What is the difference between judging people which Christians are told not to do, and having an opinion?

Question

Surely we can not go through life without judging people or we'd be walked all over and gullible.

Answer 1

In the very passage in which Jesus says not to "judge" he says to judge the fruit (evaluate the conduct of) people. Think of these things in the light of the rest of Scripture. Jesus rebukes Pharisees and talks about such things as sin and hell. Paul rebukes erring Christians and talks of things they must repent of. Christians are not to be people with no opinions.

It seems the judging which is forbidden is the attitude of heart which causes us to classify others as beyond salvation or less worthy of it than we are. Instead of bashing gays, for example, we love and pray for them that they might repent of their sin and know the wonderful, saving love of Christ. We do not condone their sin, but we do not condemn them as persons. Perhaps a specific illustration will help. It seems common these days to hear people bad mouthing Rosie O'Donnell. I think God expects his people to be praying for her rather than wasting their words bad mouthing her.

Answer 2

Really good question!
It's a matter of degree, I think. We make judgements all the time. Is this food safe to eat? Sniff, sniff. Yes, it smells OK.
Is it safe to cross the road here? Do I trust this salesman? We would not survive without the ability to make these judgements.
At the other end of the scale there is the level of judgement which allowed the witch trials and the Inquisition. It says, I am right and good, and because you are different from me you must be wrong and evil. You can see that type of judgement every day here on Y!A.
The interesting ones are in the middle.
My football team is more wonderful than yours. Blondes or brunettes? I like this. I don't like that. I love him. She's nasty. Good. Bad.
All this stuff creates the world we live in; creates who we are; keeps us locked up in who we seem to be.
But what if we want to grow, to become more than we are now, to develop spiritually?
Then those opinions, those thousands of little judgements hold us back.. Then we need to just notice what IS - without making judgements. It ain't easy - but it opens a whole world of opportunity.
One of the great world teachers said, "The Way is not difficult - for one who has no opinions".

(It's difficult to resist signing off with, 'At least, that's my opinion'.)

Answer 3

Judging a person (or having an opinion) is usually involved with deciding their "worth" and that usually leads to the problem. If you are holding an opinion that makes it difficult for you to have the loving concern we should have for others, then on a personally practical level its better to not do it. On the quick note.....Jesus was asked what rules we should have. He only said: Love God. Love others as yourself. If those two things govern all our thoughts and actions....there is no need for a bunch of rules at all. There are other reasons ( your inabilily to know the heart of the person....their circumstances in life....thier past..) But, this is enough to justify "no judgement' .

Answer 4

NIV Version has Jesus saying.

Jhn 8:15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

Jhn 8:16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

If you see a person with a tattoo on their arm and decide this person was a criminal you're being judgmental. If you read the wanted poster that has his picture on it you aren't being judgmental. One is based on assumption and one on some presumed reliable source of information.

Paul said be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, so don't be gullible.

Answer 5

There will come a time when we will no longer need to protect ourselves from people who mean to cause us harm or rip us off because all people will be honest under Gods rule or they will cease to exist. When you judge someone you claim they are guilty of something, when you are opinionated you feel something is wrong or right and share your personal views. The reason many people feel that they are being judged when Christians speak is because many moral guidelines are written in the bible, when Christians relay them people become offensive, Christians aren't judging they are relaying messages from the bible. It was commanded by God for Christians to try and save others from evil influences and relay these messages. : )

Answer 6

There is a difference. In a sense, when you speak out about something being wrong you are not judging that person but instead their actions.

Many cry foul when someone's opinion doesn't approve of their life choices. But this does not mean you are being cruel or judging them without reason. You are instead voicing your own views about their ACTIONS. Not about them as a human being. A point often missed.

I got used to people calling me intolerant because I don't give them my seal of approval for their life styles. I'm not stopping them from doing what they do, nor am I judging them as a person. I merely saying I do not agree with their actions.

It is G-d alone that will judge people fully. We can only speak out about their actions - for we do not know what is truly in their hearts.

Answer 7

Having an opinion and judging people is a fine line. I agree!!
I think the real problem lies in Christians acting upon their opinions.
For instance, if you do not like Gays that is your opinion. That could be left alone at that point. But if you go forth to eliminate them from the planet thats acting upon your opinion and can be a very slippery slope.
Peace,

Answer 8

confident, i be conscious of the adaptation between the two. those receiving correction or judgment could be very shielding, that is real. nevertheless, on the different hand others are so addicted to dishing correction and judgment out to others that their corrections are lost amid their adversarial and tainted motives. it is such an magnificent question. i think of ultimately, you should "evaluate the source" yet whether that guy or woman is often correcting others and not often, if ever, correcting themselves, you are able to continuously pray and ask the Holy Spirit to bare to you the place the correction jewelry real (if in any respect) and ask for His preparation in shifting in a smarter direction.

Answer 9

It's judging if we tell someone that they're going to hell.

It's having an opinion if a person believes that President Bush is not a good president, that homosexuality is wrong, or that abortion is a woman's choice, or that stealing is wrong.

Answer 10

Jhn 8:15 "...I pass judgment on no one."

Jhn 8:16 "But if I do judge, my decisions are right,"

That wouldn't be yet ANOTHER contradiction in the bible would it?