Judging is a hot topic, both in and out of the church. It is one of the Bible themes that, like a coin, has two sides. Some judging is sinful, yet judging is commanded.
Jesus Is Against Speck Inspecting
It is wrong to unfairly judge others. The Master plainly said, “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). His younger brother added, “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou are not a doer of the law, but a judge” (James 4:11).
It is wrong to judge others if we are guilty of the same things (Romans 2:1-2). We sometimes give ourselves a free pass but collect a heavy toll of another for the same action. Longfellow said, “We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.” Bertrand Russell capsulized this hypocrisy when he said, “I am firm. You are obstinate. He’s pig-headed. I have reconsidered. You have changed your mind. He’s gone back on his word.”
It is wrong to prematurely judge others (1 Corinthians 4:5). It is sinful to judge others in matters of opinion. Paul made this clear. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? …why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ… Let us not therefore judge one another any more” (Romans 14:4-13).
The Pharisees were good at this kind of judging. Simon, for instance, watched an episode unfold in his house involving Jesus and a prostitute washing His feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. He concluded, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39). That was an unfair judgment based on insufficient evidence and faulty premises.
It is wrong to judge “according to the appearance” (John 7:24). We can make the same mistake of jumping to conclusions before we have researched the facts. Alan Smith tells the story of a newspaper reporter’s searching for a story about the laziness that existed throughout the South. He drove around until he saw a man in his field, sitting in a chair and hoeing weeds. This had to be the ultimate in laziness, he thought. He rushed back to his car but looked back to get more details as to colors and contrasts with which to begin his story. What he saw changed his entire outlook. He saw that the pants legs on the farmer hung down loose – the man had no legs. What had seemed at first to be a story of laziness turned into a story of great courage.
Jesus Is for Fruit Inspecting
It is not always wrong to judge others. In fact, it is impossible to be a faithful Christian and not judge others. Jesus told us to ‘inspect the fruit’ of others (Matthew 7:16, 20). He that is “spiritual judgeth all things” (1 Corinthians 2:15). Jesus said, “Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?” (Luke 12:57). He also commanded us to “judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Jesus complimented the church at Ephesus for trying “them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (Revelation 2:2).
Christians must judge doctrine. There are some commands that cannot be obeyed without making careful judgments. For instance, Paul wrote, ‘‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17; cf., 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Timothy 4:l-4; Titus 1:13). John added, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 1:9-11).
The learners in Berea were commended for judging whether the things Paul preached “were so” (Acts 17:11). Those in nearby Thessalonica were commanded, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). To the Ephesians Paul said, “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). The marginal rendering of the first phrase of Philippians 1:10 reads, “Try things that differ.” We are to “try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Christians must judge morals. A few years ago, a congregation of the Lord’s church in Oklahoma withdrew fellowship from a woman for immorality. When she filed a lawsuit against the church, the story made all the national news media. Garland Elkins appeared on the Phil Donahue Show, which was popular at the time. The attitude of Donahue and most of the audience could be summed up in the words, “Judge not, that you be not judged!” If one speaks out against abortion, homosexuality, adultery, drunkenness, immodesty or any other moral misdemeanor, someone may say, “You can’t do that. You’re judging.” That is meant as you-should-be-ashamed-of-yourself-put-you-in-yourplace-end-of-discussion putdown.
Sure, one is making a judgment, but if he is making a righteous judgment, with the right attitude, he is doing what God wants him to do. Paul passed judgment on a fornicating brother in Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:3; cf., Acts 13:10). He wrote the same church, “If the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? …Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-5).
Strong Christians “by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). Yes, we can (should) judge others, but we must use God’s Word as the standard of judgment. In matters where the Word does not give precept or principle, we should leave the judging to God.
