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One of the most misused and misunderstood subjects in all the Bible is that of "judging."
Can a Christian judge? What does the Bible mean when it tells us not to judge?
What does the Bible mean when it tells us to judge?
When studying a particular Bible question it is important to understand the complete picture of passages that relate to the question. The Christian should never pit the Bible against itself to make it contradict direct teachings found within its pages. Taking the sum of all the parts should form the complete picture, without discounting individual parts or opposing one particular part with another. This is true with Bible teaching on salvation, and it is also true regarding the Bible's teaching on judging. The word "judge" is used in a variety of ways within the New Testament. Depending upon the context, the word could mean "to choose between right and wrong, decide an action to be righteous or unrighteous, to come to a conclusion, or to condemn or bring condemnation by pronouncing a sentence upon an individual." While the first three options are synonymous, the last option is altogether different. God uses the word in both ways in his teachings regarding judging. We are commanded by Jesus to judge in certain circumstances. "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment," (John 7:24 ASV). Jesus tells us that we must judge things not according to what they may or may not look like, but judge righteously, based upon the truth of the Bible. Jesus also said, "I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me" (John 5:30 ASV). This is a principle that we are obligated to adopt for our own lives as well. We cannot judge according to what we wish, nor can we judge by any standard other than God's will. As we understand the Bible and the teachings found therein, we must judge according to what we hear, judge things as righteous or unrighteous according to what the Lord has spoken — not according to appearance or our own feelings. We must be able to tell the difference, or come to a conclusion, between actions that are sinful and contrary to the word of God and actions that are righteous. Many claim that telling an individual his actions are sinful is being "judgmental" and therefore sinful. People claim that "judge not" means "do not tell me I am wrong!" This conclusion is wrong and directly opposes the teachings of the Bible. We must judge things either sinful or not sinful, according to what God has spoken on the subject, and warn people about the sin in their lives. Consider 2 Tim. 2:24-26 ASV where Paul says, "And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will." How can we correct those who oppose themselves if we cannot tell them what they are doing is wrong? How can people recover themselves from the devil's snare if it is judging — and therefore wrong — to tell someone he is living in sin? Likewise, Christians are told to do the same thing for wayward Christians. "Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Gal. 6:1 ASV). How can we restore the wayward Christian if we cannot tell him he is wrong? The simple truth is that Christians are obligated to judge according to what God has said, preaching the difference between right and wrong, and warning people who are living wrong and in danger of losing their souls. Contrasted with this idea is the second definition of the word "judge" in the Bible. People mistakenly turn to Matthew 7 and John 8 attempting to prove we cannot judge by telling someone he is living wrong. When a Christian tells a lost soul, or a wayward Christian his actions are sinful, he is often told, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). It is wrong for people to pit the Bible against itself and make it contradict itself. Please take a moment to read both Matthew 7:1-5 and John 8:3-11. In both contexts the people are scolded and taught that judging another person guilty of the same action that you are doing is sinful. Hypocrisy is a sin the Lord hates. In John 8:3-11 Jesus condemns the sin of both the people and the woman taken in adultery. Jesus condemns the hypocrites who are trying to trick him and He also condemns the woman's adultery. Since Jesus, was not a witness to the adultery He could not assess the death sentence upon the woman, as Deuteronomy 22 teaches. The parallel to Matthew 7:1-5 is Luke 6:37-44ff. This passage also condemns judging people while doing the very actions that you, the one judging, are doing. This is hypocrisy and is the key point to Christ's condemnation of the Pharisees! He did not condemn them for telling the people they were living in sin, but for telling the people they were sinful while they themselves committed the very same actions. "Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judges another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things. And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things. And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?" (Rom. 2:1-3 ASV) The Pharisees also held the common Jew to a higher standard then they were willing to hold for themselves (Matt. 23:2-7). This is exactly why Jesus states that a person will be judged according to his own standards, when his standards exceed or contradict the standards of God. We must not speak evil of others and count them as enemies. Doing this is contrary to the teachings of Christ. No person has the right or authority to tell an individual, "you are a lousy sinner who is going straight to hell." But we are obligated to say, "your soul is in jeopardy for living in sin, and you need to make it right with God." There is a huge difference between condemning someone to hell and meekly teaching them the right ways of the Lord. As Christians we must judge. We must be able to preach the difference between right and wrong. We must kindly, meekly, and humbly correct those in sin by boldly saying that their actions are sinful, hating the sin and loving the sinner. Finally, consider the inspired Jude: "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" (Jude 20-23 ASV). |