Christians, God tells you not to judge others, but aren't you "involuntarily" passing judgment?

Question

on someone when you "discern" them to be a "sinner"?

Ah, I just noticed that someone previously asked a similar question a few minutes ago...

"Thou shalt not judge others" is a little contradictory if God requires you to preach the gospel to "sinners" - first you have to conclude who you feel is a sinner. Hence passing judgment on them.

It's a paradox.

Answer 1

To discern is not to condemn/judge. In fact, elswhere in the writings of Paul it speaks of not judgeing others, because you do it too... This means everyone is liable, if they judge one as bad, by it including oneself.

While to not judge is to demonstrate the learning that God loves all so much, that only kindness is wished for them. All else is to dwell on limitations of the impermanence of nature, rather than the eternal perfections of a joyous spirit, regardless of circumstance.

To see evil in the world and deem it at all a hinderance to God is to "eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil." which is the cause of man being cast out of spiritual, all-good creation: paradise, into the world of suffering and judgementalism, which war and conflict result.

This is why the true saints, even while being stoned, and brutalized, by brutes of animalistic humanity, had radiant, angelic love toward all, and knowing material life, the lacking self-subsitant perfections was ended, and spiritual life undending rises as the non-time sun, simply radiated all that joy of true freedom, and thus became as angels, giving up free will for perfect selflessness of Spiritual realms.

Thus you are correct, to regard others badly is hurtful, while to regard others as the receipients of God's loving toward what Divinity has engendered, is a heavenly delight.

"Consider carefully: all these highly varied phenomena, these concepts, this knowledge, these technical procedures and philosophical systems, these sciences, arts, industries and inventions -- all are emanations of the human mind. Whatever people has ventured deeper into this shoreless sea, has come to excel the rest. The happiness and pride of a nation consist in this, that it should shine out like the sun in the high heaven of knowledge. "Shall they who have knowledge and they who have it not, be treated alike?" And the honor and distinction of the individual consist in this, that he among all the world's multitudes should become a source of social good. Is any larger bounty conceivable than this, that an individual, looking within himself, should find that by the confirming grace of God he has become the cause of peace and well-being, of happiness and advantage to his fellow men? No, by the one true God, there is no greater bliss, no more complete delight."

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 2)

Answer 2

The Bible talks about judge not, lest ye be judged, but Jesus also said to use a right judgment found in John 7:24. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 states that saints (all Christians) will judge the world and angels. Look at it this way, if you have a child and your child who is a toddler puts his/her hand on a hot stove, will you not discipline him/her? It is for their own good, or else they're going to harm themselves. Jude 23 says: snatch others from the fire and save them... If someone uses an unrighteous judgment (where they are in error and trying to tell someone else not to be in error, or they condemn and not show love, or something like that, that is where judging should not happen). It does speak in James about not judging as there is only one Lawgiver and Judge. We must all take the Bible into right context and find out what it really teaches us and then to do what it teaches, but most importantly to be like Jesus.

Answer 3

It's only a paradox to you. If you read the New Testament Christians are explicitly commanded to judge those who profess to be believers but are leading a life-style totally contrary to the spirit and teaching of Jesus Christ. (see I Corinthians 5:1-13)
One must distinguish between judging an action and judging a person. If I see someone take a gun and shoot someone in the head, I am not judging him if I call him a killer. His own action has already declared him to be a killer. If I presume to know the motive behind the action, then I am coming into an area reserved for God. Only God knows the motives of the heart.

Answer 4

It's only a paradox if your interpretation is correct.

Your quote comes from the sermon on the mount, and most of the references that Jesus uses in this message derived from either the OT or rabbinic teachings.

Before you can interpret this particular verse, it would help if you knew what rabbinic teaching Jesus is refering to here, so that you can know more precisely what he means by "judging".

I'm pretty sure that judging someone's character is no harm to them.

Judging and condemning someone out of hand (without getting to know them first) is slanderous.

Judging someone from a seat of authority, such as a judge in traffic court or in a civil suit is at the other extreme.

So the question is, which one did Jesus refer to, or are there other degrees that I've not mentioned?

Answer 5

No....I can ask a few questions from someone and know they do not know God in a personal way. We are told to share what we know to be the truth...not to force it on anyone....we cannot convince anyone to choose to listen to God....we can only share our own experience of what we have found out about Him.

Judging someone is not the same thing as knowing that someone has no idea about God. If I judge someone, thinking I am better than them...then God says I will be judged in the same way. A Christian knows he is only a sinner saved by God's grace. And he also knows that everyone is in the same boat!
He is anxious to share the answer to being eternally lost....but he can only share what he knows....the rest is up to each person on his own.

God says is you do not believe you are condemned already....and those are His words...and your issue is with God...not me.

Answer 6

People seem to forget the second part, he said judge not less yee be judged then he told the sinners now go forth and sin no more. The sinners are expected to cease their sin just as much as I am expected to show love. It works both ways. It is also thought that jessus was saying dont judge who will go to heaven thats gods choice.
As for not being judicious about people Jesus said if you go into a town and give them my good news and they refuse you should kick their dust from your heels and move on. He didnt say suffer them for years. He also said share not your pearls with swine.

Answer 7

I just see a lot of people in my church who choose the Sin all week long and go to church each Sunday to ask for forgiveness. That's the most common fake Christian and its 8 out of 10. If you look around we seem to believe that our sins are not as bad as the one commit by our neighbors. Try asking a friend who is the worst sinner, a thief, a gay men, a man sleeping with his neighbor's wife, or a rapist. I am sure you already guessed the answer...

Answer 8

If you see a sign that says, Speed limit 55 mph and you are riding with someone going 65 mph you can say that they are speeding. The Bible has commandments that act as signs. However, a better term is non-believer. Even Christians are sinners, but forgive by belief in God and by God's grace.

Answer 9

What is your definition of a sinner? A sinner is someone who has not been reconciled back to God through the Blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, they live outside a intimate relationship with God, still in bondage to the wickedness and evil of this world.

Answer 10

We know all of us are sinners. That's not a judgement, it's a fact.

As for the judging, God will do that in the end. In the meanwhile, is it judging to ponder the moral status of another person, and to make guesses as to their character based on that moral status?