Judge not

[Watchman]

Mat 7:1 - "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

What exactly does this verse mean and could you give example's of what is judgeing and what is not. It seems everything and anything can be called judgeing.

[Ressmont]

I have been accused of "judging" almost as many times as I open my mouth, so inescapably I have also read some tediously long dissertations on this question. Rather than me writing my own boring composition, I prefer to quote and excerpt a post by Brent Riggs from his Christian website (SeriousFaith.com - Brent Riggs). To me it sums up the question plainly and his answer makes good sense. ~ Ressmont

"Christians, and good people in general from a civil viewpoint, are called to judge RIGHTLY, which is evaluating the FRUIT (behavior, choices, production) of good and evil....

While we do not judge the heart (this is God’s domain), the actions and words of a person betray the content of the heart. Even still, we only pronounce judgment on the actions and the results of those actions, while leaving God to judge the STANDING of any given person in His eyes.

Wrong is wrong. UnGodliness is ungodliness. False religion is false religion. We are called to judge it as such, and rightly judge PERSONS who promote and practice it. We don’t judge their soul, we judge their fruit, their choices, their action. God judges the soul.

Christian should quit sugar coating this fact, and shriveling every time someone throws the “judgmental” label at them. Too many people avoid the Truth because they have been brainwashed by this “we are not supposed to judge” fallacy. The Bible tells us to judge, but NOT to judge unrighteously or hypocritically. In other words, you don’t judge with a standard you aren’t willing to apply to yourself (hypocrisy), and you don’t judge by any standard other than God’s (righteousness).

(Matthew 7:1-5) - “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (NKJV; emphasis mine)

To interpret this as saying “never judge” is sheer foolishness. If someone rapes your baby daughter, will you not judge that as evil? If someone tempts your teenager into drugs and sexual promiscuity, will you not judge that as evil? If someone shoots up your local school and kills a bunch of kids, will you not judge that as evil?

If someone sticks a needle in the brain stem of a baby in the womb and sucks its brains out as a “choice”, will you not judge that evil? If politicians lie and take hard earned money from one person to give to the lazy person who will vote for them, will you not judge that as evil?

We make judgments all day long. Even the so-called “tolerant and non-judgmental” routinely judge me (and Christians in particular) as "self-righteous, bigoted, intolerant extremists". Pretty amazing “judgment” for people who daily declare that we are never supposed to “judge” people! Ironically, the most judgmental people I’ve encountered are always they ones who cry “don’t judge” the loudest.

I approach it this way when I hear the “don’t judge” nonsense thrown at me in a conversation:

“You say ‘don’t judge’. Would you judge Hitler as evil? Jeffrey Dahmer? Osama Bin Laden? Rapists? Murders? Why? Because of their actions. Why would you not ‘judge’ as evil someone who denies God and purposely leads people to hell? Yes, I JUDGE the actions of a person who is denying Christ and causing people to doubt God. The person doing this is doing evil and we should not hesitate to say so any more than we should hesitate to judge a pedophile, rapist or terrorist as evil. In contrast, the denier of Christ, and the teacher of false religion is MORE evil than any of those because they lead people to eternal ****ation. So whether it’s Osama Bin Laden killing people with guns or Oprah deceiving people with false religion, we JUDGE it as evil and react accordingly.”

Be discerning. Keep in mind that Christians will alienate family by speaking the truth in love. Speak in love but don’t sugarcoat or be intimidated by the “judgmental” accusation. It is a straw man that causes Christians to tremble and it should not. It is one of the weakest and most absurd accusations there is, which says alot, doesn't it?

People who have this “you shouldn’t judge mentality” are usually very hard to talk to, and you’ll almost always get back answers like “well I feel” and “that’s just what you believe”. I posted a blog about “Truth” that will help you understand your responsibility to people like this. Remember, YOU cannot get through to people. Only God can. YOU are called to lovingly, without compromise, present the truth. They may end up angry at you, dislike you, and even “judge” you… that is a price we pay as Christians.

Through it all, just staying loving, but firm… compassionate but uncompromising… and let God deal the heart. But learn not to “melt” when you get the silly “don’t judge” comment throw at you."

~ Brent Riggs

[Watchman]

Thanks Ressmont, too many use the judge not to bully the sheep into submission.
Thanks for your reply and God bless you.

[Ressmont]

Yep, that's right cowboy So often if I disagree with anyone's lifestyle (usually sinful lifestyle) or have differing views from someone else (usually their wordly views) or even sometimes discuss differences in Christian doctrine, I get slapped with the "thou shalt not judge" scripture and am labeled as having no l-o-v-e. The name "Pharisee" has been tossed at me too. If the person has knowledge of some of my faults (unfortunately I have many), they will fire back, "Look who's soooo holy!" All these tactics are designed to shut up Christians who are guided by the Holy Spirit. Folks would much rather follow their own consciences of their own making. That didn’t work very well in Noah’s day or in the evil day of the book of Judges when “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) And it isn’t working today. Just look at our governments and leaders who have absolutely no consciences about right and wrong. Biblical and moral standards are quickly being erased and a generation has come to power that has no conscience about what the Bible calls sin.
.

[Watchman]

Thanks for sharing, have experienced much of what you have. i believe that as the Lord will not share His glory with another so some will not share their glory with the Lord. So they hinder the Lord from moving as He wish's, they know on that day He alone will be exalted and they will be abased. They resent that fact, and refuse to submit completely. They contend with anyone who promotes being Spirit led because they want to be in control and not the Lord. For them its Me and Jesus, a big M and small J.
The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light shine's. So shine on and God bless.

[Duncanbelem]

Make Righteous Judgments because we are commanded too

“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Lev. 19:15).

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

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine” (Matt. 7:6);

“Beware of false prophets. … Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15–16)

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

We Should not make final judgments, and we should try to see the whole story, and walk in each other shoes. But we must make judgments.

[Tom]

Just my 2 cents worth.

Thanks for sharing that excerpt Ressmont, I can see why you like to quote it. I especially like the fact that it doesn't take take the verse out of context.

Watchman, I have long taken "Judge not, that ye be not judged." as a rewording of the "Golden Rule". As such, I see it as more a personal code of conduct than a 'club' to quiet someone. Using it as a 'club' only strikes me as an invitation to clarify this with the user.