WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE?

WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE?
(Albert Brown)

Probably the most well-known verse in the Bible besides John 3:16 is Matthew 7:1. If anyone knows anything at all about the Bible they have probably memorized this verse. This is the verse where Jesus is quoted as saying, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (ASV). For those who are caught in a sin this verse is their rallying point. They know that all they have to do with many Christians is to point to this verse and say, “You can't judge me!” They take comfort in thinking, “Hey I might be wrong, but if anyone says I'm wrong they're wrong, too!” Proving once again misery loves company.

There is a problem with believing that this verse says Christians can't judge. The problem is that this verse doesn't say that. This is another case of taking a verse out of context. What most do not do is read the next four verses in Matthew 7 to see what Jesus says. In those verses we see that the ones who shouldn't judge are those that have their vision blocked by their own sin. So, if we are not willing to deal with sin in our own lives, then we should not judge. But once we have dealt with the sin our lives, then we can see clearly to help others with sin in their lives. And in order to help them we must first judge clearly whether or not they have sin in their lives.

In Matthew 7:15-21 Jesus tells us how we can know if someone is a false teacher. The way we can know is by looking at their fruit. In other words “judge their works and their teachings.” So we see that in the very same chapter that many think Jesus is saying don't judge, He commands us to judge!

Jesus commands his disciples to take the gospel to a lost world (Matthew 28:18-20). But how are Christians to know who is a Christian and who is not? In order to do this one must make a judgment. The way we can know is by looking into God's word and seeing what it says. God's word is able to distinguish between the sinner and the saint. So, the Christian uses God's word to make a judgment.

Jesus had opportunity to show the Jews the importance of judging by God's word in John 7:21-24. They had believed that Jesus had sinned by healing on the Sabbath. Their belief was not based on the word of God, but by what they believed to be right. Jesus shows them that if they had understood the word of God correctly they would have known that what He had done was authorized by God's Law. Then Jesus said something that would have been absurd to say if it was wrong to judge sin. In verse 24 He says, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (ASV). Jesus doesn't tell them not to judge. Instead, He tells them to judge, but they must do so correctly. In context, we can see that correct judgment is any judgment that correctly uses God's word as a standard.

In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul in writing to the Corinthians rebukes them for not taking care of sin in their midst. It seems that there was a Christian committing fornication and the church was letting it go on unpunished. Paul tells them that they should have put this man out of their fellowship and in verse 3 Paul says something that should alarm anyone who believes it is wrong for a Christian to judge. The inspired apostle says “For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present” (NAS). What! Paul judged someone? Yes, he did. He did so from the word of God. He did so righteously. In fact, he goes on in verse 12 of the same chapter to tell the Corinthians that they are supposed to judge those in the church.

So here we see 5 things concerning judging:

1. We are not to judge when we have unforgiven sin in our lives. Matthew 7:3-4

2. We are supposed to judge once the sin in our live is taken care of. Matthew 7:5

3. Christians must judge in order to carry out Christ's command to take the word to those who are lost. Matthew 28:18-20

4. We are not to judge by mere appearance, but with a righteous judgment (one that uses God's word as a standard.). John 7:21-24

5. Paul judged and he told the church that they were supposed to judge those in the church. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Christians are to judge. But they must make sure that when they judge they do so in a way approved by God.

 

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