Today in the church we hear the phrase "judge not" often. In this article I will shed light on this subject that people may have a clear understand on judging.
Mt 7:1-5
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, 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.
The command to "judge not" isn't a blanket statement against what one may view as critical judgement against them. Rather it is against hypocritical judgement. "Judge not, that ye be not judged" is probably the most often misquoted text from the Bible. Many Christians ignorantly misapply it as a commnd against judging others. We see here that we are to judge others as we would like to be judged. This doesn't not mean that if we don't judge thieves, that we can steal too, nor does it mean that we are not to judge any law breaker. Just imagine what kind of world this would be if there was no judging at all; it would be chaos! There would be no need for rules or laws, because if you broke them you wouldn't be judged by them. Thank God this is not the case. When Jesus said to "Judge not" he declared as unacceptable excusing one's own sin while at the same time judging others for similar behaviour. This "hypocritical judgement" is what Jesus meant when He said "Judge not". When we judge others it is with the goal of restoring them with a meek spirit, considering ourself and the way we would like to be dealt with when we have done wrong.
Gal 6:1
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. (KJV)
In Matthew 7, He also exhorts us to examine ourselves before we judge our brother or sister. Do you have a log in your eye? Then cast it out before you help someone else with their mote.
Jesus gave us an example on how we are to judge our brother or sister when they have tresspassed against us in order to help their error.
Mt 18:15-17
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
When a brother or sister sins against us we need to go to them first about it. It they will not take heed then we need to bring two or three witnesses the next time we confront them. These witnesses may be there either to support the confronter or bring additional inforamtion about this persons sin or they might just be there to be a testimony to the church if the person rejects correction again. The last step is to bring this person before the whole church, which if the person continues to refuse to listen to the confronter, is to be cast out of the fellowship and treated as someone who is in need of the Gospel.
What type of things are we to judge? The apostle Paul shows us in many places in the New Testament the type of immoral behaviour which is not becoming for a Christian. The following is one of the lists:
Gal 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The end of the people which practice the "works of the flesh" as described above is that they shall not inherit the kingdom of God. In other words, they are on the road way to hell. Paul also showed how we are to judge in his first letter to the Corinthians:
1 Cor 5:1-13
1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
The church at Corinth had a fornicator among them and was doing nothing about it. Paul rebuked the church because they allowed this to continue. He told them that they needed to remove this person from fellowship with them in hope that he would repent of his sin that he may return. This may seem like a cold thing to some nowadays, but as Paul said a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Believer have a responsibility to one another. Leaven makes the bread dough rise; a little bit affects the whole loaf. Sins that are left uncorrected, no matter whether secret or blatant, affect the whole church, even as a little leaven works through the whole loaf. As believers we must be intolerant of sin which jeopardizes the spiritual health of other believers. They had to expel this sinful person from the fellowship, even as a cook would get rid of the old leaven, so that they might be pure.
In the church today, discipline and accountability are sorely lacking. Often sinful members when confronted simply get upset and leave to go to another church where they can continue to live in their sin, instead of seeing this act as one of love for their own benefit. It is so sad that this type of discipline and accountability are not practiced in the church. People whether they are the one being confronted, or another who hears about, sees it as being critically judgemental. It's high time that the church sees with their eyes, hears with their hears and understands with their heart the truth about judging in the church. Paul even said that we are to judge that that are within the church (1 Cor 5:12). We, as the church, need to confront sin, not let it into the church and into our lives. Whether you realize it or not, when you see someone in sin and do nothing about it, you're consenting with them and their sin! You are judging! You are judging to do nothing about it! Wake up and do that which is right in the Lord, judge your sinning brother or sister that they may turn from their sin and be the better for. If they are a genuine believer they' will thank you.
Is this type of discipline missing in your church? Maybe you need to talk to your pastor or those in leadership about it. You can even have them read this article. Continue in prayer that true, godly, discipline may return to the church today!
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