A single witness shall not rise up against a person regarding any wrongdoing or any sin that he commits; on the testimony of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. (v.15)

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6)

This chapter talks about the cities of refuge and the laws of landmarks and testimony. All the laws that God gave to the Israelites were for them to love others as themselves. We are naturally inclined to covet and steal from others. The laws warn us not to harm others.

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (Galatians 5:14)

All God’s laws are summed up in two commandments: love God and our neighbors.

And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

When God judges, we are judged according to these two commandments. God has given the churches on the earth the right to judge. The Israel nation in the OT was a church. So God gave the priests and the judges the authority to judge (v.17).

The difference between God and the church authorities on the earth is that we judge according to what we see while God sees one’s heart when He judges. Love comes from God. Only God can love and make His people love by His Spirit. This is bad news for evil leaders in churches because whatever they do, even though they did everything right in their eyes according to their church orders or laws, they will be condemned to eternal death on the day of God’s judgment. This is the result of not being one with God through the Holy Spirit. They cannot love.

Evil leaders help false Christians within their churches. They help them cover up their sins and accuse true Christians. They sometimes make the right judgments because God intervenes for His people under their authority. But they always do the things that God hates and harm the saints. We can see the pattern in the case of Balaam Son of Beor (Numbers 22-25, 31). We must remember that false leaders in churches do speak God’s words and sometimes truth. But they are not under the grace of God. In fact, they hate God and everything He did for His people.

Looking at how many churches have become – leading people to sin, encouraging them to continue to sin and supporting false doctrines, we know that there are many false leaders within churches around the world.

But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)

We judge people by what we see. So our judgments are not like God’s. Knowing this makes us humble and eagerly seek God’s wisdom.

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:20-21)