Judge Not is a phrase very much used by non Christan’s and liberals in the church. By ignoring the whole text in which the phrase is taken, and other passages in scriptures they conclude all forms of biblical judgement is wrong especially when confronted with sin or error in their lives.
”Lets see the whole text in which the phrase is taken. Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why behold-est thou the mote that is in your brother’s eye but consider-est not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye, and behold a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite ,first cast out the beam out of your thine eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye”. Matt 7:1-5.
Did Jesus contradict Himself, did he forbid judging as many claim? Look closely again at the scripture first He said don’t do it, then if you have to, do it rightly. Make sure you are not hypocritical about what you say of others, you must be sure you are free of the faults you judge others of.
The passage doesn’t condemn all instances of judging , but speak against judging another person with a similar beam in the eye.
”When you a mere man, pass judgement on others and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgement”? Rm 2:3.
Those unwilling to overcome and move beyond the sin in their lives normally have problem with this scripture. These are Christians that are driven by lust, the strange , strong passions from within which makes a man to grab and run for everything that appeals to his carnal nature, for such there is no moral authority to correct others. These are the people who throw the phrase DO NOT JUDGE around.
I have also noticed that many are quick to use the phrase, at people who in obedience to God use discernment to refute errors and heresies in the church..
Further down in that same chapter He said they were to judge false prophets by their fruits. They were to look out for fruits that were inconsistent with the message they bring, coming in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Today we have so called ministers of the gospel who hold the children of God in bondage to their errors and insists that their words and revelations must be received .
”Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits”. Matt 7:15-16.
The Church of Ephesus was commended for judging false Apostles as false.
“I know you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be Apostles, but are not and have found them to be liars” Rev 2:2.
We have so much deception in our midst today, too many who should have no business behind the pulpit, men whose lives are inconsistent with God’s Holy word and are being tolerated. If you cannot judge or discern someone as a false prophet, you will be deceived.
”Dear Friends , do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world”. 1Jn4:1
”And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas——–.These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”. Acts 17:10-11.
The word used as searched is Anakrino. It means to scrutinize, to investigate, ask questions, to judge. If we will take on our responsibility to investigate, scrutinize and examine and search the lives of so called men of God, we will rid the church of wolves and hirelings.
Paul himself expected to be judge. ”I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say”. 1 Cor 10:15.
Oh that we will wise up and be noble enough to put the Prophets who come to us to scrutiny ,and judge their words by God’s standard.
We are also to judge the miracles and supernatural manifestations in our midst.
”Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge”.
James 4:11 “Do not speak against one another, brethren he who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law, and judges the law, and if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it”.
Before you conclude this is a contradiction of what I’ve been saying look at verse 4 of same chapter “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God”.
1 Cor4:5” Therefore do not go on passing judgement before the time,but wait until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of men’s heart and then each man’s praise will come to him”.
It would seem again Paul is contradicting issues, but wait, a few chapters later,he wrote
”For I on my part though absent in the body, but present in spirit have already judged him who has so committed this as though I was present”.
How do we reconcile all this? In John 7:24, we are told
“Judge not according to the appearance,but judge righteous judgement”.
To judge with righteous judgement is to examine ,scrutinize and judge all things by God’s standard. Whatever God says on the matter is final, irrespective of people’s opinion.
When James called the worldly church in James 4:4 Adulterers, he wasn’t judging them by his own standard, but simply re-echoing what God had said on the matter.
In the old testament whenever Israel went into Idolatry, God calls it Adultery. When a Christian who is a bride of Christ becomes unfaithful and yoked himself together with the world, it is idolatry which is also called spiritual adultery. He judge them by God’s word.
Paul also passed a righteous judgement. It wasn’t Paul that called what the man did with his father’s wife immoral, it’s God’s word that says such acts are immoral.
Romans 16:17-18” Mark them which causes divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have received and AVOID them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ ,but their own belly and by GOOD WORDS AND FAIR SPEECHES deceive the hearts of the simple”.
2Thess3:6— Withdraw your self from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the traditions which he received from us.
Titus 1:10-14—For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers specially they of the circumcision, whose mouth must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not, for lucre’s sake .One of themselves, even a prophet of their own said the Cretians are always liars ,evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true .Wherefore REBUKE THEM SHARPLY that they may be sound in faith.
CONNCLUSION As Christians, we have a responsibility to Judge,and discern between good and evil, (the works, influences messages and practices),in the Church. However, the only judgement we are restricted from are for those outside the Church. We are not to pass judgement on unbelievers or hold them accountable before God’s laws. God will Judge those outside. 1 Cor 5:9-13, 1Cor 2:14-16..
