Amen
All right, we're there in Deuteronomy chapter number 16 and of course on Sunday mornings
We've been studying now for many weeks this subject of
Emotional intelligence, and we spent the first several weeks
learning about emotional intelligence just specifically
What it means and all of those things, but the last several weeks
We've been kind of in a new phase of this series
And we've been dealing with some specific areas in which emotional intelligence is needed
And required if you remember a couple of weeks ago. We learned about
Emotional intelligence with regards to conflict resolution, and how emotional intelligence is needed
For conflict resolution, and then last week we learned about
Emotional intelligence with regards to dealing with gossip and dealing with gossips and of course emotional intelligence
We've been learning that it's different. We define it as the ability to
Recognize and regulate our own emotions and also our ability to recognize and regulate ourselves around the emotions of others and
This morning. I'll again deal with a very specific subject in which emotional intelligence is needed and this morning
We're going to be learning about judgment and discernment
Judgment and discernment and another word that you might use as a synonym for judgment in the Bible is the word justice
justice or judgment
Or
Discernment you're there in Deuteronomy chapter 16 look down at verse number 18
Deuteronomy 16 18 the Bible says this judges and officers
Shall thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee
Throughout thy tribes, and I want you to notice this phrase here at the end of verse number 18
And they shall judge the people with just judgment
They won't judge the people with just judgment and this this idea of
Just judgment is actually seen all throughout the Bible. We there's different terms that we see
Here we see just judgment
Jesus used the term righteous judgment and
You would consider you would think that if it's judgment or if it's justice that it would be just you wouldn't think that
You would have to make the statement now
Let's make sure we have just justice right because that's what he's saying just judgment the word judgment
There is in reference to judgment, but the reason that
That Moses here in Deuteronomy 16 the Holy Spirit of God says we need to have
Just judgment we need to have just justice or the reason that Jesus said we need to have righteous
Justice is because of the fact and this is something that I learned over the years in ministry
Is that most people just naturally have very unjust justice they have very unjust?
Judgment, and this is something that we as Christians need to understand and need to learn especially if we're going to be people that are emotionally
intelligent because
Making judgment calls is something that is going to be
Required in every area of life if you have people around you
You're going to have to be able to make judgment calls be able to
Determine and discern what is right?
What is wrong sometimes in areas of authority who is right who is wrong and things of that nature?
So these are things that we need now. I've often been shocked by how
Unjust people tend to be sometimes people say things to me, and I'm thinking myself whoa like I can't believe that
You don't get this or I can't believe that you can't see this
But the reason I think that maybe there are some things that people don't grasp with regards to judgment
Is because I think some of these principles do require emotional intelligence
They require the ability to not only recognize and regulate your own emotions
But also to recognize and regulate yourself around the emotions of others so what I'd like to do this morning
Is I'd like to give you five guidelines or five principles for emotionally intelligent judgment
Emotionally intelligent judgment or justice or discernment however you want to think about it. We're talking about the same thing
Let me just say this for a more thorough list
On guidelines for justice because I'm gonna deal with five this morning, but if you're interested in this subject
I actually preached an entire sermon series
I preached like a seven week sermon series on the subject of judgment back in the beginning of 2023
it was a series called judgment and
And and I I went through a lot of these principles back then again
This is one of the reasons why I'm so shocked because I think myself man you spend seven weeks preaching on one subject
And it seems like nobody listened to anything
And that's just how it is from time to time
But I would encourage you to go back and listen to that series if this is something you're interested in or maybe something you feel
Like you struggle with because obviously this is one sermon
I spent an entire sermon series on that subject and specifically in that series
I preached a sermon called judgment calls and a lot of the things I'm gonna be preaching this morning
I taught in that series in that sermon in fact in that sermon. I gave ten principles in this sermon
I'm gonna give you five and the only reason I chose to go with five versus the ten is because I
Picked out the five that I believe require emotional intelligence
There's some things that don't require emotional intelligence, but these five things require emotional intelligence
We're learning about emotional intelligence, so I'd like to give you these five guidelines regarding emotional intelligence and
Judgment or justice or
Discernment now you're there in Deuteronomy 16. We looked at verse number 18
Let's look at it again Deuteronomy 16 18 judges and officers shall thou make thee in all thy gates
Which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout thy tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment
Now let me let me just go ahead and say this and and exercise a little bit of emotional intelligence
Yes as a pastor sometimes. I'm really shocked by like whoa that is that what you just said is so unjust
It's crazy to me
You know I do understand that these principles of justice are things that I think about a lot because as a pastor
I'm often finding myself in a position of being a judge and
Doing a lot of conflict resolution and and judging in a situation
So I realize that my job requires me to think about and consider these things a lot
And I understand that maybe some of you aren't in those positions
But either way these are things that every Christian needs to know because you can't be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and be
Unjust you can't be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and be an
Unjust person those things are not compatible if you're going to be a follower Christ you need to be a righteous person
You need to be a just person so these are things that we need to understand
notice verse number
19 Deuteronomy 16 and verse 19 the Bible says this thou shalt not rest you say that word rest there
That's word rest is an older word
We don't use a lot today in this context
But it's where we get the word wrestling or wrestle and the idea is to twist or to
To like like a wrestler well well
They'll twist and they'll turn and they'll try to pin someone down the Bible says to not do that
With judgment thou shalt not rest judgment because when we try to twist and turn
Judgment in order to make it fit what we want it to fit that is unjust
That is the definition of being an unjust person thou shalt not rest judgment look at this phrase thou shalt not
Respect persons thou shalt not respect persons now when the Bible says thou shalt not respect persons
What is that talking about? It's not talking about being disrespectful like don't say yes, sir. Yes, ma'am
You know that's not what it's talking about obviously we should be respectful people and I do think that
You know it's appropriate to say yes, sir. Yes, ma'am, please. Thank you
Those are all good things when the Bible says here thou shalt not respect persons
The idea is this that when it comes to judgment or decision-making you'll you will not give more respect
To one individual than to another he says thou shalt not rest judgment thou shalt not respect
Persons all of this has to do with justice. Of course notice this neither take a gift
Neither take a gift. What does that mean?
