A Panel of Judges

We've mentioned our last live poker tournament had an interesting discussion of religious topics during a break. We don't recall now exactly how it happened, but the conversation at one point turned to judgment.


"Jesus will judge everyone someday," we pointed out.

A woman across the table didn't quite hear what we said -- but she heard enough. "I'm hearing you talk about judgment, and I'm not comfortable with that."

"We shouldn't judge," a woman to our right added.

Welllll -- hold on a second. Isn't that what top poker players do? All the time? The game is loaded with personal "judgment calls." For instance: should you fold pocket threes before the flop? Is your opponent bluffing by going all-in with three diamonds on the table, or does he really have a flush? How much should you bet,to keep an opponent in a hand you've already clinched and maximize your gains? You get the idea.

Consider what Jesus said about this concept....

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. - Matthew 7:1

Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment. - John 7:24

Many people have heard the first verse, and perhaps have memorized. But Jesus also said the second verse -- which tells us there's a time and place to make judgments, but also a time and place NOT to do so.

This was a big issue in our area tonight, as a convicted murderer faced the death penalty (it's still unsettled as we post this). Some people say the evidence was compelling that he killed a police officer; others say the evidence was flimsy and someone else committed the crime.

Under the U.S. system of government, someone indeed has to judge whether the suspect did it or not. Otherwise, criminals of all kinds would roam the streets freely and no one would be safe. And under God's way of doing things, Jesus will have the ultimate say in the future about whether we're ALL guilty -- guilty of sin, whether large or small.

It is appointed to all men once to die, and after this the judgment. - Hebrews 9:27, KJV

This judgment will truly be "all-in" -- into God's Kingdom, or away to face a "second death" described in Revelation 20. The good news is that (to borrow from blackjack) you can have "insurance." You can put your sins under the blood of Christ, by repenting of them and asking God for forgiveness in His name.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - I John 1:9

So judge the relatively small matters of poker carefully. And remember the final Judge is coming - to determine whether you used sound judgment in everything else you did.