What is this page?
The ministries in the Gospel.com Community create 'bookmarks' to help you find what you're looking for. Learn more
The ministries in the Gospel.com Community create 'bookmarks' to help you find what you're looking for. Learn more
"Judge" in the Bible: Matthew 7:1-5
It's a natural human impulse to judge and criticize others, to note how they don't measure up to our standards in one way or another. But the Bible is clear about the role of judgment in our lives: we should focus on our judging eyes on ourselves and our own ample faults, rather than obsessing on the flaws of other people.
http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:1-5&version=NIV
Topics:
Judge, Judgment, Criticism, Judge Not
All Topics
I TRULY love coming here to look up bible verses, and this one in particular, as I am CONSTANTLY being judged.
Judge not! There are different types of judgment. One involves being discerning, not allowing harm to come to you or others from those who cause harm. And, along with that, comes sensitivity to potential trouble, attempting to prevent the bad actions of others. This is a service, which, ideally, the church, as well as law enforcement and community involvement, is supposed to do.
There is also the judgment/discernment of evaluating the spiritual and mental health of others. But, what Jesus is referring to here is condemning the faults in others to cover up our own faults–especially the ones we refuse to see in ourselves. He also is condemning the practice of verbally attacking others, which will only bring condemnation on us. The imagery that Jesus uses is the market place measuring scale. When we judge, the false, hypocritical, and self-righteous attitude is put on the scales, and counts against us, calling down God’s judgment on us (Prov. 19:17; Matt. 5:7; 6:14-15).
Consider how severe the penalty for false judgments were in the OT (Ex. 23:6-8; Duet. 16:18-20; 18:19-21).
“Judge not, that you be not judged” is a popular saying in western society, often spoken when someone is pointing out the faults of another, or if one feels someone else is judging him. The secular impression is that we should never make moral judgments in others.
However, that is not what Jesus implies. We are to judge right and wrong in some things, such as sin versus virtue (James 4:11-12). There are times when we are called to judge as we exercise church discipline. This is correcting one who teaches in error, and if he/she does not heed the correcting, he/she must step down. Church leaders are called to exercise discerning judgment as to the moral or spiritual condition of the people under their care. This is always done in the character of the Fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
more here: http://70030.netministry.com/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=34740&columnid=3803
Actually, James 4:11-12 does not give anyone the right or instruction to judge others even if it is sin versus virtue. I do not see anywhere in this verse where it encourages judgment for any reason, it actually continues to discourage such actions. Here is the verse:
James 4:11-12 (King James Version)
11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
James 4:11-12 (New International Version)
11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
Some people love to put down those who do good things. This is a fear of conviction thing. They may see others as good and themselves as not good, so they think, I will point the dogs to them so they do not chase me. Or, perhaps, they just use a well placed, crafted put down or word play to make themselves look better. Yet, what these behaviors really do is grieve the Spirit, bring disrepute to the church, and cause the person involved to forfeit any learning or growing. Therefore, he or she remains in sin and then he or she dies in condemnation.
The wake they leave is a church of dysfunction and strife, putting disease into God’s family, hurting people, and creating disillusioned saints who, striving to serve and do good, are thwarted by those who are evil and malevolent. This is exactly what James was dealing with in his church; so, he is telling us not to expose the sin in others to cover our trail of misdeeds. We are not to gossip, slander, or judge falsely (Matt. 7:1-27). Why? Because God is a God of truth and wants us to act out, in truth, in all our relationships as well as in the managing of His Bride, His Church. We are to be His witnesses—not His accusers (2 Cor. 5:20)!
In James 4, “Judges†also refers to slander. Jewish wisdom opposed slander too, and they knew this well! It also refers to condemning the faults in others to cover up our own faults, especially the ones we refuse to see in ourselves. He also is condemning the practice of verbally attacking other, which will only bring condemnation on us (Deut. 19: 16-21; 22:13-19; 1 Sam. 24:9; Psalm 34:13; 50:20; 52:4; 101:5; 109:3; Prov. 10:18; 11:9; Matt. 26:60; Luke 6:45; 1 Cor. 6:10; Eph. 4:31; 1 Tim. 3:11; 5:13; 1 Pet. 2:1, 12; 3:10, 16; 4:4).
