Christians judging?

Question

I see a lot on here where non-believers tell Christians they are sinning by judging. However this is not true. Christians are not told they cannot judge. They are told by what measure they judge they will be judged. So if I judge someone for something and yet I do the same I judge myself. We are in fact told we will judge the world.

1Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

We are told to mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to doctrine. So saying that someone who says they are a Christian and condones homosexuality is wrong is not sinning but merely following the Bible.

We are told by Christ to judge using righteous judgment. This means use the Bible as a guide for judging. If it contradicts the Word we are free to judge it so.

So my question is can you see the difference between judging in sin and judging in righteousness?

verses below.

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

kait - great addition. That is exactly the point I am trying to make.

suigeneris-impetus - I will preach to you any day of the week if you will listen. I don't see this as preaching so much as clearing up confusion.

Shinigami - Saints in the Bible are not dead. All Christians are saints according to the Bible. The Catholic saint is a man made idea. Listing all the verses where this is proven would take a lot of room. However read any letter by Paul. He addresses the letter normally to the saints of the church. Would he be writing to dead people? The verse below is just one example of many.

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Jon M - That verse means exactly the same as Matthew 7:1. If you judge you will be judged by the same measure. If I say telling someone that being homosexual is not a sin is unchristian. Then I tell someone it is ok to lie. I am doing the same as them and am judging myself and God will judge me because of it.

nobody important - read kait's response. It has the perfect explanation of that.

Monkey Man - you missed the point. The Bible does not say we are not to judge. It basically says be careful how you judge. For instance I can tell a homosexual they are sinning. Yes this is judging but it is judging according to what the Bible says. This is righteous judging.

According To Me - common knowledge is often wrong. Telling Christians they are not to judge the world is a great trick of Satan. It means we have to sit back and accept all the world does and we are not allowed to say a word against it. Sin is sin and we are allowed to call it that.

bethy - actually I don't think you can be a Christian and be tolerant of sin. Jesus was not tolerant of sin. When the woman was brought to Him to be stoned for adultery. It is correct He did not have her stoned. He forgave her as He forgives us. Did He say though go home and commit aldutery all you like? No, He said go and sin no more. He was not tolerant of her sin. He forgave her and then told her to stop sinning.

siylencedogood - I said nothing about condemning only judging. I will tell someone that it is a sin. Or that their teaching is wrong and against the Bible. I try my best not to tell someone they are going to Hell. You are right I do not make that decision. However if someone says will homosexuals go to Heaven. I will give them God's Word. Not my opinion. And God's Word says the sexually immoral have no place in Heaven. This is not me condemning it is God condemning.

Answer 1

It seems that whenever one person confronts another person over an issue, the statement "Do not judge!" comes up. Christians are often accused of "judging" in contradiction to what the Bible says whenever they speak out against a sinful activity. However, that is not the meaning of the Scripture verses which state, "Do not judge." When Jesus told us not to judge (Matthew 7:1), He was telling us not to judge hypocritically. Matthew 7:2-5 declares, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

In Matthew 7:2-5, Jesus warns against judging someone else for their sin when you yourself are sinning even worse. That is the kind of judging Jesus commanded us not to do. If a believer sees another believer sinning, it is their Christian duty to lovingly and respectfully confront the person with their sin (Matthew 18:15-17). This is not judging, but rather pointing out the truth in hope of bringing repentance in the other person (James 5:20). We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We are to proclaim what God's Word says about sin. 2 Timothy 4:2 instructs us, "Preach the Word ; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction." We are to "judge" sin, but always with the goal of presenting the solution for sin and its consequences - the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

Recommended Resource: Hard Sayings of the Bible by Kaiser, Davids, & Brauch.

Answer 2

Some do. But I also think that there is a misunderstanding of what judging is. When a Christian speaks God's truth, and another person doesn't like it, or "feels" judged by that, it doesn't mean they are being judged. When people sin, often they try to justify that sin and say it is okay for this reason or that. When it is pointed out that, it is in fact sin and cannot be justified they feel judged. But in reality it is God's truth and no one owns that. If I say "sex outside of marriage is a sin" this is true because God says it, not because I say it. I am also not saying I'm better in some way. If I were that would be seen as judging.

