Judge Righteous Judgment
" Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." —John 7:24 [KJV] By acting contrary to this advice of our Prophet, the children of God often distress their poor hearts. Perhaps in no one instance more than this. "My feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped," said the Psalmist. Why? What was the case? Alas! alas! he had been looking at the outward appearance of the wicked. How happy, gay, and joyful they seemed! So that corrupt nature and carnal reason had erected a tribunal in opposition to faith and truth. "Verily," says he, "I have cleansed my heart in vain," etc. But he was soon undeceived and brought to "judge righteous judgment," from the records of truth in the sanctuary of his God —Psalm 73 . Professors of old had a severe check (Malachi ch. 3) for thus judging. "Your words have been stout against Me, saith the L ORD : ye have said it is vain to serve God," etc. ...