Judging

Should We Judge?

 

One of the Bible subjects that are of utmost importance in the days we are living, and indeed throughout the history of Christianity, is the subject of judging. Coming to it, there seems a little confusion as to whether we should or should not judge. Either side, it seems, has scriptures in hand to support their stand.

But what do the Scriptures, which are our primary and foundational reference for all matters pertaining to the Christian faith, have to say on this subject?

In Matthew, we hear Jesus speaking these words:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

(Matthew 7:1-2)

Similar text is found in Luke 6:37.

If we are to rely on this text alone, we would say that we should never judge; case closed, period! But, hold a minute! Let us hear the same Jesus, our Saviour, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), speaking about judging once more:

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

(John 7:24)

From these two texts, we learn that Jesus has not forbidden us from making judgment; otherwise we would say that He made contradictory statements. From these two passages, He seems to forbid us from judging in one context (that of Matthew 7:1-2), but exhorts us to judge righteously in another context (that of John 7:24). As His disciples, we have to understand the situations in which we are allowed, and actually supposed, to judge, and situations that we are not supposed to judge.

But before we go any further, let us get a clear understanding of the meaning of the word “judge” as used in these two scriptures – as well as other scriptures which we are going to refer shortly.

The word that has been rendered here as “judge” is a Greek word krino which means: Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.

In short, the word “judge” means to distinguish, try, condemn, punish. The word try has several meanings including: make an effort or attempt (to do something); put to the test; examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process, etc. The word condemn means: pronounce a sentence on, in a court of law; express strong disapproval of.

We have to be carefully to understand the actual meaning that applies wherever this word appears. That meaning can be clear when we consider the context of the scripture, bearing in mind other scripture passages in the entire Bible, remembering of course that God never contradicts Himself in His Word.

With the broader meaning of the word “judge” in mind, let us go back to those two scripture texts and consider them closely.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

(Matthew 7:1-5)

According to this context, our Lord Jesus was forbidding us to judge other people while we are doing the same mistakes, and even greater mistakes than them (verses 1 – 4). Unless we have corrected ourselves and stop doing those mistakes, we have no right to judge (verse 5). For example, how do you find it when a court magistrate sentences a thief to two years imprisonment after stealing someone’s money while himself has just stolen his neighbour’s music system? As odd as this example may sound to you, if we are not careful, we may find ourselves judging others for things that we are doing ourselves. Doing that is sheer hypocrisy.

Thus, here we get the first lesson about judging: We cannot make any judgment about something if we, ourselves, are doing the very thing.

In John 7:24 Jesus gives us another lesson about judging: When we judge, we should not do it by observing the outward appearance of things, but we should make a righteous judgment.

How do we make a righteous judgment? By judging just as God would have judge, because He alone is the righteous judge:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

(2 Timothy 4:8)

How do we know the way God would have judged the matter at hand? From the Scriptures, because therein we find His law (Isaiah 1:10). From the Scriptures we learn the kind of judgment we are supposed to make. Even our Lord Jesus, to whom God has given the authority to judge people in the last day (John 5:22-23, Acts 10:38-42; 17:31, Romans 2:16), will make His judgment according to the Word of God (John 12:48).

So far we have learnt the following regarding judging:

-    We are not allowed to judge against things that we do ourselves.

-    Whenever we make judgment, we should do so righteously by judging according to the Scriptures, and not according to external appearance or any other criteria such as popular opinion.

After learning those basic lessons about judging, we have to understand, as Christians, the object of our judgment.

What Are We Supposed To Judge?

-     In matters related to our faith, we are supposed to judge (i.e. distinguish) between what is the right thing to do and what is wrong:

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

(Acts 4:19)

In the verse above, Peter and John threw a challenge to the council of the religious Jews to judge for themselves whether it was right in the sight of God for them (Peter and John) to listen to God or to men. But they (Peter and John) made their own judgment that they were supposed to obey God alone (read Acts 5:29).

-            We are supposed to judge those brethren among us who turn to wicked ways:

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

(1 Corinthians 5:1-13, emphasis mine)

In this scripture passage, Paul was referring to the brethren in the Corinthian church who slept with his father’s wife. He expressly stated that he had, though physically absent, already judged that person for his evildoing. What he meant, according to this passage, was that he had already passed a ruling of what was to be done to that person: The person was to be handed over to Satan who would punish his flesh, hoping that he might repent of his wicked ways and be saved when the Lord Jesus comes; and that the Corinthian church was to separate itself from that person, not treating him as a believer. This was the judgment Paul made to the brethren who committed abomination before the Lord, and exhorted the Corinthian church to make the same judgment.