It means look sometimes people give you things or they do nice things for you and it's good to give people gifts
It's good to do nice things, but when it comes to judgment and making calls of justice, you know
The Bible says neither take a gift. Here's why for a gift does blind the eyes of the wise and look
These are common sense things. It's it's even in our law today
If you're gonna go stand before a judge, you literally can't just hand the judge
Hey judge, here's here's a thousand dollar gift for you right before you make a decision on my case
That's illegal because of the fact that a gift does blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous
The idea here is that we should not allow things
Personal I like this person. I respect this person. This person gave me a gift this person did something for me
We should not allow those things to motivate us to rest or to twist
Judgment keep your place there in Deuteronomy
We're gonna come back to it
Put a ribbon or a bookmark there and go with me if you would to the book of Leviticus Leviticus chapter 19 if you go
backwards
Deuteronomy then you have the book of Numbers then the book of Leviticus Leviticus 19, by the way
We're gonna look at a lot of passages right from Deuteronomy and and Leviticus. These are
Books of the Bible that people often refer to as boring or people don't like to read them
But you'll find that there's a lot of practical principles in these books that maybe you should read
So that you can actually know how you're supposed to act as a bible-believing Christian Leviticus 19 look at verse 15
Leviticus 19 15 notice what the Bible says here ye shall do no look at it
Unrighteousness in judgment again, you would think why would even have to say that
Wouldn't you just think like if you're going to do judgment you're going to be just but most people are not just when it
Comes to judgment and here God is telling us you shall do no one righteousness and judgment thou shalt look at again not
respect the person of the poor
Nor honor the person of the mighty
But in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor and look here. He gives two extremes
Because we tend to think like oh people have respect of persons for the mighty right nor honor the person of the mighty
People that have money people that have power people that have influence we should not just lean towards them
And they're famous or they're popular and we should not just you know lean towards them and give them justice
But here the Bible says hey don't don't
Have respect of persons even of the poor
So you shouldn't just like lean toward the other extreme because what happens in societies is we had all you know for a long time
The the man right the the rich man the strong man the influential man
He was getting all the help and everybody was linked so and then and then we'll turn around
We're like well now if they're poor they're innocent. Well, that's injustice, too
You know the truth of matters is that there are some poor people that are innocent and there are some poor people that are guilty
Do you understand that?
There's some rich people that are innocent and there are some rich people that are guilty and whether they're rich or poor
Whether they're black or white whether they're famous or or nobody knows them
None of that should come into effect when we're dealing with justice
Because justice should have no respect of persons. No unrighteous judgment
He shall do no unrighteous judgment thou shalt not respect the person of the poor. So what are we learning here?
What's the first principle and again these things I've learned
Have to do with emotional intelligence because I think you need emotional intelligence not to know this
Not to know this and please understand what I'm about to say to you because nothing I'm going to say to you this morning is
Going to be like this epiphany. We're gonna be like wow, really? I didn't know that we weren't supposed to
Nothing that I'm gonna say to you requires intelligence
Because everyone should be able to pretty much understand this the moment I say it it does require
Emotional intelligence you say well, why does it not require intelligence when it does require emotional intelligence?
Here's why it does not require intelligence because you get it
You understand it the things I'm going to say to you. They're not complicated. They're not they're they're on the on the bottom shelf
They're easy for you to grasp
The reason that you need emotional intelligence is because emotional intelligence
Reminds us in the moment it takes
Emotional intelligence not to understand but to remember and to apply it in the moment
So what do we need emotional intelligence for in in judgment? And if you'd like to write these down
I'm gonna give five statements. They're not alliterated, but you can write these down if you'd like
Or be unjust whatever on the back of your course of the week
There's a place and look this sermon is for all of us that need justice
But I but but but literally I've done this long enough where I realize there are some people who have just decided their minds
I will be unjust
Like you you think it's crazy
But there's literally people out there who live their lives and say I will be a respecter of persons
I will always side with my friends always side with my family
I mean they could murder they could kill they could walk into a grocery store with an
Ak-47 and kill a bunch of people and and but but but they're my family so they've done nothing wrong
Like people literally live their lives that way
So if that's you this morning, there's there's no hope for you
And honestly, I hope that your friends and family never do some heinous crime because you'll probably end up in prison
For aiding and abetting it's ridiculous
but these are
So I look I just realized there are some people out there who literally live their lives who just decided
Like I will be unjust and if that's you then this sermon is not for you, but for everyone else
Who actually thinks like honesty and integrity and justice and righteousness and these things are good things
Then maybe you'd like to write these things down number one. It takes emotional intelligence to remember that
Justice must be applied without consideration of how much you like or dislike a person
It requires emotional intelligence in the moment in the heat of the moment
to remember
That justice must be applied
Without consideration of how much you like or dislike a person and look you think I'm making this stuff up
But I've literally in my lifetime as a pastor. I've had people say to me
Well, I like so-and-so so they must be right like and they weren't it wasn't a joke
It was like there was a situation and they're like so-and-so's my friend. So they must be right. I'm thinking myself wrong
Now so-and-so may be right but they're not right cuz they're your friend
That's ridiculous
That's insanity
That I like that is on a level of like Twilight Zone that to me is just crazy
Like I think myself
someone needs to like strain you up and put you in a padded room need to take these sound boards off this wall and
Put you in a padded room because for you to think I like so-and-so
I don't need to see any evidence. I need to talk to anybody. I don't need to be told anything
I like them so they must be right you are crazy
You're crazy. It's craziness
Justice
Must be applied without consideration of how much you like or dislike person
It should be applied without consideration of whether they're related to you or not
It should be applied without consideration of how long you've known them or how much you like them or how much you did
dislike them
Justice should be done with no respect of persons
Jackal said this we should be loyal to principles not people
We should be loyal to principles not people and it doesn't matter
Who the person is?
