judging others

[strenght01]

Great answers everyone! Just what I was thinking. The statement is so overused and twisted by too many.

 

Now here's my next question, why do people take you trying to help them/ lift them up as being condemned???? For example, say I have a friend that is consumed with porn and I go to them (out of love) and explain why it's wrong to watch, how it destroys families, etc. Why would that person in turn (knowing that I have no struggles in that area) then possibly say that I am condemning them???  - No, this is not a real life situation but I have heard stuff like this over and over & it absolutely floors me that people are quick to jump at the "you're judging me" or "your condemning me" lines. It's like if you know someone needs help & you say something, they attack with that line. But then if you see a struggle & don't help, then you can feel as if you're not doing what you should.

We are not to judge one another so as to condemn another to hell.

That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to restore a Christian that we see is sinning but we must do it in a spirit of compassionate meekness and gentleness. Christians whose lifestyles are in great error, who refuse to repent after many efforts to reason with them, should be reluctantly avoided.
We should also judge ourselves so that we won't need to be chastened by God later. 1 Cor 11:31-32
We are supposed to renew our minds daily in the Word so that we may be able to prove by it what is God's will. Rom.12.:2
Someday we are to judge the angels.
So we are to judge a lot of things. But we are to condemn no one. The world is already condemned.

 

 

Hi everyone, I'm new to forum so I am just checking out some of the posts on here.  I did a little write up on this very subject a few days ago and if you all don't mind I'll just copy and paste it in here.

 

 

 

There are many Christians who say we can't judge. The bible does state you are not to judge in the below verse. This seems to be the verse Christians use to claim we aren't allowed to judge anyone.

Matthew 7:1-5 7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 

In this verse it doesn't necessarily say not to judge, but when you do judge you will also be judged by the same degree you judged someone. And if you are also in sin then get your act straight before you cast blame on someone else.

I will use the following verses to support my claim that Christians can judge.

John 7:24 "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

This verse is talking about righteous judgement. What is right judgment? In the KJV says righteous judgement and NASB does as well. Righteous judgment is Biblical Judgment. Judge a person according to what the Word of God says.

1 Corinthians 5:11-13 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.

The first part of this passage tells us not to associate with certain people who are in sin. To find out who is in sin we must judge them. It also states we aren't here to judge outsiders (non Christians) but judge members of the Church. God judges the non Christians and we judge fellow Christians. It also states to get rid of the evil people among us. NASB says to get rid of the wicked among us. So here it says we are to get rid of wicked members of the church. To find out if someone in the church is wicked we must judge them.

Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

This passage tells us to Abhor evil. To abhor evil we must judge the person first to find the evil. 

James 5:19-20 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

God wants us to confront brothers and sisters in Christ and let them know of their sinful ways therefore judging them. If we don't let other Christians know that they are walking the wrong path then we are allowing them to possibly face death (hell). This is a good thing to do this.

The following are examples of where Apostles judging others.

2 Timothy 2:16-17 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus

2 Timothy 4:14-15 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.

1 Timothy 1:19-20 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Paul in these verses is judging and telling other Christians about things others have done.

3 John 1:9-10 9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church

John is telling others of something Diotrephes has done. Again we see judgement from a Christian telling other Christians.

1 Timothy 5:20 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

Here it tells us we are to confront Christians in sin (judge) and do this in front of other Christians and this is to make other Christians think twice about entering into sin.

James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Here it tells us we are to do the right thing and that right thing is to judge other Christians, not out of hate or anger, but to help them see that what they are doing is wrong and also to help other Christians see this before they act on it.

My position is we can judge other Christians but we need to do it out of love and not pride or anger. I don't think Christians wanted to kick others out of the Church but it happened. Can this be abused like anything else? Yes! We need to trust in the Holy Spirit and let Him guide us.

 

 

In addition to the above replies...

Matthew 7:1-2 Also means to not Judge in your present mortal life or you will be judged back the same in your current mortal life, as it says in the following verses of Matthew 7:
“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? 4 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? 5 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.