-     We are supposed to judge any disputes, in daily life, among fellow brethren:

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? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

(1 Corinthians 6:1-6)

In this passage, apostle Paul was instructing the Corinthian brethren to judge disputes between their fellow believers rather than bringing those matters to unbelievers.

-      We are supposed to judge what other ministers of the gospel teach or preach:

I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

(1 Corinthians 10:15)

While knowing that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1), Paul challenged the Corinthian brethren to judge what he was telling them if it was right. In other words, he was telling them to examine and put to the test of scriptures everything he was teaching them. Hardly, if ever, we hear a preacher or teacher on the pulpit urging his audience to judge and test what he or she is teaching or preaching if it conforms to the Scriptures.

Most of us Christians take for granted whatever we are taught by ministers of the gospel, and do not spend time to judge, that is, test, those teachings and preaching, with reference to the Scriptures. Most of us consider everything that is being preached or taught by popular ministers to be true, and never take time to consider those teachings, in the light of the God-given Scriptures, to see for ourselves if those teachings are correct. It is high time we learn from the Berean Jews:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

(Acts 17:10-11, emphasis mine)

This matter is far serious than many of us realize. There is so much damage that has been inflicted on the faith of many Christians as a result of failure to test what they are being taught. We cannot afford to ignore or take lightly the scriptural exhortations to test teachings, prophecies, spirits, and literally everything that we come across, with the Scripture as our measuring rod, to see if they conform to the Word of God:

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

(1 Thessalonians 5:21)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

(1 John 4:1, emphasis mine)

Actually, our Lord Jesus Christ strongly warned us to be carefully with false prophets when He likened them with ferocious wolves clothed in sheepskin, thus bearing a close resemblance to the genuine sheep:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

(Matthew 7:15-23, emphasis mine)

Here Jesus was referring to false prophets who would be doing everything in the name of Jesus – even performing miracles, signs and wonders, but whom He never knew! We better heed to this strong warning from our Savior, that someone can even do miracles in the name of Jesus, and still not belong to Him. Indeed, we are living in a time when such ministers abound. The only way to recognize them is by their fruits, that is, testing their doctrines and life to see if they conform to the Scriptures. There are ministers today who, despite their performing miracles in the name of Jesus, are workers of iniquity just as our Lord Jesus Christ said. It is impossible to know them unless we carefully examine their fruit.

-     We are supposed to judge ourselves:

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

(1 Corinthians 11:31)

In our Christian walk, we have to check our lives, in the light of the Scriptures, to determine if we are living a life that is pleasing our Lord God. This is something that no one will do for us, as it is individual responsibility.

What Are We Not Supposed To Judge?

Having learnt about some of the areas in which the Scriptures admonish us to make judgment, now we have to take a look at those areas where we are not allowed to judge.

-    We are not supposed to judge, that is condemn, fellow believers who have different opinions on matters that God has given us freedom to decide ourselves as we like:

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

(Romans 14:1-4)

We have to realize that there are matters in daily life that God, in His sovereign wisdom, has allowed us to make our own decisions. For instance the way we dress, eat, the type of business to do, etc, are things which we can decide for ourselves provided we do not violate the written Word of God in those areas and do not bring shame on the name of our Lord God, whom we bear His name. It is wrong to try to put strict rules on matters that God has not done so, and condemn those who do not hold the same opinion as ours as if those believers are going to eternal damnation! Knowing this, the apostles in Jerusalem decided not to impose numerous restrictions to the Gentile believers in Antioch, except that which was necessary:

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

(Acts 15:28-29)

-    We are not supposed to pass judgment regarding the eternal destiny or eternal reward of other people:

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

(1 Corinthians 4:3-5, emphasis mine)

God has given His Son, Jesus, the authority to make judgment as to the eternal destiny of mankind and reward each one according to his/her deeds (John 5:22-23,26-27, 2 Timothy 4:8, Revelation 22:12). We, human beings, are not allowed to assume this sacred duty. God alone can make a righteous judgment in this regard as He is the only one who can see straight into our hearts and minds.