Bo​az Baptist Chronicles

The Lord gave you two eyes, so that you can consistently keep an eye on both of these issues...

"That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints...." (Romans 15:31)

There are two types of people watching you...

The unsaved that "do not believe," and "the saints" that are watching your "service."

They BOTH have expectations of you. And, they both want you to please them--is WHY they are watching you so very closely.

While you are tempted to watch them back (with "both" eyes, like I pointed out), it's better to keep them BOTH on Jesus and please Him in singleness of heart.

Now, let's read this verse, again...

"That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints...." (Romans 15:31)

This verse should remind us that we shouldn't be upset when people are watching us. Well, the question comes in, WHY?  ...Why are they watching us...?  They are watching us, because they want to judge us.  Believe me, I for one don't like being judged--especially by my peers, and I'm sure that you don't like it, either. What I have learned over the years, though, is that everyone has an opinion. Men want to judge, because they believe that their standards are the litmus test for truth. Even unsaved people think that their standard of righteousness will hold water, when in fact that standard is seated in the wheelhouse of their own making, on a sinking vessel.

We SHOULDN'T "marvel" (I John 3:13--expression) that even the greatest of men, like Jesus and Paul (who wrote those words above), had their own detractors. The catalyst for all this...? JUDGMENT. (Imagine that! During His Earthly ministry, mere men judged God incarnate.) If men like these were judged for their life and service, shouldn't we be, also?

My bottom line is that NO ONE gets out of being judged. I don't like it; you don't like it and, if the truth be told, no one likes it.

After the Apostle Paul received the heavenly vision from a holy saviour who got his attention, everything changed. He would now live the rest of his life in trepidation of pending judgment, as a sure thing, from a perfect Judge. (II Corinthians 5:10)

The reason that Paul spent the last part of his ministry proving his apostleship was for others, and not for himself. He had nothing to prove. He knew what Jesus had called him to do and no matter what people thought about him, he succumbed to their judgment through the power of God... "weakness."

II Corinthians 13:

3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Pastor Bob