Aren't Christians supposed to make judgments on sin?

Question

1 CORINTHIANS 6:1-4

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church.

DO NOT JUDGE -Matthew 7:1-2, Romans 2:1, Romans 14:10,13, James 4:11-12, 1 Corinthians 4:5

DO JUDGE - 1 Corinthians 2:15, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, 1 Corinthians 6:1-4, 1 Corinthians 5:3

Answer 1

Excellent question! I hope I can help.

Matthew 7:1 specifically, the word "judge" is probably not the best word in the sense we use it now. The Greek word there is "krino," (Strong's #2929) and means "to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish..."

So, when Jesus was speaking of not judging someone, it was about condemnation. In other words, we don't decide who is going to hell. That judgment is left to Him alone.

Now, in the I Corinthians 2:15 passage, that has more to do with discernment. The Greek word is "anakrino," (Strong's #350) of which "krino" is a root. The implications are different, though. It means "to scrutinize, i.e. (by implication) investigate, interrogate, determine..."

This has to do with observing facts, and making a determination.

In some of the other cases, Paul does use "krino," especially with the man who did the horizontal polka with his father's wife. He further qualifies that the judgment is so he can be saved ultimately, so even then, he is not condemning the man to hell.

Answer 2

Not on sin.
What this refers to is, if there is a dispute within the church family, not to take it to a civil judge but to resolve them within the family.

Halley's puts it this way:

It is clearly very inappropriate for followers of a religion of brotherly love to air their difficulties in heathen courts. Christians will eventually rule and reign with Christ over the universe and will be involved in settling ultimate questions of right and wrong, of eternal life and death (6:2; Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30). Why, then, are they unable to settle their own quarrels? The fact that the members had disputes among themselves was bad enough, but to bring these suits to the pagan courts so that they could be ruled over by unrighteous judges was senseless.

Answer 3

Yes. When it comes to their fellow Christians they are to judge patterns of sin. The Bible sets up a specific process for doing so.

1) confront the person committing the sin one on one.

If their behavior does not change then...

2) go with one other person who knows about the problem and confront the person committing the sin again

If their behavior still does not change then...

3) bring that persons behavior to the attention of the church (generally the church board will then confront the person in question before bringing it before the full congregation) for disciplinary action.



If their behavior still does not change then...

4) Throw them out of the church (this is very rare but it does happen ocassionally at churches that follow this disciplinary process)

What the Bible says that Christians should take care of their own patterns of sin before trying to deal with the sins of others and that they should judge as they would want to be judged. In other words Christians are to Judge fairly and with a clear head.

If a Christian knows that they have a sin to deal with in their own life than they are not going to be able to judge the sins of others clearly. They must first deal with their own sins before confronting others about theirs.

Answer 4

Judge not least you be judged your self. Men make judgments on the laws that govern men. Moral judgment must be ones own individual judgment on what is sinful to one self, not to which is sinful for others. Ones person's sin could be others only hope of survival. Think if you saw someone spank their child, this may make you uneasy, and you might think it is wrong, but what you may not know is that the child killed the neighbors cat.

Answer 5

I believe we are to judge those inside the body of Christ, but not condemn them. We judge so that we can better encourage them to go in the right direction instead of the wrong one, and to help them to stop sinning. We are not to help them enable their sin, but know that they are struggling.

Outside the Body, I think we are have no authority other than the gospel. We have the responsibility to share with them the good news. We cannot judge those outside of Christ because they do not hold the same "plumb line" as we do; they do not measure themselves to Christ as we do.

Either way, I think the basis is not to condemn people because of their sin and do not allow their sin to become a stumbling block for you (don't let it make you angry or say hurtful things), but judge believers by measuring them to Christ so you can better encourage and truly love them.

Answer 6

you are the single being judgmental and casting the stones. All you have executed grew to become into quoted to us a gaggle of scriptures from the bible, and pronounced somethings that God pronounced that we'd desire to constantly do, or shouldn't do, after which you falsely accused all Fundamentalist Christians of doing them as quickly as we'd desire to constantly no longer, or no longer doing them as quickly as we'd desire to constantly. Like Propaganda. properly, sorry guy, all my young ones are con artist too and so i'm used to this. you will might desire to attempt this one on somebody else i assume. Now what are you attempting to cover up?

Answer 7

What are you trying to ask here, should or shouldn't' you judge?

The word judge in English encompasses a lot of things. People who take an oath of office to be fair in making decisions are allowed!

But in general, humans hate their neighbor and judge them so severely. Why not love your neighbor as yourself.......and start loving yourself too. Isn't that what He wanted?

Answer 8

When it says to judge sin it means that if we see a brother or sister sin we can show them their sins in a LOVING way in hope that they repent.

We are NOT to judge UNLOVINGLY , thinking that I am better then you way.

we ALL stand guilty of some sin in our lives, we need to show mercy in helping others see their sin BUT do NOT forget that WE also have sins of our own.

So judge Yes BUT with a mind of LOVE in hope that they repent

So Judge NO with a mind thinking I am better then you, when we are ALL guilty of some sins of our own

Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Take care of yourself, each of us struggles with sin enough on our own to be too judgemental of others. Jesus hung out with prostitutes not to judge but to treat them as deserving human beings who deserved God's love. Lift people up don't tear them down.

Answer 10

I would think you would have to judge right from wrong... otherwise you really couldn't claim you have discernment. I think in some instances it means do not condemn... in other words, you are in no position to tell another that he/she is going to hell. That authority was not handed down to you. According to the bible.