To Judge or not to Judge That is the Question!

Does the Bible really say we should not judge? Or a better way to say it would be, does God say we should not judge?

There is reading the Bible and studying the Bible. Both actions require time and effort, but one requires more time and effort than the other. One of the first things we must do is eliminate bias; we must eliminate biases, preconceived notions, cultural prejudices, inherited assumptions and perspectives, etc. We all have them.

1.   Well, that is what grandma said.

2.   Pastor so and so of 20 years taught that.

3.   Well, they are from that country, and they do things differently there.

4.   Traditions, we have always taught that.

5.   I only listen to people who agree with me.

6.   I don’t read commentary because I can interpret the Bible on my own.

Studying the Bible is more than merely reading it. If you don’t know this, the Bible was not originally written in English, Latin, or German. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and a small amount of Aramaic; the New Testament was written in Greek, with a small amount of Aramaic as well.

A brief note: of the 31,102 verses of the Bible, approximately 268 are in Aramaic.

I point this out because this is where the effort becomes evident. To truly study the Bible, you need to take the time to look up the English words being used in their original language to understand the true meaning of the word and the passage being read. When a word is translated from one language to another, the actual meaning of the word is lost. Languages do not translate well into other languages, and this is especially true for Hebrew and Greek.

Listen to these quotes:

Thesis: "Every translation involves interpretation."      or "Every translation is a commentary in disguise."

Italian Proverb: "Traduttore traditore” ("The translator is a traitor")

Swedish Bible Translation Committee: "The art of translation is the art of compromise."

Haim Nachmam Bialik (1873-1934: Jewish poet): "Reading the Bible in translation is like kissing your bride through a veil."

If you are not taking the time to study the text in its original language, you are going to miss something. Studying the Bible is more than merely examining the original language. We must look at it.

1. Historically, we must understand the culture, the background, and the situation that prompted the text.

2. Grammatically: follow the rules of grammar pertaining to the original Greek and Hebrew. (English was not spoken in the Middle East.)

3. Contextually: Look at the verse immediately preceding and following, look at the chapter, the book, and most importantly, the entire Bible. We use scripture to interpret scripture.

4. Literally.

5. And with the Holy Spirit

All of this takes time, and when we do not take the time to study God’s word correctly, misinterpretations will occur.

Such as when people say, “The Bible states you are not to judge other people.”

Now people say this for one of four reasons—possibly more.

1.   Bias, meaning this is what they have heard other people say.

2.   They say this out of misinterpretation.

3.   One verse Theology.

4.   They say this because they do not want to be held accountable.

Let’s look at the main verse that people typically quote when they say we are not to judge other people.

Matthew 7:1NASB95

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

When we are having theological discussions with others, we need to slow down and not immediately go into a defense of our position. We need to ask a crucial question.

What do you mean by that? Or maybe in this case. Does the Bible say that God really commands us not judge one another? Have them explain what they mean by their statement. Often, we assume we know what the person means. That is very dangerous. It’s just as hazardous as one verse theology.

So, let’s assume for a moment that we (THE CHURCH) are never to judge.

•     How would we know when leaven enters the church? You know sin.

•     How would we be able to determine if a false prophet is teaching us?

•     How would church discipline be enacted?

•     How would we be able to reprove, rebuke, and exhort fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?

What do Jesus, Paul, and James really mean when they speak about judging others?

Well, let’s do away with one verse theology and finish what Jesus had to say about judging.

Matthew 7:1–6NASB95

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Let’s break this down.

Matthew 7:1NASB95

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

Let us look at the word "judge”. 

The Greek verb used here, krinō, denotes the idea of expressing a negative opinion about someone.

To “judge” here does not exactly mean to pronounce condemnatory judgment, nor does it refer to simple judging at all, whether favorable or the reverse. The context makes it clear that the thing here condemned is that disposition to look unfavorably on the character and actions of others, which leads invariably to the pronouncing of rash, unjust, and unlovely judgments upon them. No doubt it is the judgments so pronounced which are here spoken of, but what our Lord aims at is the spirit out of which they spring. Provided we eschew this unlovely spirit, we are not only warranted to sit in judgment upon a brother’s character and actions, but in the exercise of a necessary discrimination are often constrained to do so for our own guidance. It is the violation of the law of love involved in the exercise of a censorious disposition which alone is here condemned.

Matthew 7:2NASB95

2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Jesus now gives us a warning.

In the simplest of terms, Jesus is stating. Don’t make a negative, rash, unjust, and unloving opinion about someone based on your standards or even based on the law in the same manner.

Now some toes are about to be stepped on.

Matthew 7:3–4NASB95

3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?

Oh, so you are all about looking at the weaknesses, deficiencies, and sins of others. It is easy to identify those. It is easy to look out the window, but looking in the mirror, doing a self-check, that is not so easy; we often avoid it.

People in general find it easy to identify flaws in others. Christians find it easy to point out the sins of others. We are not here to speak about my sins; my sins are private, but yours, oh, no, we need to talk about them. We like talking about other people and their issues.

Matthew 7:5NASB95

5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Jesus calls us hypocrites.

And yes, I was at one time a huge hypocrite, and I still fall into the hypocrisy trap from time to time.

Think about this. You catch someone in a lie, and you are harsh with them, and if they are a confessing Christian, you beat them up with religious jargon. This may be done directly or indirectly (thoughts).