Answer 3

I agree with the Atheist there-
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
We are not perfect ourselves and should not go around
judging others.
I still believe in God. I don't go to church though. Too
many self righteous people and alot of them turn out to be hypocrites. Yes, I do have experience in that as to what
happened to someone I dearly loved and this hypocrite
guy went to church every Sunday. Also, some of them are the biggest bunch of gossips I have ever met.
Alexandria, I am suppose to judge and turn against my relative because he's gay? I love him.
This is why I believe in God, not the church and also why
I do not visit R&S much, people judging others.

Answer 4

It really bugs me when these 'good Christians' take the bible to say what is or is not acceptable to them
This guy is saying it's OK to judge others. Well I think not!
Here in is where all the trouble begins and end when one group feels free to judge others then commences with bible verses that support them.
I thought it was common knowledge that it's against Gods good book that we judge I thought that was God's job..
This is why I am getting farther and farther away from these so called good Christians.

Answer 5

you are the exact type of person who drives people away from christianity....you have no right to judge non believers...true....but the bible also says dont point out the speck in your neighbors eye when you have a log sticking out of yours...God is the ultimate judge you as a christian have a role to keep your brothers and sisters in check....you can be a christian and be tolerant of homosexuality that is NO sin....

and why do you even care about trying to judge people and "how or which way" is the "right" way??..fix your own inequities and impurities and focus on that not on other peoples. Accept people like jesus accepted people. People followed Christ because they saw how he first accepted people then taught them the right ways.......get a grip all of you

Answer 6

Yes. You are correct. We, as Christians, are permitted to judge according to God's Holy Scripture, which is righteous judgement. True born again Christians have already been judged by Christ because we are saved by God's grace. Our judgement by God is our salvation - God choosing those whom He calls to serve Him and to do His will. The bible is the Christian's one and only true guide for judging righteously according to Scripture. Christ permits us to judge because WE have already been judged. Those outside of Christ (the unsaved) have yet to be judged, meaning, they will face judgement when they pass out of this life or when Christ returns for the final judgement on the last day - whichever comes first.

The verse in Matthew 7:1 is one of many verses in the bible that are misinterpretd by the world - those without understanding of the bible. That verse means that those outside of Christ are NOT permitted to judge others because they have no knowledge of the Scriptures, so if they judge others, they are not doing so righteously according to God's word. "Lest ye be judged means already being judged by God. In short, it means that no one is permitted by God to judge unless they are God's elect, having knowledge of the Scripture; their heart and mind being guided by the Holy Spirit.

Answer 7

Jesus also said "when ye judge judge righteous judgement"

And in 1Corinthians 2:15 it says "he who is spiritual judgeth all things"

the atheist above did the CLASSIC taking of Matthew 7:1 out of context,NOT reading the whole chapter to see the context

Answer 8

How do you explain Matthew 7, 1-5 , then?

Answer 9

Judging is not a sin in and of itself, but HOW we do it can be. When we judge we are to judge righteously. Call a sin a sin, what God says is sin and not what we think sin should be. At the same time though, when we judge someone, we are judged by the same messure. If I say "John isnt saved because he gets drunk" I then judge myself "If John is not saved because he gets drunk, then I must not be saved because I over eat" both are gluttony and both are sin.

It is better that we do not concern ourselves in what others do but understand that we are no better and work at improving ourselves.

Answer 10

Don't worry about it, my brother. That is a common tactic the unbeliever uses in an attempt to throw you back on your heels and onto the defensive. It is an attempt to change the subject and take the focus off of their neediness of Christ. When they do that, just cut to the chase. Ask them if they have ever asked Jesus Christ into their life as Savior and Lord? If they say no, then share your testimony with them. If they say yes, then ask them to share their testimony with you.

God bless you as you continue to share the Gospel.