There is a remarkable set of sayings of Jesus, in Luke’s sermon on the plain that we have been reading recently at daily mass (Click here to See Gospel). These things present a kind of mathematics of the kingdom of God. In effect the Lord says to us, “Pay attention! You are going to be judged by the same standard by which you treat and judge others. So do the math, and realize that you were storing up for yourselves a kind of standard by which I will judge you.”
The key statement from today’s Mass comes at the very end, wherein the Lord says the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you (Luke 6:38). But this statement comes at the end of a long string of statements were in the Lord summons us to be generous, forgiving, merciful, patient, and reluctant to condemn others.
In effect, the Lord says “Do the math, and realize it if you are merciful you’ll be judged with mercy. But if you are harsh and critical you will be judged with a harsh and critical standard. If you have refused to forgive, you will not be forgiven.
Like it or not, this is the mathematics of the Kingdom of God that does not mean that we earn salvation, but it does mean that we have a lot of influence over the standard by which we will be judged.
So, if you are going to need mercy and grace on that day, (and we all are) it is good to do the math of the Kingdom, and store up mercy and grace for that day.
We will all, one day, answer to God. And that day, as Scripture repeatedly teaches, it is a day about which we should be sober. Sadly, there are many who give little thought to this truth, and some who outright scoff at it.
Remarkably we can influence the manner in which God will judge us, the standard he will use! Now here, we speak of the manner of God’s judgment, that is whether he will be strict or merciful. We do not refer here to the content. It is an obvious, and axiomatic truth, that God will judge our deeds. Hence, we should avoid grave sins and wickedness, and repent quickly when we commit such sins.
But again here, we ponder the manner of God’s judgment, the standard which he will use. Namely, whether he will judge us strictly, and or severely, or with lenience, and great mercy.
On the one hand, it would seem that we could have no influence on this. For, it would also seem that God is no respecter of persons, and judges with perfect justice.
And yet, there are passages which do speak of ways that we can influence the standard God will use, the a manner of His judgment. Let’s consider a few scripture passages wherein we are taught that we can have some influence over the manner in which God will judge us. Lets look at four related areas that will have influence:
I. Whether we show mercy –
Jesus says, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). James says something similar, and develops a bit when he says Always speak and act as those were going to be judged under the law of freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. So mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12 – 13). And thus we are taught that by observing mercy, and patience, in our relations with one another, we will influence the manner in which we are judged.
It is a fact that, sometimes in life, it will be required of us, especially if we are parents, or in leadership roles, that we will need to punish, and/or assign consequences for those who transgress moral laws, or legal limits. Hence, texts like these do not mean we should never correct with punitive measures. Such a way of living is unwise, and often confirms people in bad behaviors. But even when corrective or punitive measures are needed, it makes sense that we should seek to be lenient where possible, and use lesser measures before firmer ones are employed.
It is also clear from these biblical texts, that it is highly foolish to go through life with severity toward others, with a lack of compassion, or a harsh unyielding attitude. We are all going to need a lot of grace and mercy at our judgment. Therefore, how misguided, how foolish it is for us to be harsh and unmerciful toward others. For indeed, these text tell us the merciful are blessed, and warn that the unmerciful will be shown no mercy. Can you or I really expect, that we will make it on the day of judgment, without boatloads of Mercy?
Now therefore is the time for us to seek to invoke the promise of the Lord, Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
II. Whether we have been strict or lenient
In a related text, the Lord Jesus says, The measure that you measure to others, will be measured back to you (Mark 4:24). Here again, if we hope for, and need a merciful judgment, if we want a merciful measure or standard to be used, the Lord makes it clear that he will use the measure or standard that we have used for others. Have we been strict? He will be strict. Have we been merciful? He will be merciful, and so forth. Be very careful before demanding that sinners and others who transgress receive the strongest penalties. There may be a time for penalties, but it is not always true that the most severe punishments be used.
In John 8 the Pharisees wanted to invoke the most severe penalty for a woman caught in adultery (stoning to death). Jesus reasons with them that before they demand he throw the book at her, they might want to recall there are a few things about them that are also written in the book. One by one they drift away, seemingly considering the foolishness of their demands for the most severe penalty. Somehow they realize that the measure they want to measure to her, will be measured back to them.
III. Whether we are generous to the poor –
Luke, relates this text more specifically to our generosity: Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure that you measure to others will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38). And this leads us to a second area which the Scriptures teach us that we can influence the day of our judgment.
