Author: Gary Witcher
Company: none

Judging

     Last week we examined the idea of Jesus as the judge.  Whenever there is a discussion about judging, we are often made to wonder about a related thought.
     How often do we hear the phrase, "We must not judge"?  As is frequently the case, this statement is true if it is applied correctly.  But it can also be false if it is not understood correctly.
     For example, there is a passage in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 that assigns judgment to Christians.
     "Or do you not know," Paul asks in this Scripture, "that the saints will judge the world?"
     Remember here that the word, "saint" always refers simply to Christians.  There is no biblical basis at all for the creation of some group of "super-Christians" who have earned special positions.
     "And if the world is judged by you," Paul continues, "are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?
     "Do you not know that we shall judge angels?  How much more, matters of this life?"
     By the way, how do we judge the rest of the world and even angels?  These verses do not teach that we will be sitting in the judge's seat on the Day of Judgment.  The explanation of this passage is found in Hebrews 11:7.
     "By faith," the Hebrew writer notes, "Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."
     How did Noah condemn the world?  He did it through his obedient faith.  If obedience is impossible, it is difficult to convict anyone of disobedience.  But once a single individual obeys, the excuse vanishes for all others.
     So, clearly, it is sometimes false to say, "We can never judge."
     But there are definitely passages which warn us against judging.
     "Therefore you are without excuse, every  man of you who passes judgment," we read in Romans 2:1-3, "for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
     "And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.  And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?"
     "Now accept the one who is weak in faith," Paul admonishes in Romans 14:1, "but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions."
     "Who are you to judge the servant of another?" Paul adds in verse four.  "To his own master he stands or falls."
     "But you, why do you judge your brother?" verse 10 inquires.  "Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt?  For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God."
     "Therefore," verse 13 concludes, "let us not judge one another any more, but rather this - not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way."
     "Do not speak against one another, brethren," James 4:11-12 warns.  "He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you are a judge of the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it.
     "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?"
     From these Scriptures it is plain that judging is forbidden, at least in certain situations.  What are we to do, then?
     From the passages we have just considered, we notice at least two things that we cannot do.  First of all we cannot arrive at a judgment which is based on a theory about motives.  This takes care of much of the judging which goes on, doesn't it?
     In Romans 8:27 Paul identifies God as the One who is able to search our hearts.  He is the only one who can examine motives.
     A second thing we learn from the passages we have read is that we are not in a position to pronounce judgment.  In other words, it is not our place to condemn.  We might notice, however, that this does not exclude our being able to recognize condemnation which someone brings upon himself by disobeying God.  We'll take a look at this other side of the coin after this song.

     We cannot judge motives.  And it is not our place to condemn.  But the New Testament clearly specifies areas in which we can, or even must, arrive at a judgment.
     "It is actually reported that there is immorality among you," Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, "and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife.
     "And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst.
     "For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
     "In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."
     Is Paul violating his own instruction against judging?  Obviously he is not.  What he is doing is demonstrating that we may...no we MUST...arrive at conclusions based on facts.  Our society would do well to learn this lesson, especially in an age when "sin" has given way to "alternate life style."
     The problem in Corinth was not only that they tolerated this sin, but also that they were proud of their liberal attitude toward the sinner.  No one could accuse them of judging.  Is God pleased with this attitude?
     "And, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death," Paul points out in Romans 1:32, "they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."
     Read the last 15 verses of the first chapter of Romans and see the context of this statement.
     In Revelation 2:14 Jesus condemns those in Pergamum who refuse to arrive at a conclusion based on facts.  He says the same thing to the church in Thyatira in verse 20.
     We must judge facts and actions.  Related to this, there is a second area in which we are required to judge.  We must judge false teaching.
     "For there are many rebellious men," Paul states in Titus 1:10-11, "empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain."
     "Reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith," Paul orders in verse 13.
     "They profess to know God," Paul adds in verse 16, "but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed."
     It is interesting to note that nearly every book in the New Testament contains warnings against false teachers.  The classic discussion on this subject, though, is the second chapter of Peter's second epistle.  Read this chapter and decide whether or not we have an obligation to recognize false teaching.  Look also to the short books of Jude and 2 John.
     No, we may not judge motives or condemn.  But this is no excuse for tolerating sin or false teaching.  Yes, we must make certain judgments.  But this is no excuse for complaining.
     "Do not complain, brethren, against one another," we read in James 5:9.
     Now we have some guidelines about judging.  But the discussion is not over.  We don't have the main point, yet.  You see, there is additional teaching which makes what we have said so far almost of secondary importance.  This is because, if we understand and apply this last point, the rest comes naturally.
     Actually, there are two things to recognize.  The first is that we cannot go beyond what is written.
     "Any one who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ," 2 John 9 teaches, "does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son."
     We cannot go beyond what is written in that which we allow.
     In 1 Corinthians 4:6 Paul instructs Christians to not exceed what is written.  In context, he is speaking of going beyond in that which we condemn.
     It's that simple.  We cannot exceed what is written in what we allow or in what we condemn.  When we have problems, could it be that we haven't bothered to know what is written?
     The second thing we must understand is that we will be judged as we judge.  Jesus makes this warning in Matthew 7:1-5.  It is from the first verse of this passage that some people take the blanket statement that we must never judge.  But the real point is that we cannot expect any better treatment than that which we give to others.  A similar statement is made in James 2:9-13.
     It would change everything, wouldn't it, if we would base all of our conclusions on what is written and if we would not judge anyone else any differently than we would like to be judged.  All of the rest would become academic.
     There will be a Day of Judgment.  But the outcome has been determined by a higher authority.  According to the statement of Jesus in John 12:48, those who do not follow His words will be condemned.  On the other hand, those who obey His truth have already been set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.lockman.org)