To Judge or Not to Judge

The first thing to do is to put Jesus’ warning into the context in which it was given. In Matthew 7, Jesus said:

1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

This is not a warning not to judge but that we will be judged according to the standard we choose. In Romans we are warned not to judge others when we are doing the same things. If we know something is wrong, we become a witness against ourselves if we are committing the same acts. We also don’t have the right to judge someone’s heart, but when warranted, we are to judge someone’s actions and words according to truth. If we are not permitted to judge, it becomes impossible to distinguish between right and wrong. Contrary to common opinion, the Bible commands us to judge.

 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us: 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Testing is judging between right and wrong. The devil has successfully removed our ability to measure truth by convincing God’s people that it is wrong to judge. It is not judging that is wrong, it is the standard by which we judge and the motives behind our judgment. Jesus gave the standard for judging. Look at these two passages:

John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." ... "Righteous a right relationship with God" 

John 12:48 "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

Judgment is not according to appearance or personal preference, but according to God’s own righteous judgment which was revealed in His word. It is God’s word that judges between right and wrong and we are to test all things by evaluating it against the word of God. The Bible constantly reiterates a foundational truth - God does not change. His word does not change. Anything that disagrees with God’s unchanging word is not true. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My word will never pass away" (Matthew 24). In Psalms, God tells us that His word is equal to His name: Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

Those who follow and teach God’s word faithfully are with God and those who alter or contradict it are against God. There is no such thing as a new revelation that is contrary to what God has already revealed in His word. We are to judge doctrine and truth righteously by comparing it to Scripture.Look at John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

According to the truth of scripture, we can determine if we or those who preach and teach are in the love of God. If anyone loves Christ, he or she will keep God’s word. We may not be able to judge someone’s salvation, but we can clearly judge whether or not they are in an abiding relationship with Christ. If someone rejects God’s commands, they do not love God. If someone refutes scripture or teaches a doctrine that contradicts scripture, they do not love God. They may say that they love God, but it is not possible to love God and align ourselves against His word. Some my call that judgmental, but Jesus plainly stated this truth.

If we are commanded to test doctrine in order to determine what is good and evil, how can we think that we are not allowed to judge? Why does the Bible warn us to be on guard and watch out for false teachers if we are not to question them for fear of being called attackers? We are mandated by scripture to judge, identify and stand against false teachers by upholding the truth. Our goal is not to prove others wrong. Our ultimate goal is to bring others to repentance by upholding truth. Ideally we want others to see the truth and respond. Equally important if not more important, our intentions should also be 
to keep others from falling into satan’s traps. John 4:24 says, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Without truth, worship and our relationship with God are not possible. If we allow faith to be perverted, we are partakers at the height of injustice. The world around us is lost and dying without Christ. If we allow Christianity to be conformed to the world, who can be saved? We are to be calling the world to get off the sinking ship, not getting into the ship with them. If the church tolerates the lie, who will share the truth? This does not allow us to the judge quickly and by personal opinion. The golden rule prevails, treat and judge others as you would want to be treated.  

Fast and First Without Reservation

Have you noticed how the world treats the issue of forgiveness? On television for example, it’s almost a virtue to withhold forgiveness particularly if the offense is especially hurtful. The idea is that we somehow participate in the offense if we forgive it; or that forgiveness for certain acts is unforgivable in itself.

Of course, there are those who withhold forgiveness because they feel it’s their right to do so. “Do you expect me to forgive you” is an oft repeated line. No one questions the right of the offended party to deny the request. In fact, people knowingly nod their heads in approval and focus on what the offender deserves.

And yes, we Christians know that the offender does not deserve forgiveness: ever. We also know there are consequences for sin. Yet, what sets us apart from the world is the obligation and compulsion to forgive. We forgive others because God’s forgiven us. That’s what it means to be a Christian. We’ve been forgiven, not because we deserve it, but because God is gracious. And, because God has changed us, we can’t help but forgive others.

It’s not a virtue to withhold forgiveness any more than it’s a virtue to sin against God or hurt someone. When we forgive, we don’t participate in the commission of the offense. We do bear it though. Just as the one seeking forgiveness bears the burden of guilt, we bear the burden of not allowing our being hurt to come between us and the offending party. In granting forgiveness, we don’t let people off the hook nor do we wipe away any consequences that might be in effect. In fact, we acknowledge that there is an offense simply by saying the offending party needs forgiveness. We acknowledge it and bear it at the same time.

Now, we can’t actually grant forgiveness if someone has not sought it (though we are required to rid our hearts of ill feelings and be willing to forgive). When we do grant forgiveness, in addition to not letting the offense come between us, we’re saying we won’t gossip about it, we won’t hold a grudge, and we won’t bring it up in the future. That’s the way God treats us.

Neither do we have the right to withhold forgiveness. It’s not up to us. Nor can we let our feelings rule. We may feel so hurt that forgiveness is impossible for us. But we go to God; we get His help; we do what He tells us we must do. And, in so doing, not only do we put His character on display, but we actually feel better; we get the joy of being where God wants us to be.

We also set ourselves apart from the world, not in a prideful way, but in a way that says to the world that we do hurt each other. All of us do that. But, relationships can be restored by the power of God. That’s what God’s done for us; He’s reconciled believers to Himself and given them peace with Him and others. That reconciliation can only truly be had in Christ. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).

Do you want to promote God’s ways in the world? Then put His power on display; be quick to forgive others. That’s a real virtue. And yes, God does expect His people to forgive.