JUDGING
The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)
There is much confusion on the part of
Christians and non-Christians concerning judging. With the help of
God we will now endeavor to
clear away all the cobwebs.
The average religionist, it would seem, believes
we
are not to judge, no exception or qualification offered. Such a belief
is
patently simplistic. The truth is we are judging when we condemn one
for
judging. When one exclaims, "you are wrong because we are not to
judge,"
they themselves have just judged. In too many cases, the claim "judge
not" is a cop out, one is seeking to avoid an issue.
All judgment is not wrong! How can
we
"try the spirits" (1 John 4:1), receive not errorists, and "have
no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:11) if we do not judge (discern and
pronounce
as wrong)? The truth of the matter is we cannot please God without
rendering
judgment (2 John 9-11). In a single sentence Jesus forbad certain
judgment
and commanded another type of judgment. Hear him: "Judge not
according to
the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). "Judgment" is from
krisis, "…a separating…then
a decision" (W.E. Vine). You will notice that Jesus is not simply
allowing
a certain type of judgment – he is requiring it! God's word is the
standard
for all judgment (John 12:48).
Paul judged Peter "according to the truth of the gospel" (Gal. 2:14). Righteous judgment, therefore,
is
judgment which is based on the teaching of the scriptures (cf. Ps.
119:172). By
using the word and knowing the pertinent facts, we are judging
righteous
judgment.
There
are
many instances of justified judgment seen in the scriptures.
As just observed, Jesus taught righteous judgment (John 7:24). Not only did He teach it,
but He
also approved righteous judgment (Luke 7:43;
12:57). Lydia
asked Paul to judge her to determine her faithfulness (Acts 16:15). Paul did not say, "Lydia,
we must not judge!" Paul urged the Christians at Rome
to judge (Rom. 2:27). Paul
himself rendered judgment in the case of the fornicator being in sin
and encouraged
the church at Corinth to do the same (1 Cor. 5:3, 12 - "judge" is
here used
in the sense of assessing the facts and rendering condemnation).
Christians
are commanded to judge in cases of alleged abuses and mistreatments one
of
another (1 Cor. 6:1-6). Keep in mind, however, the judgment is
righteous judgment.
Again, righteous judgment requires knowing the facts (Matt. 7:20). The facts in a given situation
must
be known and the correct standard must be used – the word of God.
When does
judging become wrong?
Our judgment becomes wrong when we judge
"according to
appearance" (John 7:24).
The Jews
were judging (condemning) Jesus because it appeared he had broken the
Sabbath
by healing a man on the Sabbath (John 7:21-24).
Their judgment was shallow and based on appearance (they did not
possess
all the facts concerning the Sabbath law). It may have appeared that
Jesus
was violating the Sabbath day law, but in reality he was not.
Our judgment becomes wrong when we are just as
guilty
as or worse than those whom we are judging (Rom.
2:1-3, 19-24). This is precisely the circumstance involved in Jesus'
statement, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt.
7:1-5). Appreciate the fact, though,
that Jesus said, "…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"
(vs.
5). We are to remove all hindrances which can distort our judgment –
then,
after one has corrected ones own life, they are in a position to
correctly
"judge" (vs. 5). Moreover, in the same setting Jesus requires
judgment when
he taught, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs..." (vs. 6).
Our judgment becomes wrong if it is in an area of
liberty.
Paul asked the cogent question, "But why dost thou judge thy
brother...?"
(Rom. 14:10). Some
were judging
others over matters of indifference - certain days, eating meat, and
drink
(vs. 3, 6, and 21). Such matters did not involve sin (vs. 14).
Our
judgment
becomes wrong when we use carnal standards. Some judge
using
the standard of materialism (Luke 12:15;
James 2:1-4), traditionalism (Mark 7), or the Law of Moses (Col.
2:14-17).
Prejudicial judgment is pronounced as wrong. If we answer a matter
before
we hear it, Solomon said, "It is folly and shame" (Prov. 18:13). Many employ the standard of
majority
rule, "the majority cannot be wrong, so you must be!"
Our judgment becomes wrong when it's based on
subjective
feelings. "I feel such is wrong (or right) within my heart," some say.
People
who thus judge are guilty of subjective judgment. The wise man wrote:
"He
that trusteth in his own heart is a fool" (Prov. 28:26). In using such
an
individual subjective standard of judgment, people can seldom agree. We
are
to "walk wisely," using God’s word as the standard (Prov. 28:26; John 12:48).
Our judgment becomes wrong when we assume the role
of
a judge. Jesus said, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed
all
judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22).
Judgment is sinful when it is the result of a disposition simply to
condemn.
You or I must not act as final judge (James 4:11-12; see 2 Cor.
5:10). Again,
this is not to say that we are not to apply God’s word, coupled with
all
relevant facts, and determine the rightness or wrongness of a matter.
Our judgment becomes wrong when it's based on the
assignment
of motives. God knows men’s hearts (John 2:25);
however, we do not know the thoughts of others (1 Cor. 2:11). Instead of attempting to
assign
motives, we are to judge others’ fruit or actions (Matt. 7:15-20).
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