Judge Not
Should Christians do it?
Matthew 7:1-5 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.
Zechariah 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Romans 2:1-2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Romans 14:10-13 But 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. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
James 4:11-12 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 art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Colossians 3:12-15 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
THOUGHTS
I have heard many elaborate arguments; mostly from the judgmental and argumentative among us; that these clear verses really don't apply in cases where we are supposedly "testing the spirits" and using the gifts of "discerning of spirits" in order to expose false teachers, and warn the unwary of their devious Satanically inspired teachings and traps. I think this is a case of confusing things that clearly differ, and I also think that any attempt to vitiate and explain away our Lords teachings against judgmentalism is a serious mistake. Christ knew what He was saying when He commanded us to not judge one another.
Judging false teachings, and identifying false prophets (and the like), is clearly not the same as having a judgmental, and even hateful spirit toward fellow believers. Judgmental-ism is evil, because it sets you up as the authority over your brother. It therefore robs Him of his right to believer priesthood. It robs him of his right to stand or fall before God on his own. "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:12). When you are judgmental of others, you are assuming God's role as the absolute authority in the lives of the saints. You are not God's authority. You are not God's policeman. And you are not the Holy Spirit. God is in charge, not you! "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things" (Rom. 2:1-2). It is clear then, that for you to become judgmental of others, you must at the same time harden your heart to the Sovereignty of God in the hearts of men. If God is Sovereign, then you are not! His kingship and authority strips away any and all authority that you might have over somebody else. He's the boss. Not You!
Judging others is always a practical denial of Grace and is a form of legalism. When you critique and criticize others in a judgmental manner, you are denying that principles of salvation by Grace alone through Christ alone. Grace unites men in a real and vital relationship with a LORD who is capable of guiding and leading all His sheep perfectly. Nobody, including pastors who are considered shepherds within the flock, are permitted to usurp the authority of the Chief Shepherd. He is the good shepherd, not us. We are to serve Him as lights in the dark world, as beacons of truth, as voices of His word, but not as substitutes for the Holy Spirit. Every Christian minister ought to be opposed to high handed hammering of personal opinions into the lives of weak souls. That is not our job, to hit people over the head with a hammer, and force our beliefs or preferences down somebody's throat. Shame on you if you think that is ministering for Christ. Legalism is repulsive, and it drives people away from the fold, and is always a false gospel, and if you are involved in it, you need a good does of Grace yourself. If you are among those who try to justify judging others, and approve of harboring a hateful spirit of condemnation, then you are certainly too legalistic to qualify as a Christian in behavior. Christians are not threatened by Grace, they are liberated by it.
I'd like to conclude with a personal observation about what happens when judgmentalism goes to church. Christians are supposed to go to church, we are commanded to do it, and for good reasons (Hebrews 9:25). But when people go to church with the legalistic, proud judgmental attitude, church becomes a complete waste of time for them. They go, not to receive a blessing, to listen to a godly sermon, and meet with Christ as He visits His people. They go instead to critique the preacher, to criticize the music, to look down their noses at other people and to see if everything meets their approval. They go because they imagine that their superiority exists to keep everyone else as pure as they are. The go because they feel God has called them to be church experts, and to control things when they get out of hand. They imagine that it is always their duty to pull people aside and let them know how much God disapproves of something they are doing, or something in the church. These negative minded people might actually be a blessing to their congregations, if they stayed away, and never came to any of the services. Because when they come, they are agents of Satan, tools of the Devil to sow discord among the brethren (Proverbs 6:19). This fact alone, ought to be enough to convince any Christian that judgmentalism is wrong. Let every one of us, come to church every time we come, expecting to receive a blessing and to be a blessing to those who are present, and if we cannot come without a spirit of negative judgmentalism, let us stay home and seek God in our closets until He is pleased to give us a loving and kind heart and a right spirit.
Matthew 7:1-5 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.
