For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
The verse belongs to the call for stewards of the mysteries of God to be found faithful, under great accountability for the Master's goods, with means and property kept in order. With such a steward it is a very small thing to be judged by others or by any human judgment, and he does not even rest on his own judgment of himself, for human judgment including self-judgment is not the final measure of faithfulness. To count human judgment a very small thing and not to trust even one's own judgment of oneself is the true, living experience every person is to have.
Knowing nothing against oneself, having a clear conscience, or being unaware of wrongdoing does not by itself justify a person or prove right standing before God. A servant's own awareness of no fault does not establish that he is justified, and a clear conscience and lack of awareness of wrongdoing do not by themselves make that servant righteous or settle the final verdict. He that judges is the Lord, and the Lord alone judges and determines the true standing and worth of a servant's work and gives each servant a just reward.
Therefore nothing is to be finally judged before the time, until the Lord comes to bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then every person shall have praise of God. Apostles and all workers are set as a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to people, where deficiencies are plain to see. The verse forbids thinking of people above that which is written, being puffed up for one leader against another, and glorying in gifts as if they had not been received, calling instead for humility.
It warns against judging and condemning fellow believers because they do not meet one's own standards of perfection, with the need for righteousness to go before each soul while God builds human character. In this light a faithful steward keeps a conscience void of offense toward God and toward fellow men. He realizes in handling resources that he is handling his Master's property, lets no mean or unfair action in dealing with fellow stewards tarnish his position, and does not try to make his own course appear as possessing great wisdom.
The verse belongs to the call for stewards of the mysteries of God to be found faithful, under great accountability for the Master's goods, with means and property kept in order. With such a steward it is a very small thing to be judged by others or by any human judgment, and he does not even rest on his own judgment of himself, for human judgment including self-judgment is not the final measure of faithfulness. To count human judgment a very small thing and not to trust even one's own judgment of oneself is the true, living experience every person is to have.
Knowing nothing against oneself, having a clear conscience, or being unaware of wrongdoing does not by itself justify a person or prove right standing before God. A servant's own awareness of no fault does not establish that he is justified, and a clear conscience and lack of awareness of wrongdoing do not by themselves make that servant righteous or settle the final verdict. He that judges is the Lord, and the Lord alone judges and determines the true standing and worth of a servant's work and gives each servant a just reward.
Therefore nothing is to be finally judged before the time, until the Lord comes to bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then every person shall have praise of God. Apostles and all workers are set as a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to people, where deficiencies are plain to see. The verse forbids thinking of people above that which is written, being puffed up for one leader against another, and glorying in gifts as if they had not been received, calling instead for humility.
It warns against judging and condemning fellow believers because they do not meet one's own standards of perfection, with the need for righteousness to go before each soul while God builds human character. In this light a faithful steward keeps a conscience void of offense toward God and toward fellow men. He realizes in handling resources that he is handling his Master's property, lets no mean or unfair action in dealing with fellow stewards tarnish his position, and does not try to make his own course appear as possessing great wisdom.