Justice in our country is often represented like in a courthouse or something like that by a statute of lady justice
And I'm not advocating for statutes of lady justice or if somebody's gonna email me, you know, that's a false cut look
I'm not I'm not saying it's it's a good thing. I'm just saying in our country
That's how we've chosen to represent justice. I didn't choose that. Okay, somebody else chose that
But lady justice, but if you think about lady justice, you know, if you go to a courthouse
You'll probably see an image of lady justice or a statue of lady justice. You know, what is it? It's a woman
Who has she's holding a sword in one hand and
scales in another hand and
These represent her authority to punish
the sword is is it's picturing her authority to punish and to to bring punishment upon those that are guilty and the scale
represents balance
The fact that we don't just punish people just because we'd like them or don't like them that we actually
Look at the evidence and look at it and make sure that it's a balance and that it's fair and that it's right
But you know, what's interesting the most interesting part of that whole
Image to me is the fact that she's blindfolded
Lady justice is blindfolded
With a sword in one hand a scale. What is that? What does that represent?
It represents the fact that justice is blind. It should be blind
It shouldn't matter who the person is
That's being tried and look and when it comes to us making decisions about what's right what's wrong what should be done
What shouldn't be done it takes emotional intelligence. It doesn't take a lot of just
Brain intelligence to understand what I'm saying to you
but it does require emotional intelligence to remember that justice must be applied applied without
consideration of how much you like and don't forget this one or dislike
If the person
Justice should be blind
It doesn't matter if it's your spouse. It doesn't matter if it's your daughter. It doesn't matter if it's your son. It doesn't matter
It none of that matters and and here's what people and this is the part that to me is insanity
People connect these these ideas
Well, I love my wife. I love my husband. I love my son. I love my daughter. I love this person
I love that person. So therefore they can never be wrong. That's crazy
That's crazy. Look there is nothing wrong
You a normal emotionally intelligent spiritual individual should be able to say hey son
I love you and I'm loyal to you, but you're wrong
Those things do not contradict
It's you shouldn't have this idea says like hey daughter or hey wife. I love you
So you do nothing wrong and I just stick my head my head in the sand and pretend like everything you do is right
That's ridiculous. And the Bible doesn't teach this go to Proverbs chapter number 27
Proverbs chapter number 27
If you open your Bible just right in the center
You're more than likely found the book of Psalms right after Psalms you have a book of Proverbs
So look, I'm not sitting here telling you
Oh
so you're saying that we shouldn't love people or not be loyal to people you should love people and you should be loyal to
People and and and I hope you understand and and and consider the fact that as a pastor
I love you and I'm loyal to you
but I'm not going to be an unjust person and
And the Bible doesn't even teach that let me give you a proof
That this idea that if I love someone then I must pretend like they do nothing wrong is not even scriptural biblical
It's just insanity Proverbs 27 verse 6. Look at it Proverbs 27 verse 6
Faithful are the wounds
Doesn't the word wound sound like it hurts
It sounds like Lady Justice with her sword in one hand
Faithful are the wounds look at it of a friend
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful
You know what the Bible actually teaches the Bible actually teaches that if you actually love someone and you're actually
Loyal to someone and you actually care about them and you're actually their friend. You're not gonna lie to them
You're not gonna pretend like oh you're good and everything you do is right and everything you do is righteous
That's actually being their enemy
The kisses of an enemy are deceitful the Bible says
Faithful are the wounds of a friend because if you actually love someone you're gonna say I love you and I care about you
And I don't want you to go down the wrong the wrong road. But listen to me. I love you, but you're wrong
This is not good. What you're doing is not good what you're saying. You shouldn't be saying that now
I'm not saying that look keep in mind all the other sermons on emotional intelligence
I'm not saying you need to insert yourself into situations that don't involve you or whatever
But I'm saying this when it comes to matters of justice and judgment and you are in a position to make a decision
It is wrong for you to say well, I love this person. So therefore don't show me anything. I just they're right
You're an unjust person
It makes it takes emotional intelligence to remember that justice
Must be applied without consideration of how much you like or dislike the person and in fact if you actually love the person
You're gonna be just because faithful are the wounds of a friend
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful see some of you have surrounded yourself with people that aren't your friend
They don't love you. You know what they love they love to be liked
That's what most people surround themselves with they surround themselves with people that like to be liked and because they like to be liked
They're never going to say anything to you that makes you not like them and
Then you show up at Verity Baptist Church, and I'm up here
Just telling you you're wrong about this wrong about that. You're wrong about this, and you're like pastor. He managed doesn't like me
Hey, you've never known a better friend than pastor. He met us. I'm such a good friend to you
I'm just wounding you every Sunday
I'm like the best friend you've never had
Because faithful are the wounds of a friend
The kisses of an enemy are deceitful
So we learned that it takes
Emotional intelligence to remember that justice must be applied without consideration to how much you like or dislike a person and listen to me
Husband or wife or mother or father if you say well, I'm not willing to I know my wife is doing these things
And they're terrible. I know my husband doing these things, and they're terrible
I know my kids are doing these things, and they're terrible, but I'm not willing to and you are a bad person
You're an enemy. That's what the Bible calls you
Not a friend go to proverbs 15 14
Powers 14 so number one justice must be applied without consideration how much you like or dislike the person and again
I'm not saying that you need to insert yourself in situations that don't involve you remember all the other sermons
We've learned is that your place is at your problem if it's not your place
And it's not your problem, then then here's the proper response is don't have an opinion
Otherwise people ask me. What do you think about this? I'm like. I don't have an opinion about that
You don't have an opinion not one that I'm going to share with you
Justice mess must be applied without consideration how much you like or dislike a person number two
And again, it doesn't take intelligence to understand this, but it takes emotional intelligence to remember this it takes emotional intelligence to remember that number two
You should not believe everything you hear
Now you know that I mean who doesn't know that
Like maybe a six-year-old doesn't know that
right
Look, maybe a five-year-old doesn't know that maybe a six-year-old doesn't know that but you're a grown man
Or you're supposed to be
You're a grown woman I
Mean you're old and you don't know this
You're running around acting like a five-year-old six-year-old look yes five-year-old and six-year-olds don't understand that
You should not believe everything you hear, but let's just be honest with ourselves
This is why five-year-olds and six-year-olds believe in Santa Claus
This is why they believe in the tooth fairy
This is why they believe in in in the Easter Bunny, right?
