Often is heard the admonition that one can’t judge another since all who do the judging are sinners too. A Bible verse is at times cited and one of the favorites is Matthew 7:1, Judge not, that ye be not judged. In other words, don’t point your finger at the wrong doer. Those who use the verse to admonish those who point out sin use it wrongly. The words judge and judged mean to distinguish, make a decision and to render a final decision, and to understand the entirety of what Jesus said, verse two must be used with verse one. [Matthew 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. To paraphrase the verses, Jesus said that if you don’t want to be given final judgment by someone, don’t issue one for them. For whatever standard you use to make the pronouncement will be one by which you will be judged in turn, and whatever you give out will be returned to you in larger measure.  Thus the Pharisees were going to be given as they gave others and the teaching holds for today for those self righteous ones who like to judge by their own standard.

It in no wise says you can’t make determinations about wrong doing; just don’t assign final judgment to those who are doing wrong or who you think are doing wrong. That which you think may be wrong might not be when looked at in scriptural light. The Pharisees were fond of pointing out little wrongs of others based on their ideas of wrong, while ignoring their own sins. The term for that is hypocrite. [Matthew 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.

Should a Christian judge others? In regard to pointing out sin, they have the duty to teach others about Jesus Christ, but such teaching isn’t judging others in the sense of the final eternal place of abode. To say that someone is going to Hell because of some actual sin is judging and a Christian isn’t told anywhere in the Bible to do so. Judging is left to Christ and the Bible makes that clear. Luke recorded Paul’s words in Acts and the verse covers both preaching and judging: [Acts 10:42] And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.  That one who is the judge of the living and dead is Jesus Christ. Jesus will judge those who are lost and in fact has already done so. As Jesus said in John 3:18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  The final judgment is and will be based on whether an individual has obeyed the gospel: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  

Luke recorded these words of Paul: [Acts 17:31] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Jesus is the righteous one and he will finalize the choice one makes while alive, whether it will have been the exercising of faith in him or denial of the truth.

We need not judge others; ours is to preach and teach the truth. Those who hear and turn away are judged. Those who hear and obey are judged also. But the judgment for the latter will bring eternal life and for the former there is no hope unless they repent and obey the gospel. Either way, God’s judgment in Christ is righteous.

© 03-23-06 DEC

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