Perfect Judgement (1 Cor 4:4)

For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. - 1 Corinthians 4:4

Paul makes three profound statements here in this one verse. We will take them one at a time.

First, he states that he is not aware of anything against himself. In other words, he has a clear conscience.

Does this mean Paul had never in his past made any mistakes? Certainly not. Does this mean he never would again in the future make a mistake? Again, no.

But it does mean that he was in a state of repentance, or metanoia. He had entered the state of mind so as to be in complete agreement with God. He was not hiding anything from God. He was not trying to live a secret life. He lived his life in complete transparency toward God. This is the key to living a life of freedom.

Second, he states that this clear conscience of his did not thereby exonerate him in the sight of God.

This was an admission that Paul knew he still had blind spots. He still had areas he needed to grow in.

Paul never entered a state of complacency. He knew how important it was to continue to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Third, he states that God alone is the Judge.

At the end of our lives and at the end of time, the Lord God Almighty will judge with perfect justice and mercy.

In a paradoxical way, this should both comfort and terrify us. It should comfort us, because God is perfect and His judgement will be perfect. It should terrify us, because God is perfect and His judgement will be perfect.

We should be comforted by the promise that not a single wrongdoing in our world will be overlooked. It all will be answered for.

And yet this should also terrify us when we realize how far we have fallen short of this Perfect measure that we so eagerly await the rest of the world to be judged by.

But praise be to God that for our sake Jesus Christ has become both the Judge and judged. He came to earth to take the test that not a single one of us could hope to pass. And not only did He pass, but He earned a perfect score. And out of His abundant grace and unsearchable wisdom He has given us access to the fruit of His labor.

All He asks is that we trade in our F for His A. He desires more than anything to give us His victory. What a shame it is that so many of us still cling to our failure, unwilling to make room in our hands to reach out and receive this free gift of Perfection.

And he has given him authority to execute judgment,

because he is the Son of Man

John 5:27