At
Some point you go up and realize
Or not everything that I'm told is true
See it takes emotional intelligence to remember that you should not believe everything you hear Proverbs 14 15
Are you there look? I'm not trying to offend you. This is the Bible remember faithful or the wounds of the friend
Proverbs 14 15 look what the Bible says the simple believeth every word
Know what the word is simple mean the word simple is King James Version talked for
the dumb
the ignorant
the unlearned
the simple believeth every word
Here's the compare and contrast, but the prudent man
Looketh well to his going
See a simple person. They just they're just told something and they run with it
What does the prudent man do he's told something, but he looketh well into it
He doesn't just believe everything he's told
She doesn't just believe everything she hears it takes emotional intelligence to remember that you should not believe everything
You hear go back to Deuteronomy chapter 19 if you would
Let me give you some principles on this and again. This should be easy to understand I
Know it's not difficult to understand, but it does require emotional intelligence to remember this
Let me give you some sub points with regards to this you should not believe everything you hear
first of all
Don't believe in accusations simply because it was made
You know that anybody can accuse anybody about of anything
And this is the culture we live in like we live in this culture today where if you get sued
People just automatically like well you must have done something wrong
And it's like you can get sued you can go to court you can win the case you can have them pay you
$10,000 for bringing a fraudulent lawsuit against you and people will still say like well you got sued you must have done something wrong
Maybe I'll just sue you for any reason
People can accuse you of anything, and it takes an emotionally intelligent person
and
Maybe someone that's older than five years old
to remember that you should not believe everything you hear and
You shouldn't just believe in accusations simply because it was made
Deuteronomy 19 and verse 15 look at what the Bible says Deuteronomy
1915 one witness shall not rise up against a man for an iniquity for any iniquity
So what what is God saying when he says one witness showed up well
I got one person here, and they said okay, but one witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity
What does that mean here's what it means?
Just because someone says it doesn't make it so
Don't believe in accusations simply because it was made or for any sin in any sin that he said it
What is it the Bible telling us the Bible's telling us it just because an accusation is made doesn't mean
That we should believe itself now. Just now don't don't go on the other extreme
An accusation is made well, then it must not be true. No. No here's the point when accusations made
You don't know if it's true or not
Do you understand that?
This is why our country has a principle people are innocent until proven guilty
Why why are they innocent until proven guilty because you shouldn't believe in accusations simply because it was made
Keep your place there in Deuteronomy go with me to 1st Timothy chapter 5 1st Timothy chapter 5 you can find the t-books
They're all clustered together in the New Testament 1st 2nd Thessalonians 1st 2nd Timothy Titus 1st 2nd Thessalonians 1st 2nd Timothy Titus 1st Timothy chapter 5
Put a ribbon or a bookmark or something in 1st Timothy because we're gonna come back to it
And we're gonna leave it and come back to and I want you to get to it quickly 1st Timothy chapter 5
Here's specifically for a pastor. This is what Deuteronomy was talking about look at it here
Deuteronomy 1st Timothy 5 19
Against an elder look at it receive not an accusation
But before two or three witnesses, so if you don't have two or three witnesses the Bible says against an elder
Which is a pastor receive
Not an accusation. What does that mean to receive non-accusation? It means you don't even listen to it
Now why does God say this about about pastors?
He says it about elders and people in in in position of authority because we have the tendency to piss people off
that's what it comes down to and
Then so we upset people and then what do they do make accusations against us say things that aren't true
And look the Bible says that you should not believe in accusations simply because it was made
Keep your place there in Deuteronomy keep your place in 1st Timothy if you would we're gonna come back to those go to
Matthew chapter 26 Matthew 26
Let me say this you should not believe everything you hear you know sub point a don't believe in accusations because it was made sub point B
Realize that false accusations are common
False accusations are common go to Matthew 26 why you turn there you remember the story of Jezebel
Remember Jezebel in 1st Kings 21 she had to the Bible says sons of Belial who falsely accused Naboth of blaspheming
God and the king
Because she wanted to steal his vineyard and give it to her weak husband Ahaz remember that story
So look there you have a situation where there were two witnesses, and they were both lying
And we'll talk about that here in a minute, but just because there's two witnesses doesn't mean that even that doesn't mean it's true
But we need to remember that false accusations are common look at Matthew 26 59
This is about the Lord Jesus Christ the sinless Lamb of God
Matthew 26 59
Now the chief priests and elders and all the council look at it salt false witness against Jesus
Why because they didn't like him
So they were willing to have unjust judgment
They saw a false witness against Jesus to put him to death verse 60
But found none yea though many false witnesses came
It's always shocking to me how willing people are to be false witnesses
Though many false witnesses came yet found they none and
Then the Bible says at the last came to false witnesses
And they were to get two guys to at least get their stories to match
So look you should just realize that false accusations are common
And again, I'm not saying that we should then go on an extreme that says well nothing and no one ever accuses is wrong
Look the point is this you shouldn't just believe everything you hear just because an accusation is made doesn't make it so
You should realize that false accusations are common
and
the Bible says
That false accusations need to be dealt with harshly
go to Deuteronomy 19 Deuteronomy 19 and
Look at verse 16
And you say well, why do they need to be dealt with?
