Are Christians to Judge?

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

I believe these verses are some of the most misquoted and misunderstood verses in the Bible. Again we encouraged you to not take a single verse out of context. We must take all the Bible has to say on a particular subject and take the sum of all the parts. This is why we must study our Bible’s. It is one thing to read your Bible every day, but we must study all of it to fully understand what God is telling us.

In the Greek the word judge means:

Strong's Lexion

2919 krino {kree'-no}

perhaps a primitive word; TDNT - 3:921,469; v

AV - judge 88, determine 7, condemn 5, go to law 2, call in question 2, esteem 2, misc 8; 114



to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose 2) to approve, esteem, to prefer 3) to be of opinion, deem, think, to be of opinion 4) to determine, resolve, decree 5) to judge 5a) to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong 5a1) to be judged, i.e. summoned to trial that one's case may be examined and judgment passed upon it 5b) to pronounce judgment, to subject to censure 5b1) of those who act the part of judges or arbiters in matters of common life, or pass judgment on the deeds and words of others 6) to rule, govern 6a) to preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions, because it was the prerogative of kings and rulers to pass judgment 7) to contend together, of warriors and combatants 7a) to dispute 7b) in a forensic sense 7b1) to go to law, have suit at law

How often I hear this verse quoted to bring silence to those who expose sin and false doctrines within the Church. Their refusal to judge and discern what is sin and what is false is destroying the very foundation of the church. Everyone judges. Christians cannot identify sin if they do not have the ability to discern truth and right from wrong.

Righteous judgment protects and begins in the Church, otherwise we allow satan to defile the very core of its existence.

1Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

I have seen sin and false doctrine not based on truth ignored to keep peace. Don’t rock the boat or else it could start division.

2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom;

4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We do not have the right to pronounce eternal judgment on any man, that is the office of Jesus.

When the Lord says to "judge not", it does not mean that we are not to pass judgment on the opinions and the conduct of our fellow believers.

1Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

The Bible is clear that all condemning in not being judgmental, but He is condemning self- righteous or hypercritical judging.

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Matthew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

7:4 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?

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 must be careful to first examine ourselves. One cannot tell someone else to not go out and get drunk when they themselves were in the bar Saturday night drinking. We cannot enforce moral standards on another when we would make an allowance for ourselves. What we reprove should be clearly established in Scripture are we stand in danger of being judged by God.

1Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Some take this to mean those who have exposed sin or false doctrines are causing division. May I say my dear Believer, division only happens when the truth is rejected. Christian leadership in these last days are forsaking sound doctrine. They have forgotten God’s commandments offering cheap grace. Where there is no law there is no need of grace.

Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Phillipians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

When you feel a brother has wronged you go to him in love.

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

Seek to restore your brother and lead him to truth.

Condemning sin is not judging. False teachers and the worldly will use "do not judge" to defend what they do. These verses are even used by many so-called Christians to justify sin.

Luke 12:57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

We are not forbidden from discerning sins and problems within the church (fellow believers). It is even our duty to seek to correct them. But we are first to examine ourselves to make sure we can see clearly. Loving our fellow believers to help them see their sin and to over come that sin.

We are to first ask God to cleanse us of our own sins. When we remove the plank from our own eye we can see clearly to help our brother. Having seen ourselves we can then throw out a life ring to our drowning friend. Can we truly watch and stand by and do nothing while he goes under. We are to reprove the sins of others and false teachings that may cause someone to fall.

Careful of these, we have seen in the past years those who holler the most have been caught in the same evil deeds they have preached on.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Romans2: 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.

2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Romans 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

2:18 And knowest His will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

When we come to a negative conclusion about someone it is not always unrighteous judging.

Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Who are these dogs and swine? They are those who clearly reject the gospel and truth. We are not to continue wasting our time with those who continue to slander and discredit the truth given to them. Go instead to those who are hungry and receptive.

The Bible gives clear guidelines of how to reproof another.

Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

We have the right and the obligation to not fellowship with the ungodly.

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

2Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Heavenly Father help me to completely open my heart to You so there will no room for self. Cleanse me and make me useful to my brothers and sisters. Make me conscious of the needs of others and take away anything in me that could hinder them from receiving YOU. AMEN