Is It Right to Judge?
How many times have you heard someone whine, "Judge not, that ye be not judged?" This verse of Scripture from Matthew 7:1 is often quoted out of context by people who are terrified at the idea of someone preaching against sin or pointing out any form of error in anyone, especially in themselves. As I stood in a voting line one day I overheard a woman justifying her foolish choice for president by saying, "Well, we aren't supposed to judge." Imagine that! Choosing NOT to judge a political candidate on election day! No wonder our nation is in such a mess! As for Matthew 7:1, the context (verses 1-5) allows judging after you have first judged YOURSELF. Jesus did not make a blanket statement against judgment. He simply pointed out a RULE for judging. Now, the word "judge" in its various forms (judgeth, judging, judgment, judges, etc) is found over 700 times in God's word. One whole book of the Bible is titled "Judges" for it was written at a time when God raised up judges to lead His people. As we are about to see, God EXPECTS His people to judge. In fact, you are sinning against God if you refuse to judge! (Read that again, please) God Expects Us to Judge "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment." (Psa. 37:30) A righteous person will talk of judgment. He will not REFUSE to judge. He will talk judgment. "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph." (Amos 5:14-15) How can you hate the evil and love the good if you refuse to judge? You can't. You are SINNING when you refuse to judge. Our generation is well described in Isaiah 59:8: "The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace." People have refused to judge, so there is no peace. Paul said in I Corinthians 1:10 to ". . . be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Why would Paul make such a statement if judging is wrong? In I Corinthians 2:15 Paul says, "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." Judging is not a sin; judging is a characteristic of being a spiritual person! Satan has been lying to us, hoping that we will NOT judge, because he knows that the right kind of judgment PLEASES God and betters our lives and Christian service. Someone says, "But should we judge PEOPLE?" Yes, we certainly should. Paul actually REBUKES the Corinthians for NOT judging: "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" (I Cor. 6:1-5) If judging is wrong, then Paul needs to confess and repent for misleading these Christians! He clearly told them to JUDGE PEOPLE. If judging people is wrong, how can we obey Romans 16:17-18? II Corinthians 6:17? II Timothy 3:5-6? I John 4:1? Friend, if judging is wrong, then God has contradicted Himself and His words cannot be trusted! Notice Malachi 3:18: "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." WOW! Does that sound like it is wrong to judge? What about Revelation 2:2? " I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:" Why would the Lord be pleased with these Christians if judging was wrong? Is it not impossible to find someone a "liar" without judging them? If the Bible is clear about anything, it is clear about the importance of judging on a regular basis in order to properly serve and honor God. To ignore this fact is to ignore all of the Scripture just presented and also the rest of the Bible. God expects us to judge. |
Oh give it a freaking rest.
I didn't read all of that but I might later. It is my understanding that Christians are not supposed to judge non-Christians. To keep the Congregations clean, they do judge learned dedicated Christians that practice gross sin. Christians are held to a higher standard as they are supposed to be taught and have the mind of Christ. That being said, we are not supposed to be unevenly yoked with non-believers and each Christian has his own conscience as to who he would associate with.
(1 Corinthians 5:9-13) In my letter I wrote you to stop keeping company with sexually immoral people, 10 not meaning entirely with the sexually immoral people of this world or the greedy people or extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world. 11 But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.”
(James 4:17) Therefore, if someone knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.
(Luke 12:47) Then that slave who understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do what he asked will be beaten with many strokes.
(John 9:41) Jesus said to them: “If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, ‘We see.’ Your sin remains.”
(John 15:22) If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
(James 3:1) Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
The scripture you quote in your question is misused and misunderstood. You have to read the rest of it. The message is to not be a hypocrite. Of course we are to judge.
Your long narrative is an example of what makes people stop going to Church School. Being preachy is a turn off.
This is the question section. Your statement belongs in the statement section.
This is not my reason for visiting Rio. ;)
To judge has two different meanings in the English language..
The first is to Judge as in make an assessment of another
The second is to judge as in carry out a judgement upon another..
We Christians are called on not to judge it is about not carrying out a judgement / punishment upon others.. But we all need to judge ( make an assessment of) others all the time... To convict another person in their heart of their need for the atonement of the Messiah Jesus we must cause them to see their own sins... People need to know that they are guilty and i need of forgiveness before they can ask for it and receive it from God.. The Atonement of Jesus is a gift for the repentant.. It is not available to those who love their sins and reject the conviction of the Holy Spirit..
have never ever heard anyone whine
"Judge not, that ye be not judged"
Thrifty what is your reason for visiting this question? I am wondering why I did.
Which god ? There are many to choose from.
See my answer.
i dont think god likes us to judge
How do you know that God is just an imaginary being?
Adam.....
Texas......
Underc~ Many people do not want to believe in a God who demands righteousness and morality, so they invent a God who makes no such requirements. Many people do not want to believe in a God who declares it impossible for people to earn their own way to heaven. So they invent a God who accepts people into heaven if they have completed certain steps, followed certain rules, and/or obeyed certain laws, at least to the best of their ability. Many people do not want a relationship with a God who is sovereign and omnipotent. So they imagine God as being more of a mystical force than a personal and sovereign ruler.
