Judge Not,
That Ye Be Not Judged?
My personal experience in preaching the Word of God, is that there are two specific Biblical beliefs that are terribly misunderstood by Christians and non-Christians alike, without exception. They are (#1) the issue of Judging others, and (#2) the recent doctrine which theologians and preachers have been espousing that the laws laid down in the Old Testament were only a temporary arrangement and that the advent of Jesus Christ made them null and void.
These two items constantly present themselves as obstacles to properly understanding the Bible and as hindrances to the proper Christian development of believers. Understanding these issues makes a difference on the moral boundaries one believes in, and thus also on the moral boundaries one puts into place in one's life. These are all-important issues that are almost universally misunderstood within Christianity.
Most people, when confronted with a religious concept that goes against their habits and thinking, are quick to reply, "Judge not!" and insist that that is the proper Christian response. From my experience, those who profess to be Christians are more dogmatic about this than are non-Christians. Non-Christians are just as likely to simply direct foul and profane language at you.
Matthew 7:1 - "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
It is true that there are certain forms of judgment that we are not meant to make. This verse is referring to one of these forms. However, there are instances where the Bible says that we need to judge. We need to read other verses and not only the one above. We must take all relevant verses of the Bible into account to arrive at a full understanding of the "judging" issue.
Correction is not judgment, as the Bible says that we should correct, rebuke and be bold to those who are sinning. It is to be done in an act of caring for them in the hope that they will believe. That way we could contribute to the saving of a soul. If we don't, we could be responsible for suppressing the truth which could mean eternal death instead of eternal life for that person. James 5:20 - "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."
Where the Bible says do not judge, it therefore means judging whether someone is born again or not born again. This is because in doubtful cases only God can be the judge of this. That would be far above our pay grade. The form of judgment that Matthew 7:1 says not to do is the form of judgment that a person makes when they despise a sinner, while at the same time believing that they are worthy themselves as they continue in the same sins as the despised sinner. Taking the whole passage into account, not just the single verse, makes that more clear. Matthew 7:5 - "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."
We should only correct in a humble way as an act of love. The Bible indicates to boldly correct people in an effort to bring them to repentance. We could say that someone may be eternally separated from God to spur them to repentance. But to say that someone is definitely saved or that they will be eternally separated from God would normally be wrong. Romans 10:6-7 - "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)" There is no judgment yet. God performs the judgment at the end of the age.
We should not judge doubtful things or things by appearance but we are still meant to make righteous judgment on things that are made clear in the Bible:
John 7:24 - "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
Romans 14:1-4 - "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."
1 Corinthians 6:1-5 - "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?"
Jesus and the Apostles were very bold and rebuked and condemned evil. They even openly rebuked people in the church for doing evil, in order to strengthen the church. There were examples when even physical force was used to correct them. In Nehemiah 13:25, Nehemiah cursed (This would not be using the Lord's name in vain, of course!), struck and pulled out the hair of the Jews who rebelled by having pagan wives. There were other incidences where he forced people to stop lending money at interest, (Nehemiah 5:10-13) and threatened people for breaking the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:19-21). Nehemiah forced people to do the right thing. Jesus Also overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13).
Rebuking a sinner, exposing corruption, correcting someone in love or disciplining ones children is not judging wrongfully. If so, Jesus and the Apostles who were our example to follow would have been in error. I believe that the Devil is lying to people to convince them that Biblical correction is judging. Therefore, many believe that it is fine to go on sinning and not obey God by warning others. This is the opposite of the example set by the Apostles. People are more likely to take note and remember strong stirring words. Strong words cause people to repent and not remain lukewarm. Bold ministry can turn people off but they would probably turn away anyway and be considered by God to be lukewarm. Therefore, they probably would have been rejected by God anyway. In the Bible people mostly either turned well away or became committed believers.
1 Timothy 5:20 - "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."
Luke 17:3 - "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."
2 Timothy 4:2 - "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."
Titus 1:13 - "This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith"
Titus 2:15 - "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."
If we don't warn someone in error to turn from evil, we are partly responsible.
Ezekiel 33:8 - "When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."
Stephen spoke the truth of things, and then concluded his last dissertation with this:
Acts 7:51-53 - "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."
The next verse shows the reaction of the audience, who flew into a rage, and then they stoned Stephen to death:
Acts 7:54 - "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth."
Righteous judgement is a very necessary component of the Christian life. Failing to heed the Word of God, or resisting truth when one knows it is the truth, has very dire consequences. One's personal exercise of Godly judgement can often prevent a really terrible outcome.
Matthew 12:30-32 - "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
In other words, when you know the truth, when the Holy Spirit has enlightened your mind to know the truth, then to persist in denying that knowledge while you go on your wilful way, is unforgivable sin. When a person willfully persists in sin, God eventually stops striving with that person, and turns that person over to his rebellious lusts and persuasions. That person is lost. Speaking against the Holy Spirit is equivalent to rejecting Christ with such finality that no future repentance is possible. If anyone refuses to submit to the Spirit's gracious constraint, preferring to call good evil and evil good, how can the gospel avail for him? The deliberate refusal of the grace of God is the one sin which by its very nature is irremediable.
Genesis 6:3 - "My spirit shall not always strive with man."
When we are confronted with Holy Scripture that shows our position on something is in error, we need to acknowledge that we are in error, rather than to defend an undefensible position, become angry, or rail against the messenger that dares to point out the error to us.
Hebrews 10:26-27 - "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
We need to become expert in knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. And then we need to be bold like the Apostles in witnessing the Gospel Message, exercising Godly judgement in all things.
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