See...when you judge someone and yet you yourself aren't free of personal imperfections (which we all aren't) we are judged back by others in the same way. How can we know? By observation of the consequences of our words and actions...

Edited August 25, 2014 by strenght01

[Fez]

Great answers everyone! Just what I was thinking. The statement is so overused and twisted by too many.

 

Now here's my next question, why do people take you trying to help them/ lift them up as being condemned???? For example, say I have a friend that is consumed with porn and I go to them (out of love) and explain why it's wrong to watch, how it destroys families, etc. Why would that person in turn (knowing that I have no struggles in that area) then possibly say that I am condemning them???  - No, this is not a real life situation but I have heard stuff like this over and over & it absolutely floors me that people are quick to jump at the "you're judging me" or "your condemning me" lines. It's like if you know someone needs help & you say something, they attack with that line. But then if you see a struggle & don't help, then you can feel as if you're not doing what you should.

 

That would probably be because of a guilty conscience...

[a-seeker]

I've always heard so much on this topic and most answers from all that label themselves as Christians have surprisingly different answers. So I ask, what does God mean by the words we are not to judge others? I have always said that we are to judge others actions, just not the heart.

 

Judging and evaluating are different things.  "Judgment" carries a legal connotation (Cf Luke 12.14) and in common parlance suggests condemnation or final decree; evaluation means recognizing that something is wrong.  They are different.  I am fully permitted to recognize that the affair my neighbor is carrying out is wrong; but I cannot condemn him as if his fate is sealed.

 

 

clb

[Willa]

Often people in this situation hear our attitudes more than our words. But when they hear gentleness and compassion and still react that way, it is as Fez said, they may have a guilty conscience but refuse to repent. They lash out with the judging line or the hypocrit line. If they hear disgust even if it is for the sin and not the person, they will feel rejected. The person should feel the compassionate demonstration of God's love, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

I say that only because I have been corrected both ways. Only once in my life have I been corrected the right way. Most often I was accused wrongly or very slightly right. We always have sin in our lives that God has not revealed to us, that the blood of Jesus covers.

So occasionaly I have replied that I am sure the sin must be present, but God has not revealed it to me and is not dealing with it. Most often the accusations were based on the log being in their own eye.

However, I have also corrected others wrongly and with bad attitudes, which is why God spent some time showing me what it felt like. I have accused mormons with loathing and have behaved shamefully when I was a teenager. I have reacted to taunting false accusations by retaliating, While it was a long time ago, I still remember. God has taught me to not take it personally but that we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with wickedness in high places. Satan is the father of lies and the accuser of the brethern. It is wrong for us to accuse a brother when we correct them.

Perhaps it might be better to ask them if they are having trouble in the area of lust or whatever. Then direct them to the verse in Job 31:1-4 I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young women? --Is not destruction for the wicked, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does He not see my ways and count all my steps?

Galatians 6:1-2 Brethern, if a man is overtaken in a trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS AND SO FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST. To me this means that the person needs our prayers for strength to overcome, for help in placing their eyes on Christ so as to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Gal. 5:16

[Hall7]

Great answers everyone! Just what I was thinking. The statement is so overused and twisted by too many.

 

Now here's my next question, why do people take you trying to help them/ lift them up as being condemned???? For example, say I have a friend that is consumed with porn and I go to them (out of love) and explain why it's wrong to watch, how it destroys families, etc. Why would that person in turn (knowing that I have no struggles in that area) then possibly say that I am condemning them???  - No, this is not a real life situation but I have heard stuff like this over and over & it absolutely floors me that people are quick to jump at the "you're judging me" or "your condemning me" lines. It's like if you know someone needs help & you say something, they attack with that line. But then if you see a struggle & don't help, then you can feel as if you're not doing what you should.

I think no matter what we say to someone it will always be God who turns a person around through them admitting their worldly struggles to Him, but for that to happen they must first seek Him. So maybe it's better to direct them towards strengthening their spirits towards Jesus instead of trying to tell them what they are doing wrong (even though we want to help them out of love). When the Spirit of God strengthens within us, all of our faults come clear to us, and that's when be begin to change through Him...