To Judge or Not to Judge?
“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” – 1Co 2:15
What if I told you that you should judge more? Sounds like a very non-Christian thing to do, doesn’t it? This probably stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to judge and when it is appropriate. Let’s consider what God’s word has to say about it so that we can use judgment as a tool for growth, while also avoiding the wrong kinds of judgment.
Judgment – determinations made by comparing facts or ideas to distinguish truth from falsehood (Exo 18:16).
For us to walk rightly and to help others as well, we must judge all things according to God’s truth. It takes God’s wisdom to discern and without it in our minds, we are going to make the wrong judgment call (1Co 2:13-15, Gal 6:1). By slowing down and seeking to impartially determine right and wrong using the knowledge of God’s Word, judgment actually breeds understanding and wisdom (Pro 28:5, 1Co 2:13, 6:5, 10:15, 2Ti 2:7)!
But isn’t judgment not good for us to do? What about “Judge not, that ye be not judged” in Matthew 7:1? If we keep reading, the context of the passage points to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes, not the problem of judgment. Notice that in the end, the beam and the mote are still both problems and are cast out:
“[1] Judge not, that ye be not judged. [2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. [3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? [4] 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? [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.” – Mat 7:1-5
We see the same problem arising in the book of Romans:
“[1] 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.” – Rom 2:1
As Christians, we are to “abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (Php 1:9), but how do we do that without being like the scribes and Pharisees? The answer lies with WHAT and HOW we judge.
What to Judge: The deep things of God/spiritual things (1Co 2:9-13, 3:1-2), sound doctrine (Col 2:7-8, 16; Php 1:9-11), Godly behavior in ourselves and others (1Co 5:11-6:5). When we seek to discern right and wrong, we are judging the way God has intended us to.
What NOT to Judge: People (Rom 2:1-3; 14:4-10, 1Co 4:2-4). We are all hypocrites (sinners saved by grace don’t you know, Eph 2:8-9) and when we seek to condemn others, whilst not fully understanding all the facts necessary to be just or impartial, we are actually being prejudiced hypocrites. We don’t have perfect knowledge and can’t see the hearts of man, and thus can’t be the just judge of people. Only Christ can fill that shoe!
How to Judge: We must judge right and wrong according to truth (Rom 2:2) and we must judge in ourselves and examine our conduct honestly (1Co 11:13, Rom 14:3-13).
As Christians, we are to judge all things according to God’s truth so that we can walk and help others walk rightly, while simultaneously avoiding condemning others because we’re ultimately all unrighteous judges of the hearts of man.
Praise God that despite our sinful, hypocritical condition, God loved us by dying for us while we were yet sinners and offers us salvation freely by His grace (Rom 5:8, 3:21-26)!
