Necessity of Judging
- Everyone
Luke 12:56-59: “Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.”
- Men are judged by God’s chastisement.
1 Corinthians 11:31-32: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
- If one cannot judge others, then he is not a spiritual person.
1 Corinthians 2:15: “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
1 Corinthians 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?”
It makes sense that the world is falling deeper into sin. There are more wrong doctrines spreading because no one is judging what is right and wrong. Nowadays, it’s all now about toleration, “do not judge me”, and “leave me alone”.
- Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
The context of why men should not judge is when it comes to hypocrisy. If they are committing the same actions that they are denouncing, then they have no right to judge. 1 Corinthians 2:15 says that men are supposed to judge, but they should not be hypocritical in doing so.
Matthew 7:2-5: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
cf 1 Corinthians 2:15: “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
1 Corinthians 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?” - Christians have the right to judge but not the world.
A lost man does not know spiritual things, but in v12-13 below, a saved person does. That is why in v15, they can judge.1 Corinthians 2:12-15: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
1 Corinthians 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?”What twisted world people live in right now. They have everything backward.
Right Things to Judge (Important for Carnal Christians)
- Sin
1 Corinthians 5:1-3: “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,”
- Wrong doctrine
2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”
- People that they are responsible for
Romans 14:13: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
- Things that burden the brethren
Romans 14:13: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
- Things that hurt the church
1 Corinthians 6:4-5: “If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?”
Wrong Things to Judge Others on (Important for Spiritual Christians)
- Liberty or conviction
If it is not 100% sin or heresy against the Bible, they should not be judged.John 12:48: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
Romans 14:3: “Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.”
Romans 14:6: “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.”
Romans 14:8: “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” - Something that love can put up with
People love each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Whether the brother or sister in Christ is weaker or stronger, they must put up with each other and love one another.Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.”
- Partial understanding of a person or situation
John 7:51: “Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?”
Do not judge when one only has a partial understanding. What if one judges and misunderstands what is going on with the other person’s life? Does he know how much of a mess he will create not just between them but in the whole church?
- Do not judge unwisely and allow others to find a legitimate fault.
1 Corinthians 10:29-30: “Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?”
- Do not judge the little flaws of fellow brethren, seeing that everyone is on the same side.
Let God be the ultimate judge. God does not need a person to go around judging everyone else’s little imperfections.1 Corinthians 3:3-4: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
1 Corinthians 3:9: “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”
1 Corinthians 4:3-7: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” - Do not judge at the wrong time.
Does one’s judgment fit the right place? The right person? The right situation? The right priority? The right result?Ecclesiastes 8:5-6: “Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.”
Ecclesiastes 3:7-8: “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”How to tell if it is a minor issue (and shall not be judged)?
1. Is it enough of an issue where people can risk hurting the church and be divisive?
2. Is it anything minor in one’s life that he left off from judging? - Do not judge someone who can hurt the church or their leaders without resolving the issue with that person first.
Matthew 18:15: “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”
- Do not judge matters that one is unsuited for. Turn it over to the proper authority.
Deuteronomy 17:8-9: “If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose; And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:”
- Do not judge yourself overtly.
God knows one’s heart, and if it is right with God, one should not fear any judgment.1 Corinthians 4:3-5: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”
Exceptions
- Praying to God for wisdom on the judgment
2 Chronicles 1:10-12: “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.”
- Looking at the fruits of one’s judgment
Luke 6:37: “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”
Luke 6:41-44: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.” - God can use judgment even if it is disagreeable.
Nehemiah 13:23-31: “In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.”
- Let one’s heart be right with God.
1 Corinthians 11:31: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
1 Corinthians 4:3-5: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”