Harshly, we'll use a little emotional intelligence
Why do false accusations need to be dealt with harshly use some emotional intelligence, what if the false accusation is against you
When did you want that dealt with harshly?
Deuteronomy 19 16 look what the Bible says if a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him
That which is wrong
Then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before the Lord before the priests and the judges which shall be in those
Days and the judges shall make diligent inquisition
due diligence
looking into the matter and
Behold if the witness be a false witness, so they look into and they find out. Oh, you're lying
This is a false witness and have testified falsely against his brother
Look at what the Bible says then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother
So shalt thou put the evil away from among you
This is how seriously God takes laws
He says if you stand up and give on and make get you you give testimony
Because you're trying to get somebody else to be put to death and they find out your line then they're gonna put you to death
That's what God said
You say why because false accusations should be dealt with harshly
Look at verse 19 and you shall do unto him as he thought to have done unto his brother
So shall thou put evil away from among you
And those which remain look at verse 20 shall hear and fear and shall henceforth commit
No more any such evil among you that I shall not pity him
But life shall go for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot
You know, you said what is being described here in Deuteronomy 19?
justice
It's justice
Go back to 1st Timothy 5
1st Timothy 5
Remember we saw the same thing for an elder obviously in the New Testament. We're not a country
So we don't put people to death. All right
So, how do we deal with here?
We have Church discipline 1st Timothy 5 19 against an elder received on accusation
But before two or three witnesses the context is Deuteronomy 19 is where he's getting that from verse 20 then that sin
What is the sin here those that are accusing an elder falsely then that sin the Bible says rebuke before all
Look at how matches Deuteronomy 19 that others also may fear
So if you bring up the what the Bible saying if you bring a false accusation against the pastor and then it's found out that
You're lying then you should be brought before the congregation and should be rebuked publicly
Because this type of behavior should not be allowed
And look the emotionally intelligent go back to Deuteronomy 19 if you would the emotionally intelligent
Application to don't believe everything you hear you say well if I'm not supposed to believe everything I hear
Pastor because I'm the simpleton that just believes everything
If it's on YouTube, I believe it was on Facebook. I believe it. Somebody whispers it in my ear. I believe it
If that's not the response and what is the response here's the response give people the benefit of the doubt
Here's the response choose not to make a judgment call until it's proven
Here's the response say well. Hey people are innocent until proven guilty
but the way that most people want to live their lives is say you're guilty until proven innocent and
Then when you're proven innocent, they'll be like yeah. Yeah, but there's more to it
That's wrong
That's injustice
Deuteronomy 19
So that's number one justice must be applied without consideration to how much you like or dislike the person look
I realize you said pastor. I know that I know you know that
But you remember that
It requires emotional intelligence to remember that number two. You should not believe everything you hear. Here's number three
Here's number three and I want to spend a little bit of time on this because this one I have found to me
I don't understand why this is complicated
Again I do this on a daily basis
But I have found that this this tends to be the most confusing to people so I want to spend a little bit of time
On this one to make sure you understand it. It takes emotional intelligence to remember that
You need two or three legitimate witnesses
Before you start looking into a matter
You need two or three legitimate witnesses before you start looking into a matter, and I'm saying that very purposefully because
Because here's the first sub point if you want a sub point letter a two or three witnesses do not convict
They simply open up an investigation. Are you there in Deuteronomy 19 look at verse 15?
Look what the Bible says
One witness shall not rise up against a man for and for any iniquity or for any sin in
Any sin that he's in it?
So one guy stands up and says so-and-so did this. What do we do with that? Nothing?
That's what the Bible says you said well, that's not just
That's what God says
And look God is saying this because he realizes that their false accusations are so prevalent
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity for any sin for anything that he's in it
At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established now when the Bible says
established here that doesn't mean that we convict them and
And the context makes that very clear I'll show that to you in a minute
Established just means that it's opened up or settled established means settled like okay now we got to investigate this one person says it
it's like
We don't believe everything we're here. People are innocent. We've been guilty. We're not just gonna run with gossip here
Understand why I preach on gossip last week
But two or three people say, okay now we need to look into this now
The matter has been established if a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong
Then both of the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before the Lord before the priests and the judges
Which shall be in those days verse 18 and the judges shall make
diligent inquisition
That's questioning and investigation. So when do the judges make diligent inquisition?
When one witness rises up against a man, no when one witness rises up will you do nothing?
When do the judges make diligent inquisition?
At the mouth of two witnesses and at the mouth of three witnesses, then they don't convict they don't say okay
Well, you're guilty. Well, two people said it so you must have done it. No at that point they look into it
They make diligent inquisition and behold if the witness be a false witness and that testified falsely against his brother. We just read that
So just cuz they just cuz two or three witnesses arise doesn't mean that the person did or didn't do it at that
Point we start investigating because guess what two people or three people could be lying
So you make a diligent inquisition, so what do we learn from this? Two or three witnesses do not convict
They simply open up an investigation
You say well pastor I have one witness so I want to interrogate someone wrong
You're not even supposed to ask a question. You're not even supposed to look into it if you only have one witness
Look, I'm not making this stuff up. It's in the Bible. I
Realize this is out of the scope of some of your emotional intelligence
But I'm fully confident that this is not out of the scope of your intelligence
You may not have the emotional intelligence to want to apply it
But I know everyone in this room if you're older than five years old to be able to understand this
You have one witness. What do you do with that? Nothing? That's what the Bible says
That's what the Bible says
Well, what do we have two witnesses then you investigate then you begin to ask questions
Then you look into a matter do two witnesses convict
No
Do three witnesses convict no two or three witnesses do not convict they simply open up an investigation if you only have one witness
You don't seek another witness
Well, I have one witness. Let me try to find another witness. That's opening up an investigation
If you have one witness you don't question or interrogate someone that's opening up an investigation
I've literally had people say to me. Well, we have this one witness. Can we take so-and-so and ask questions?
