Is It Right to Judge?

[tom_roberts]

How many times have you heard someone whine, "Judge not, that ye be not judged?" This verse of Scripture from Matthew 7:1 is often quoted out of context by people who are terrified at the idea of someone preaching against sin or pointing out any form of error in anyone, especially in themselves.
As I stood in a voting line one day I overheard a woman justifying her foolish choice for president by saying, "Well, we aren't supposed to judge." Imagine that! Choosing NOT to judge a political candidate on election day! No wonder our nation is in such a mess!


As for Matthew 7:1, the context (verses 1-5) allows judging after you have first judged YOURSELF. Jesus did not make a blanket statement against judgment. He simply pointed out a RULE for judging.


Now, the word "judge" in its various forms (judgeth, judging, judgment, judges, etc) is found over 700 times in God's word. One whole book of the Bible is titled "Judges" for it was written at a time when God raised up judges to lead His people.
As we are about to see, God EXPECTS His people to judge. In fact, you are sinning against God if you refuse to judge! (Read that again, please)


http://www.biblebelievers.com/jmelton/Judging.html - please read the whole article-

[Jesse]

As for Matthew 7:1, the context (verses 1-5) allows judging after you have first judged YOURSELF. Jesus did not make a blanket statement against judgment. He simply pointed out a RULE for judging.

So true. Me and a friend of mine have worked on an article together in which we have discussed that very topic. The article is titled "Judge Not Lest You Be Judged". (http://members.tripod.com/jdlarsenmn/rightous_judgment.htm)

In that article, I pointed out that those who use the words "judge not lest you be judged" to justify evil or false doctrine are guilty of the very unrighteous judgment that they accuse others of. So that is really just a very hypocritical position. As I pointed out in my article, the attitude of most of them seems to be "it's ok for me to judge you, but you better not judge me or my favorite Christian leader!"

[graceforme]

Good words. God expects us to be discerning, which may mean making some sort of judgment of others. This is how we prevent ourselves from being taken in by those "wolves" in sheeps clothing.

God Bless.

[Jany]

The NT Scriptures are filled with exhortations to "mark those who cause divisions among you," "receive not" those deny Christ," "exhort," "rebuke," etc...

Judging ourselves and those who have failed in their spiritual responsibility is a necessity of church discipline (1 Cor 5).

The point in Matthew 7:1 is that we are not to judge the inner motives of another. Nor are we to use ourselves as a standard of judgment! <><

[lisa]

We are to be the witness, never the judge.

The closest we can get to judging is to be a good fruit inspector.

[tom_roberts]

Just something to chew on---


The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment." (Psa. 37:30)

Malachi 3:18: "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."


Proverbs 24:23 says, "These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment."


In I Corinthians 2:15 Paul says, "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man."


"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?

and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Know ye not that we shall judge angels?

how much more things that pertain to this life?

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" (I Cor. 6:1-5)


3:18: "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."


John 7:24 (King James Version)

King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

24Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment

[RachelsDream]

:thumb

Good post Tom....like where you pulled your references from! :thumb

Best book in the World for Questions about life!:aha :scripture

[LoudRam]

I was always taught judge not meant hypocritically or self righteously. As it was said earlier examine our own life and walk first. But when we judge our brothers or sisters we need to do it unto restoration.

Gal 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

For this to take place we have to first make a judgment.

[tom_roberts]

in the article it has a section on what you are saying
:nod
God has rules for judging, absolutely:thumb

and i agree with you

we must judge our selfs too:nod

but as the author pointed out if some one tells you that your being judgmental

they them selfs have made a judgment:)

[LoudRam]

but as the author pointed out if some one tells you that your being judgmental

they them selfs have made a judgment:)

That's good. It's like someone saying that there are no absolutes.
To which you reply...Are you absolutely sure?:heh