Judgment (the lack thereof?)

This is a turning point in my understanding. I've recently been studying the concepts of justice and forgiveness in the New Testament, and come to a realization I hadn't before experienced. Further study is due, and I will update this essay as my understanding progresses.

In this I'm also exploring a new perspective: putting a lot more weight on Jesus' words than anyone else's. Obviously the red lettering is added after the fact, but the emphasis may well be due. Traditionally I've weighted it about the same with words of major authors of the NT, but perhaps no longer.

The essence of this study: those partake of the Covenant of Forgiveness with the Messiah are not judged for sin.

The substantiating evidence goes about like this...

1. "Judge not, that you not be judged...Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Matt 7:1, Luke 6:37 ESV) In other words, if you judge, you will be judged; therefore do not, and you will not. Some of the people I have consulted about this suppose that there are other factors contributing to the judgment one receives, but Jesus' words in this passage do not include such a supposition. In fact, the context supports the notion that one's judgment of other people directly influences the judgment of him/herself. [This passage, in my opinion, substantiates a critical point of the Covenant.] (See also Matt 6:14,15)
   
2. The Messiah also granted us the duty and privilege of exercising forgiveness on a larger scale, and alternatively withholding it - whom we forgive He shall forgive, and whom we do not forgive, He will not forgive (John 20:23; see also point 1).
3. The Covenant of Forgiveness (Matt 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20) grants us forgiveness of our sins. This has two major impacts...
1. If we're forgiven anyway (pending repentance?), then why waste time judging us?
2. As parties to the Covenant, we ought keep up our end of it - in my understanding, that means we also have an obligation to forgive. (The Lord's Prayer, Matt 6:12)
   
4. Jesus welcomed the criminal who hung next to him on the Cross into Paradise "today", without apparently judging him. It's worth noting, in this case, that this criminal was well aware of his error and recognized Jesus' righteousness. (Luke 23:43)
   
5. Rather a curious coincidence:
   
1. "The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22)
2. "You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me." (John8:15-16)
3. "If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world." (John12:47)

Boiling it down: It's all about forgiveness. We are NOT judged! That's why Jesus died, to establish the Covenant that we might be forgiven, and forgive. Forgiving is an exercise of the power of God! (Matt 9) This is becoming a reality in my spirit.

This change is refreshing for me. My previous perspectives have persistently had undertones of earning my righteousness - that never seems to work. That I will not be judged, that I am already forgiven, in keeping with the Covenant, is freeing indeed.

This is a different perspective than what I'm usually told. It seems Jesus did NOT pay our debt on the Cross... rather He CANCELED it! (Col 2:14) I've looked hard for clear passages, especially Jesus' words, indicating otherwise, but His parables, as well as the epistles, confirm this tangential notion as well. So... No debt. The debt is forgiven (not paid), and you don't need to earn the forgiveness - just keep the Covenant and forgive other people!

Again, this is a work in progress. I'll update it as more becomes clear.