Jesus, after rebuking the Scribes Pharisees for their severity, and their extreme legalism, says to them, who obsessed about cleaning the outside of the dish, You fools, did not the one who made the outside of the cup make the inside also? But if you give what is inside the cup as alms to the poor, everything will be made clean for you (Luke 11:40 – 41). It is a daring text, in the light of the theology of Grace, and almost implies that we could somehow “purchase” forgiveness. But of course, it is the Lord himself who says it, and he does not say we can somehow purchase forgiveness. But surely, he does teach that generosity to the poor will in fact influence the day of our judgment.
Later in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus develops the thought saying, I tell you, use your worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into trouble dwellings (Lk 16:9). It is a complicated text, but Jesus seems to be saying that our generosity to the poor, will surely gain for us advantages at the day of our judgment. Indeed, blessing the poor gives us powerful intercessors, for the Lord hears the cries of the poor. And on the day of our death, and our judgment, the picture that is painted here is of those very poor welcoming us into eternal dwellings.
Scripture elsewhere warns, If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be heard (Proverbs 21:13). So once again, it would seem that we can have some influence over the manner, measure or standard that will be used by God at our judgment. To the merciful, mercy will be shown. The generous too will experience that their cries are heard, for they heard the cries of the poor. And the Lord more than implies that those who have been generous to the poor will have powerful advocates praying and interceding for them on the day of judgment. Indeed, a number of the Fathers of the Church remind us that, in this life, the poor need us, but in the life to come, we will need them.
IV. Whether we have been forgiving –
A final area to explore in terms of how we might have influence over the manner of our judgment is the matter of forgiveness. Just after giving us the “Our Father,” the Lord Jesus says the following, For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14 – 15).
Later in Matthew, Jesus tells a terrifying parable of a man who had huge debt, a debt that was forgiven him. But when he refused to forgive his brother a much smaller debt, the king grew angry and threw him into debtors prison. Jesus concludes the parable by saying, This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you, unless you forgive your brother from your heart (Matthew 18:35).
So yes, it would seem that we can have some influence over the manner in which God will judge us, over the standard he will use. And while it is true, God will judge will judge us by our deeds (cf Romans 2:6), yet the manner in which God judges us, whether with strictness or leniency, does seem to be a matter over which we have influence.
As we have already considered, it is a plain fact that we are all going to need lots of grace and mercy, for if God judges with strict justice and strict standards, who can stand? We will all have much to answer for. All the more reason for us to follow the teachings of the Lord, in his Scripture, and be sure that on the day of our judgment, mercy, and the grace of leniency will prevail in abundance. Do we want mercy? Then show mercy. Do we want a gentle standard? Then we must measure out gentleness. Do we want forgiveness? Then we must offer forgiveness. Recruit some good intercessors for the day of judgment, by giving to the poor. They will be the most powerful intercessors for us as we leave this life and go to judgment.
Indeed, God has shown us how we can store up a treasure of mercy, waiting for us in heaven, at the judgment seat of Christ. Some good lessons here to heed.
Perhaps you might like to add some other ways we can influence the standard God will use to judge us.
Photo credit: I have come for division – The Curt Jester
Here’s a funny video that illustrates that the measure we measure to others will be measured back to us:
It’s like going to school and continually having to take tests and pop quizes from the time you are six until you are legally an adult, while never knowing what your grades were, if you passed or will graduate until the completion of the education process. You would definitely need something like guilt to get you through it.
Excellent post.
Living in the present is ok for now.
Excellent post.
There is a really good song, called ‘You Do the Math’, by Junior Brown.
Wlll God give us credit for trying? I feel sometimes I go two steps forward and one step back.
Thank you, Father, for publishing this excellent article. This has been a major issue for me throughout my entire life–extreme criticalness, harshness, judgmentalism vs. forgiveness. I am coming to realize, more and more, that when something happens which causes outrage, indignation, judgmentalism, etc., that this is really a call from the Good Lord to suspend judgment–which can be quite difficulty–and to pray for the person(s) involved. This can be virtually impossible in the heat of the moment, but with practice I am getting a little better at it.
We need to be reminded of these basic truths all the time–I believe St. John Chrystostom’s words apply here: “When you are weary of praying, and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling, and have not listened to him.” This would seem to apply not just to material poverty, but also to spiritual poverty.
“And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.” – Matthew 18:5
This nation 55,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade, rejected Christ 55,000,000 times!
What will become of our nation?
An older translation of the parable of the man with the huge debt who did not forgive his fellow servant used specific amounts:
Ten thousand talents (equivalent to sixty THOUSAND years’ wages at the then typical daily wage;
compared to
Fifty denarii (fifty days’ wages at the typical daily wage).
How astronomical is that comparison?
Who of us by his/her own efforts can amass enough funds to repay a debt of sixty thousand years’ wages?
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