Judge Not, or What?

One verse that I hear taken out of context more than any other is Matthew 7:1

Matthew 7:1 NKJV

“Judge not, that you be not judged.

I’ve heard it used as an excuse for allowing sinful actions in the church.

I’ve even heard it used as a reason not to vote.

But one use has always stuck in my head, as an excuse from jury duty.

[Jury Duty Story]

So what is, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story?

Condemnation

Let’s start with the most common rebuttal I’ve heard for this idea of not judging,

That the word doesn’t mean to judge, but to condemn.

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 2919 κρίνω

krino /kree·no/

The Greek word “krino” has a long and detailed definition, but it seems quite well summed up in its first sense:

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 2919 κρίνω

1 to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose.

Based on this, we judge every day.

Matthew 5:29 NKJV

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

We’re told to choose between living with sin or dealing with it.

Matthew 18:21 NKJV

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

We’re told to judge how we treat others.

Acts 4:19 NKJV

But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

We even judge who we will listen to.

So with all of this judging going on, how can Jesus tell us, as some people propose, that we never judge?