Zechariah 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Romans 2:1-2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Romans 14:10-13 But 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. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
James 4:11-12 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 art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Colossians 3:12-15 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
THOUGHTS
I have heard many elaborate arguments; mostly from the judgmental and argumentative among us; that these clear verses really don't apply in cases where we are supposedly "testing the spirits" and using the gifts of "discerning of spirits" in order to expose false teachers, and warn the unwary of their devious Satanically inspired teachings and traps. I think this is a case of confusing things that clearly differ, and I also think that any attempt to vitiate and explain away our Lords teachings against judgmentalism is a serious mistake. Christ knew what He was saying when He commanded us to not judge one another.
Judging false teachings, and identifying false prophets (and the like), is clearly not the same as having a judgmental, and even hateful spirit toward fellow believers. Judgmental-ism is evil, because it sets you up as the authority over your brother. It therefore robs Him of his right to believer priesthood. It robs him of his right to stand or fall before God on his own. "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:12). When you are judgmental of others, you are assuming God's role as the absolute authority in the lives of the saints. You are not God's authority. You are not God's policeman. And you are not the Holy Spirit. God is in charge, not you! "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things" (Rom. 2:1-2). It is clear then, that for you to become judgmental of others, you must at the same time harden your heart to the Sovereignty of God in the hearts of men. If God is Sovereign, then you are not! His kingship and authority strips away any and all authority that you might have over somebody else. He's the boss. Not You!
Judging others is always a practical denial of Grace and is a form of legalism. When you critique and criticize others in a judgmental manner, you are denying that principles of salvation by Grace alone through Christ alone. Grace unites men in a real and vital relationship with a LORD who is capable of guiding and leading all His sheep perfectly. Nobody, including pastors who are considered shepherds within the flock, are permitted to usurp the authority of the Chief Shepherd. He is the good shepherd, not us. We are to serve Him as lights in the dark world, as beacons of truth, as voices of His word, but not as substitutes for the Holy Spirit. Every Christian minister ought to be opposed to high handed hammering of personal opinions into the lives of weak souls. That is not our job, to hit people over the head with a hammer, and force our beliefs or preferences down somebody's throat. Shame on you if you think that is ministering for Christ. Legalism is repulsive, and it drives people away from the fold, and is always a false gospel, and if you are involved in it, you need a good does of Grace yourself. If you are among those who try to justify judging others, and approve of harboring a hateful spirit of condemnation, then you are certainly too legalistic to qualify as a Christian in behavior. Christians are not threatened by Grace, they are liberated by it.
I'd like to conclude with a personal observation about what happens when judgmentalism goes to church. Christians are supposed to go to church, we are commanded to do it, and for good reasons (Hebrews 9:25). But when people go to church with the legalistic, proud judgmental attitude, church becomes a complete waste of time for them. They go, not to receive a blessing, to listen to a godly sermon, and meet with Christ as He visits His people. They go instead to critique the preacher, to criticize the music, to look down their noses at other people and to see if everything meets their approval. They go because they imagine that their superiority exists to keep everyone else as pure as they are. The go because they feel God has called them to be church experts, and to control things when they get out of hand. They imagine that it is always their duty to pull people aside and let them know how much God disapproves of something they are doing, or something in the church. These negative minded people might actually be a blessing to their congregations, if they stayed away, and never came to any of the services. Because when they come, they are agents of Satan, tools of the Devil to sow discord among the brethren (Proverbs 6:19). This fact alone, ought to be enough to convince any Christian that judgmentalism is wrong. Let every one of us, come to church every time we come, expecting to receive a blessing and to be a blessing to those who are present, and if we cannot come without a spirit of negative judgmentalism, let us stay home and seek God in our closets until He is pleased to give us a loving and kind heart and a right spirit.
© 2012 Rev Earl Jackson www.RevEarlJackson.com
This article may be reproduced on any website or blog in its entirety without alteration of change, provided that this copyright and a link back to this website is made. Please inform us if you use this article and send us the link to where you have placed it. You may not reproduce this article in any other form, such as hard copy, and it is not permitted to sell it or otherwise use it for money making purposes.
This article may be reproduced on any website or blog in its entirety without alteration of change, provided that this copyright and a link back to this website is made. Please inform us if you use this article and send us the link to where you have placed it. You may not reproduce this article in any other form, such as hard copy, and it is not permitted to sell it or otherwise use it for money making purposes.