No, you cannot
No
The Bible is clear about these things
You have one witness. What do you do with it? Nothing?
You say why because false accusations are prevalent. They're common
I've had people ask me this even just recently
I said somebody asked me this and I want to explain this because I feel there's so much confusion here
So what about technology can technology serve as a witness like video or pictures?
Can can a picture of something serve as a witness can video serve as a witness and look, let me be clear
About my position on this. I believe we live in 2024 and I absolutely believe that video
pictures technology can serve as a witness I
Think that video could be a witness of something or a picture could be a witness of something but
This is the part that requires some emotional intelligence
If
You're going to say that video or picture requires can can be a witness
Then here's what you need to understand that video or the picture needs to stand on its own
So what do you mean by that? I mean that I should be able to take that video or that picture and
Show it to a police officer
Show it to a jury show it to a lawyer show it to a random person on the street and without your
Commentary and without yours backstory and without your they should be able to look at it and say yeah
Like they should be able to look at it and say
You should be able to show so I'm not literally done this where I've taped
Somebody said here's a video of somebody doing something and I'm looking the video
I'm like, what am I supposed to be looking? I don't what am I looking at?
Well, let me tell you the story. No, I need to be able to look at it and just you don't need
to tell me the story and
If I take this rant if I take this video to random people that I trust
And I'm like look at this. What do you see?
Literally, I've taken video to multiple individuals that I trust my wife our trustees
People on our staff that I trust and I'm like look at this and literally just this is the response again. What am I looking at?
like exactly
Look I believe video and pictures can be witness, but they need to stand on their own
Otherwise, they're not a witness. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?
And
Look, this is the part and people get mad at me and they you know want to just attack me on these things or whatever
But I've literally over the years and this has happened multiple times. This is what I'm the example
I'm gonna give right now. I'm choosing this example because it happened multiple times. So if you've done this, I'm not picking on you
I'm just this is just an example that obviously is prevalent. So I think it should be dealt with
But I've literally had people send me a picture
Where someone's holding a beer bottle?
and they're like kick this person out of church for being a drunk and
My response is always like hey this person may be a drunk. They may not be a drunk, but this picture doesn't prove
They're a drunk
I'm not saying they're not a drunk
But you know what this picture proves is that they took a picture with a beer bottle in their hand
Now I'm against drinking anything. I think it's stupid to drink. I think you're not but it's not budweiser. It's budstupider
So I'm not sitting here saying like I think it's okay to drink I think it's retarded to drink I think it's dumb I
Think you're an idiot in an imbecile if you drink you shouldn't drink
Read the Bible. It's a Bible is clear
But somebody holding a picture if I show up the picture to someone and I'm like
Is this person a drunk? They're like, well, I don't I don't know they got one beer in their hand
Do you understand what I'm saying to you?
the picture
Should be able to tell the story now if you're showing me a mugshot that they got arrested for a DUI
Okay, that's a different story
Yeah, maybe they are drunk
But people will say things about technology and images and video and they're like this proves and I'm looking at the picture
I'm like doesn't prove any I'm not saying they are or they aren't I'm just saying it doesn't prove anything
It doesn't show anything
It doesn't now you send me
Seven pictures. Here's Monday. They have a beer in their hand. Here's Tuesday. They have a beer in their hand. Here's Wednesday
They have a beer in their hand. Here's their okay. That's showing something. You understand what I'm saying to you
One random picture with a beer in their hand and by the way, don't take pictures with beer in your hands you idiots
But one random picture with a beer in your hand doesn't prove anything
And people get mad at me because I look at I'm like this doesn't show any what are you serious?
We want me to do with this. This isn't a witness
and look people are confused by these things and
And I get it, I guess I
literally had someone said to me there was they showed me a piece of technology and
There was nothing
Again, I'm not saying that the individual was or wasn't doing what they said they were doing. It's just the video
They didn't show anything and I'm like this this video is not a witness
Because this video doesn't show what you're saying it shows and then they're like this what they said well, I'm a witness
Like okay, then what did you see? I saw the video you saw this video. Yeah, the video shows nothing, right?
What are you witness of nothing
The video shows nothing you're watching a video that shows nothing and now you're telling me. Well, I'm the second witness
No, you're not you're an idiot
And look if you don't understand principles of justice you should not be making comments of things you don't understand
And it's not just look. I literally had a pastor. I had a pastor say to me
There's two witnesses to this thing and I'm like, well, who are the witness?
Well, there's this one guy that saw it and then the pastor said and then he told me so now I'm a witness
Like that's not being a witness. That's called being a gossip
What did you see I didn't say what what did you well they told me
That's not a witness. Look again. I don't understand what's so hard to get about this stuff, but that's not a witness
If we want to get technical, you know what that's a witness of that is a witness
You can testify to the fact that this person said this to me
But you can't testify to the fact that this person did that because you didn't see it
And again, maybe I'm a genius and everyone else is just you know, an ignoramus, but I don't think that's the case
You know what?