Think about this. You caught this person in one obvious sin.

•     How many different sins did you commit before meeting that person?

•     How many sins did you commit while being harsh with that person?

Matthew 5:22NASB95

22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to gointo the fiery hell.

Luke 17:3–4NASB95

3 “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4“And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Ephesians 4:31–32 NASB95

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

James 1:20NASB95

20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Did you catch that last part? Of verse 5? “First take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the spec out of your brother’s eye.”

Jesus is saying, " Get yourself straight, stop practicing sin so that you can help your brother with his spiritual condition. Don’t be a hypocrite! Don’t be self-righteous!”

And if you say or think you don’t have any problems in your life. You may want to read Romans.

Romans 2:1NASB95

1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

The same Greek word for judge, krinō, is used.

Paul is stating the same thing. You who form a negative, rash, unjust, and unloving opinion about someone based on your standards or even on the law do the same as the person you condemn.

Matthew 7:6NASB95

6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Jesus just told us that once we remove the log from our eye, we can then help our brother with his spiritual condition.

But here he gives us some sound advice or even a warning.

Dogs and swine are symbols for unbelievers who repeatedly hear the Gospel message, yet they persist in resisting it and attacking it, and they may attack you.

This warning concerns the use of the word of God in correcting nonbelievers, or even, as a Christian, in worrying about judging a nonbeliever at all.

Listen to what Paul tells the church of Corinth.

1 Corinthians 5:12 NASB95

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?

What happens when the Church misinterprets or ignores scripture?

1 Corinthians 5:1–13“1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 3 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. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

Think about this. Is this so inconceivable even in this age?

We have professing Christian Churches that support and/or do not correct the following. They use “Love” as their scapegoat!

LGBTQIA+ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Aromantic/Agender, and the + sign for other identities.

The transitioning of children

Adultery

Murder-Abortions

Out-of-wedlock pregnancies

Polygamy: Pastor Lena Müller of the Evangelical Church in Berlin conducted a ceremony in which she blessed four gay men as “one family”, BILD reports.

Müller, who openly promotes a “queer-inclusive” and feminist approach, organized a “pop-up wedding festival” near St. Kreuz Church in Berlin this summer – an event where people could come without prior registration. Among those who attended were four men – two from Latvia, one from Thailand, and, reportedly, one from Spain – who asked her to perform a “wedding” ceremony for them.

According to the pastor, the event team quickly agreed: “We saw that there was a lot of love between them. What could God possibly have against there being four of them instead of two?”

Pastors who use A.I. to write their sermons

And the list goes on and on.

In verse two.

1 Corinthians 5:2 NASB95

2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

The word arrogant. The Greek word used is physioō, meaning "to be puffed up" or "inflated."

Paul is stating you are puffed up with your own wisdom and knowledge, and the eloquence of your favorite teachers, at a time when you ought to be “mourning” at the scandal caused to the church by the incest.

Paul warns Timothy that congregations will search for and acquire their favorite teachers—those who will tickle their ears and preach unhealthy doctrines.

2 Timothy 4:2–5NASB95

2 preach the word; be ready in season andout of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wantingto have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Now to verse 3

1 Corinthians 5:3 NASB95

3 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.

If we are not to judge as some suggest, then why would Paul judge this person? Is Paul wrong in doing so? My answer is no; in fact, he reproves and rebukes the people within the church for not having already judged this man.

1 Corinthians 5:6–8 NASB95

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

A little bit of leaven (a little bit of sin). A little bit of sin spreads through the whole lump of dough, spreads through the entire church!

Clean out that sin! Repent for tolerating, for supporting that sin, so that you may become a new lump. Because you are a Christ follower, a Christian, you are, in fact, unleavened bread; you are, in fact, sinless in the eyes of God, because the blood of Christ covered your sin at the cross. His righteousness has been imputed to you!

1 John 3:9–10NASB95

9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

Verse 8

1 Corinthians 5:8“8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Let us celebrate the feast, let us celebrate God, let us celebrate the Passover lamb Jesus Christ! This celebration is to be together with fellow Christians!

Not with old leaven. Not with our old, sinful self. Nor with malice and wickedness, once we become a Christian.

Paul tells the Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:30–32 NASB95

30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

We celebrate together with sincerity and truth. God’s truth!

Continuing.

1 Corinthians 5:9–13 NASB95

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all meanwith the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

Heed this warning from Paul.

He has not stated not to associate with immoral people of this world, but not to associate with immoral Christians. This is not mean-spiritedness. It is with the hope that those who profess to be Christian will repent, and the name of God and Jesus Christ will not be tarnished.

We should not be judging outsiders. This does not mean that we are not to share the Gospel message, or that we are to dilute it or omit the mention of sin. We are to share the whole Gospel in truth. We are not to worry ourselves with judging those who are in the world.

But we are to judge those within the Church.

How are we to do this?

By the word of God, using the Fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB95

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Let’s look to the Old Testament. As I mentioned earlier, we use scripture to interpret scripture. Scripture does not contradict itself.

This is the command straight from God to Moses.

Leviticus 19:15–17 NASB95

15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. 16 ‘You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the Lord. 17‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.

We judge by the word of God, with the Fruit of the Spirit, and with prayer. Outside of that, it is self-righteous judging.