Judge Not?

Matt. 7:1-5 (ESV)  “Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Jesus tells us here not to judge others, but in several other places including Jesus’ very words, we are told to judge.  In fact, just a few verses later Jesus tells us to judge false prophets. 

Matt. 7:15-20 (ESV)  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Jesus is telling us not to judge people based on their sin.  We shouldn’t judge sinners since that is God’s job not ours.  Aside from a few exceptions within the church, we are only to judge what people say or teach.  False prophets, for instance, teach heresy and should be corrected.

I see the same principal with people’s actions within the church.  We are to judge them if they are causing division or corrupting the body:

Jude 3-4 (ESV)  Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

This also applies to judging those offering worldly enticements:

Col. 2:8 (ESV)  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Paul even scolded the Corinthian Church for not judging a man living in sin amongst them:

1 Cor. 5:1-5 (ESV)  It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. ² And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. ³ For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

If the fellow mentioned repented and wanted to return to the local body, Paul said he should be welcomed back:

2 Cor. 2:5 (ESV)  Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. ⁶ For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, ⁷ so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.

Why is this important?

We are often told by both believers and non-believers that Christians should not judge others, but this stands against what Scripture says.  We are to judge those within the body who are divisive.  Those within the body whose sin is so great it brings public shame on the local church should be disciplined by the church leadership if they are not penitent.  We should even watch out for worldly temptations and those from outside the body seeking to harm it. 

God is always concerned with the spiritual health of His children.  The more we stay away from false teachings, false philosophy, and enticements from the world, the healthier our Christian walk.

We need to look at our lives as well, of course.  If we are not walking in line with God’s Word, we are not in a good place to judge others.  We need then to repent ourselves.