I think the case is that the things I'm telling you right now are not hard to grasp with your mind
But you choose to give a blind eye to people you like
Or people you don't like not because you're dumb because you're emotionally dumb
That's what I think
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 8
Ecclesiastes chapter 8 because none of this stuff is that complicated the stuff I'm saying to you right now. It's not that hard to grasp really
It's like okay if I show this picture into 10 random people are they gonna without your
backstory
Are they gonna just come to the same conclusion? No, right because the video you're showing me shows nothing because the picture you're showing me shows
nothing
Now the video shows something then I think it can be a witness but look, you know what a witness is?
They stand on their own. They tell their own story. That's what that means
That's what that means
And if you don't get it then get out of the Justice League, you know, get out of the justice system and
Let people who are actually intelligent make these decisions if you just can't grasp it
It takes emotional intelligence to remember that justice must be applied without consideration to how much you like or dislike the person
It takes emotional intelligence to remember that you should not believe everything you hear
it takes emotional intelligence to remember that you need two or three legitimate witnesses before you even start looking into a matter and
witnesses do not convict and
Technology can be a witness if it tells a story and stands on its own
like a human witness
But if we look at the picture we look at the video and we're like, what am I looking at that's not a witness
Number four it takes emotional
Intelligence
It takes emotional intelligence to remember that here's number four
The reason you need someone neutral to deal with problems is because no side will have the right balance for with regards to punishment
it
Takes an
emotionally intelligent person to remember and
This is one that I will give it to people like if you don't deal with these things on a regular basis then yeah
I get it. Maybe you don't remember this
But it takes an emotionally intelligent person to remember that the reason
You need someone neutral to deal with the problem is
Because no side will have the right balance with regards to punishment. Are there any ecclesiastes 8 look at verse 11
Ecclesiastes 8 11 because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily
Therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil
The Bible teaches that we need to have justice. We need to have
Punishment sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily when it's not executed speedily
The sons of men their heart is fully set in them to do evil
but here's what you need to understand about about justice and punishment is
that
people
Who lean towards the guilty party, so let's say the guilty party is someone you like
Your friend your family member
Then they're always going to lean towards the punishment being too soft
you understand that and
People who lean against the guilty party
So let's say you don't like the guilty person. They're not your friend. They're not your family member
They hurt your friend. They hurt your family member. They're gonna lean towards the punishment being too hard
So this is why look this is why it requires emotional intelligence for someone to say
Hey, you know what pastor? I'm too close to this situation
That person they're my friend. They're my relative. I'm too close to it, so I'm just gonna trust you or someone else who's neutral
Because it does take an emotional intelligent person to remember that the reason you need someone neutral to do
To deal with problems because no side
Will have the right balance with regards to punishment if you're leaning towards the if you like the guilty person you're gonna lean towards
Being too soft, and if you don't like the guilty person you're gonna lean towards being too hard
You understand what I'm saying to you in
The legal system there's a term called recuse or recusal
Where a judge removes themselves from a case it's called recuse or recusal or recusing themselves
They remove themselves from a case due to potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality
Where the judge maybe has a connection to one side so they say look I can't be impartial here
I'm gonna lean towards the person I know the person I like I can't be I can't give equity here
There's a conflict of interest here
So then the judge says I shouldn't I shouldn't judge this because I'm too close to it
That requires emotional intelligence in your life and in my life
Where you say hey, this is dealing with something that I'm too close to so I'm just gonna defer to someone. That's neutral and
And what's frustrating to me is that the people who are closest to it. They're always telling you like what you're doing wrong
No understand this
You're never gonna. You're not gonna be impartial you're too close to it, and you know what I've learned in ministry
Here's what I've learned in ministry because I make a lot of judgment calls in ministry
Here's what I've learned when both sides are pissed off at me when both sides are unhappy
I know that I'm striking right the right balance
Like that's my goal sometimes
Just to like have everybody mad at me
Because cuz here's the thing like if I'm making one side real happy and the other side really
Unhappy that I'm probably leaning in the wrong in one direction
Do you understand what I'm saying?
I'm making this side real happy and the other side not happy
I'm probably leading that direction, but when I'm just like no one's happy
People tell me you're going to stop over you're going too hard. I'm like that's probably where I'm supposed to be then
Probably right in that sweet spot
Where I'm striking the right balance
Because the reason you need someone
Neutral to deal with problems is because no side will have the right balance to regard punishment
You know you should have enough emotional intelligence when there's a situation going on and you're close to it to say you know what?
I'm a little too close to this
I'm gonna recuse myself from this pastor. I'm just gonna trust you and your judgment because I'm
I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna lean in a proper direction because of impartiality and look
It's normal to be impartial towards people you love or like, but that's why judges say I can't take this case
There needs to be someone else takes this case because I'm too close to it
There's a potential for conflict of interest or a lack of impartiality
So number four the reason you need someone neutral to deal with problems is because no side will have the right balance with regard to
punishment and
Then number five let me give you the last one and we'll finish up go go back to Deuteronomy 19
Deuteronomy 19 and look at the very least you guys who want to go into ministry someday you need to learn this
You need to learn how to give proper judgment
You need to learn these things and you also just need to be comfortable with people being mad at you all the time
Because that's just the way leadership is people are mad at you all the time you can't do anything right everybody's angry at you all the time
And that's okay
Deuteronomy 19
Deuteronomy 19 verse 17
Then both the men
between whom the controversy is
Shall stand before the Lord before the priests and the judges
Which shall be in those days
You know what the Bible says here the Bible says that before a judge was allowed to make a judgment
He had to hear both sides
Looking for 17 then both the men
then both the men
Between whom the controversy is shall stand before the Lord before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days
so a judge was not allowed to make a judgment call to make a decision until
He had heard both sides
Here's statement number five
It takes emotional intelligence to remember that if you haven't heard both sides or all sides of the story. You're probably missing something
That takes emotional intelligence
Go go to John chapter 7 if you wouldn't in the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John John chapter
So we're gonna look at two verses in John and we'll be done John chapter 7
Notice what John 751 says
John 751 Matthew Mark Luke John John 751
Doth our
law
Judge any man. This is a reference to the Old Testament law
Doth our law judge any man
before it hear him and
Know what he doeth
You know what I found in personal relationships
is that people they'll be told one thing by one person and they'll run with it and
They'll act like it's gospel
Like well, this person said it so it must be so
Well, you're an unjust person
Because an emotionally intelligent person realizes that if you haven't heard both sides of the story you're probably missing something and
Look, I I find myself in these positions all the time
I've said this to so many people in our church
And in fact, there are five people in this room that you've I've said this to you
And and I'm not I don't think this is bad or negative
Sometimes I'm sitting in my office. Somebody's telling me something and I'll say to them like hey
I appreciate you telling me that and I believe you
but obviously
I'm only here in one side of the story and
Usually people are like, yeah. I know I know you know, you got to talk to the other person or whatever
Because it takes an emotionally intelligent person to realize that if you haven't both heard both sides
Then you're probably missing something and look our law. It doesn't judge a man before it hears him
You understand that?
