Judgement
The Bible seems to at time say we should judge, and then at other times that we should not judge. So which is it? Let’s look through some passages relating to judgement to see if we can find the answer.
1 Corinthians 5:1-5 IT is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you; and such a kind of immorality, of which, it is not even named among the Gentiles: that one should have his father’s wife. And you are proud, and have not instead mourned: that he that did this deed, might be expelled from among you. For I, as absent in body, but present in spirit: have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that has done this. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, also with me in spirit; together with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ: Deliver such a one to Satan in order to destroy the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven, leavens the whole lump of dough? Therefore clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are to be unleavened. And for our Passover is Christ sacrificed in the place of us. Therefore let us observe the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; rather without leaven, in sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with the sexually immoral; But not altogether with the sexually immoral of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; since then, you would be obligated to depart from this world. But now I have written to you, not to associate if any is called a brother: who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one do not even eat together. For who am I to judge those outside? Should you not judge those that are inside? But those outside God will judge. But you: Remove the wicked man from among you.
This chapter of First Corinthians makes it clear we are to judge those inside the body to keep the Congregation pure and free from evil behaviour and false doctrine.
But as Paul also makes clear we are not to judge those outside the body for God will judge them. God has called us to preach to the world not to judge it.
So now let’s look at judgement inside the Congregation of Christ. Clearly First Corinthians chapter five says we should judge inside the Congregation, but Romans fourteen says we are not to judge.
Romans 14:1-4 RECEIVE him that is weak in the faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgement on his opinions. For the one who has faith eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let him that eats, not despise him that does not eat; and let him which does not eat, not judge him that eats: for God has accepted him. Who are you that judges another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. And he shall be made to stand: for God is able to make him stand.
Many Christians get confused between these two ideas of not judging and of being expected to judge. The answer I think is that there is a time where judgement is necessary to keep the Body of Christ pure and obedient, and a time where judgement only comes from your own personal hardness of heart.
For example, if a member of the Congregation is engaging in non-Christian practices, this will reflect badly on Christ, the Congregation and also will lead younger Christians to sin. It is the responsibility of the senior Christians in the Congregation in this case to cast out this member in order to protect the younger Christians and the integrity of the body of Christ.
There is a Biblical principal for how this should be handled:
Matthew 18:15-17 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the Congregation. But if he refuses even to hear the Congregation, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
Judgement should always be made against the Word of God and not against our own personal standards. When we judge Christians against the Word of God we do it for their and the Congregations benefit:
2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Titus 2:11-15 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Timothy and Titus were overseers of God’s Congregation and clearly they were expected to correct God’s people. Clearly it is obvious that you can’t correct someone for their actions without first coming to a judgement about their behaviour.
Also believers are also told to encourage and exhort one another:
Hebrews 3:12-14 Beware brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil distrusting heart, causing you to turn away from the living God. But instead plead with and exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers in Christ, if the fundamental truth we trusted and depended upon, we continue to possess unto the end.
33.168 parakaleo παρακαλέωa; παράκλησιςb, εως f: to ask for something earnestly and with propriety—‘to ask for (earnestly), to request, to plead for, to appeal to, earnest request, appeal.’
The difference between exhorting and judging is that when you exhort you are urging someone out of love to either change their behaviour or to keep going and not fall away.
If as a young Christian you think someone is doing the wrong thing by the Word of God, talk it over with an elder that they may be able to give you some advice. But test you heart first! Is your concern really out of love or is it out of your own self-righteousness?
God doesn’t treat us like robots with a specific set of instructions for all situations. What he does is teach us His ways that we may be able to use our good judgement (discernment) to do as God would have us do in any given situation.
But we must always keep the fear of God in front of us that we only use judgement for good not for evil. Here are some versus to keep in your heart before you rush to judgement against your brother:
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.
This verse doesn’t say not to judge; it is really saying that you first need to focus on your own righteousness before you start to instruct your brother on his righteousness.
James 4:11-12 Do not speak evil of one another brothers. He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law: And if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who are you that judges another?
This verse does say not to judge, but as with all the scriptures we are to take the whole council of God not just isolated scriptures on their own. What I would say to this scripture is that as a general rule we should not judge, but according to the other scriptures there is a time where judgement is necessary, especially for elders in the body of Christ.
John 5:30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
So if we judge for the sake of doing God’s will we help strengthen the Kingdom of God and Body of Christ. This is the judgement God’s wants from us, not judging people by our own hypocritical standards.
1 Corinthians 6:1-3 DARE any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the holy people? Do you not know that the holy people will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you not worthy to judge trivial matters? Do you not know, that we will judge Angels? How much more then, the things that pertain to this life?
This verse also reinforces that we should be able to judge amongst ourselves, and if we know the Word of God we should be able to do so for the benefit of the Body.
Romans 2:1 FOR THIS REASON you are without excuse, O man, whomsoever that judges: for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the same things.
Luke 6:37-38 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
But again we are not to judge according to the flesh, as this kind of judgement comes from hypocrisy and not from love.