking things like, have you confessed Jesus is Lord? And have you believed that He has raised from the dead? Do you believe it was your mortality that Jesus came to deliver you from? Or your naughty behavior? Because Paul said it is by proof of this fruit that Jesus saves.

Because when we confess Jesus is Lord we put His will above our own. More precisely, we conform our will to His by submitting our life to Him. Just as Jesus did the Father when He said, "Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done". This is the "the faith of Christ" by which Paul says men are justified in Gal.2:16. 

And when we believe He has raised from the dead we acknowledge that we believe He has conquered mortality for us. By coming as a man to join with us in our mortality. And that this is what makes it possible for us to receive His gift of immortality simply by trusting in Him and His resurrection. 

So when you pray tell God how thankful you are that Jesus joined with you in your mortality. Confess to God that Jesus is your Lord, and believe that He has raised from the dead. Do this and you will be saved.

Do this... and I will see you there or in the air!