I've only heard one person, but I've already made my decision. That's wrong
And look it's crazy to me how many times people will make a decision
They'll make a judgment call based off what one person told them one story
They heard you don't bother to ask any other questions. They don't they're just they're like, well, he said it
Well, she said it so must be solid must be right
And you know what I used to tell people when I was younger in ministry
I used to tell people that you should not assume that you're being told the whole story when you've been told
One side of the story you should not assume that you're being told the whole story
Let me show you how I have progressed in my ministry
When I was younger in ministry when I was less mature in ministry. I used to tell people
If you've only heard one side of story, you're only got one side
You're only just your friend told you what happened. You should not assume that you're being told the whole story
That's what I used to tell people you know what I tell people now. I tell people in fact
Not only should you not assume that you haven't been told the whole story if you've only been told one side of the story
You should assume you've not been told the whole story
You should assume listen to what I'm saying you should assume you've not been told the whole story
Because it used to be that
A husband came into my office and said this is going on and this is going on and my wife
This is my wife that and I'm like man. That's terrible. Well good night. You married the antichrist like oh, man
And
Then I bring my wife into the office because I don't meet with ladies alone
And I bring the wife and then she tells me her side of story. I'm like whoa
Well, you didn't leave you didn't you didn't say that part
You should assume you're not being told the full story
I'm not saying people are bad or evil look
It's just human nature to embellish its human nature to leave out the details that make you look bad
It's human nature to exaggerate the details that make the other person look bad. That's human nature
So look I used to tell people like well
I'm going to talk to this person and I used to say like well don't assume you've heard the whole story now
I tell people you should assume you've not heard the whole story
You should assume that
Because not not
Nine times out of ten ten times out of ten in my experience and I've been doing this for
Fourteen years here in a few months, and I've done this a lot ten times out of ten ten times out of ten
When you hear the other side you're like oh wow yeah, well, they didn't mention that
And they left that part out and
Yeah, they gave you this detail in this detail in this detail
But not in the right order or in the right sequence, and it's just human nature
So when people come to me and say something and sometimes people need to come to me and say something cuz I'm the pastor I
Just assume I'm not being told the full story. Thank you. That's not an attack on you
It's an attack on your sin nature
Because the truth of the matter is this
That it takes emotional intelligence to remember that
People often leave out the parts that make them look bad
They often exaggerate the parts that make them look good
They embellish the parts that make the other person look bad
They minimize the parts that make them look bad. It's just human nature
so an emotionally intelligent individual
Realizes that if you haven't heard both sides or all sides of the story
You're probably missing something and that's not to say that it's necessarily your job to go find the other side of the story
You just need to know
Well here's what I heard, but I only heard it from this person I
Don't know maybe there's more to the story. There's probably more to the story. I would assume
There's more to the story
John chapter 7 verse 24 will finish up
Nothing I said to you this morning was
Just this breathtaking like pastor. You need to write a book like this is just wow
You are just the most intelligent person. I've had none of these things. I've never heard none of that come on
Come on
If you're older than five years old all of this makes sense
It's not hard to grasp
It does not require a high IQ. It does not require a lot of intelligence
To understand the things I'm saying to you
But you know what it does require is
emotional intelligence
to remember
emotional intelligence to remember
That justice must be applied without consideration of how much you like or dislike an individual
That you should not believe everything you hear
That you need two or three legitimate witnesses
Before you start looking into a situation and two or three witnesses does not necessarily convict
That the reason you need someone neutral to deal with the problem is because no side is going to have the right balance
with regards to punishment
And if you haven't heard both sides or all sides of the story
You're probably missing something
It's not hard
But it takes emotional intelligence to remember these things
John chapter 7 verse 24. We'll finish up here John 7 24. Here's what Jesus said
judge not
according to the appearance
But judge righteous judgment
Righteous judgment, really Jesus? Why would you have to tell us isn't all judgment going to be righteous? No
No, it's not
There's lots of unjust people out there who are happy to be unjust
And Jesus said we must be careful to judge not according to the appearance
But judge righteous judgment. This is why I have to have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father
Lord I pray you'd help us to be a just people
Help us to be people of integrity and character
And help us to have some emotional intelligence to remember some of these things
Just because I love someone doesn't mean that they're without sin
And just because I've been told something doesn't necessarily make it so
Just because an accusation is made doesn't make the other person guilty
And help us to have emotional
intelligence
When dealing with relationships with judgment with justice
We love you the matchless name of Christ we pray
Amen