This means to talk down to others—as in being condescending. This refers to slander out of envy and reflects the work of Satan whose name means slanderer (Rev. 12:10). It breaks God’s royal law (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:36-40; Rom. 13:8-10; James 2:8), destroys fellowship, and keeps non-believers away from the church. It also devalues those who are also precious in His sight, as slander has no concern for truth or the view from the other side (Ex. 20:16; Psalm 15:3; 50:19-20; Prov. 6:16, 19).
In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us, simply put, DO NOT JUDGE! That means we are not to be critical or to compare anyone else! A Christian who is critical and condescending is a terribly destructive force to the Kingdom of God as he or she exhibits the direct opposite behavior of what a Christian should be. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to give a critique, and He will work with you way before using you to work with someone else! Every wrong thought you may observe in others already exists in you, and if you are unwilling to deal with it, while pointing it out in others, you would be as Proverbs so eloquently puts it, A FOOL! The chief characteristic of a Christian should be humility! Remember, if God judged you correctly and righteously, you would go straight to hell, as you deserve neither grace nor His love. But, because of His grace, you have heaven—and Him—for eternity!
More here
http://70030.netministry.com/articles_view.asp?articleid=33639&columnid=3803
well, my goodness. This has spoken to me, what a hard thing to swallow when you thought that you were right about pointing out sin of others, but I guess we are not to. Cause we too have sin. In my pea brain though I feel that if someone is sinning and we see it or know about it, that we should confront it, but I guess not. So if our daughters boyfriend sells crack then we are not to say anything or expose it? Or if someone we know is dating a married guy then the wife shouldnt find out? I will keep my mouth shut as I just read the scripture, and I looked it up cause I was tired of hearing the “stop judging” from everyone…I will not do this anymore, thank you God..for showing me.
explain somthing to me,what i read was so good it blessed me so much.i was looking at kimpres6910 comment,im not saying its not right i just wont to learn and grow,but to me that does not seam right, if my daughters boyfriend is selling crack i am to say nothing about it just let her stay in it,say if i know that my son in law is seeing another woman, i am not to say nothing please explain,if i see my christen sister doing things that can get herself in troble,and you can tell satan is trying to take her back to were she came from am i not to say nothing would that be judging her if i do,or is it that im not to talk about it to anyone else, just go to God frist,then go to them, i dont no,or do you just realy leave it alone.i would be so concern about my sister that i see going back to lieing,cheating,drinking,and having sex,but stell coming to chuch making everyone thinking shes alright,and working in her position,im i judging her or not, i love her so much,i dont wont to see her get decieve by satan,making her think this is alright.please comment back i wont to no if im rong.
To ‘GODS DAUGHTER’ above,
Here is what Paul said in his letter to the Galatians (6:1)–
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Do not condemn someone or think you know them well enough to make a character assessment about them as a person. Rather, ‘judge’ their behavior in the sense of using your moral discernment. Use gentleness while confronting them about their sin, making sure that you yourself are not committing the same sin. And do not put yourself in a position where you, too, will be tempted.
We all believe in discerning what is right and wrong. It is not wrong to judge in this way.
As a side note, those who say, “Judge not, lest ye be judged” when you are pointing out their sin are being hypocritical, for they are twisting the meaning of that verse to condemn you for using your sense of right and wrong (moral discernment), not realizing that they, too, are using moral discernment to condemn you.
There is a huge difference between JUDGING someone, and parenting your child, or holding a friend accountable as christian brothers or sisters if you have agreed to do so. Im a littel confused how someone could have read all of the comments above and interpreted it to mean that we arent supposed to tell our children that selling crack is wrong. Or that Adultry is wrong. jus saying.