Shall we Judge, or Judge Not?

“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” -1 Corinthians 2:15.

When it comes to the 2 word phrase of Judge Not that begins Matthew 7:1, there would seem to be many Bible scholars for the frequency of its use! We might expect this from the unsaved world, but sadly, many who profess Christ heavily rely upon this phrase. Its use is usually a gross mishandling of scripture, and I hope for most it's only a temporary thing they will outgrow.

My purpose here is to help that maturing process surrounding use of the phrase, “Judge Not,” in 4 ways; First, we'll consider defining what it is to judge. Second, we must consider the context of this phrase in the passage recorded in Matthew 7. Third, we have to compare this phrase and passage with other Bible teaching, especially in the New Testament. And fourth, we'll look at how to respond when those around us misuse this phrase.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” -John 7:24.

There are 2 ways I see to judge someone; one would be to judge their actions, and another is to judge the condition of their souls; their relationship with God. You can see from this proceeding verse that Jesus encourages us to judge, but rightly, not superficially. A common saying that may reflect John 7:24 would be, “You can't judge a book by its cover.” Sometimes we can, others we can't. What the Christian needs is insight from God's Word, and discernment from the Holy Spirit;

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword...and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” -from Hebrews 4:12. Bold type added.

“For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” -Hebrews 5:13,14. Bold type added.

One example I can give is of an alleged Christian woman I rebuked for lying; this is a sinful practice, and easy to judge as an evil behavior to be avoided. But could I judge her more deeply than that? Was this only a mistake on her part, or something else?

When I rebuked this woman, I cited scriptures, and reminded her that God hates the sin of lying; she'd already been in a service where I spoke about this before. She REJECTED my rebuke, and declared that she must lie! By this, and numerous other evidences, I concluded that she is NOT saved; her lies were not an unintended “bump” in her spiritual path, but part of the road she's chosen. She was unrepentant, and justified her sin, and this tells me that there was likely never any initial repentance.

We can be much more certain about judging actions than about the character behind it, but observing over time will help our understanding.

But as Christians, we should focus on the Bible's emphasis. First of all we should consider this entire passage from Matthew 7:1-5 that the “judge not” phrase is taken from;

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 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? 5 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.”

All of this is good direction from our Savior; we're being told to examine ourselves first before bringing out judgment for someone else. Aren't we quick to spot problems in others, before we see it in ourselves? Such things cloud our perceptions, and interfere in any effort to help another person. This passage gives a strong warning on how to proceed with judging, not avoiding it. James 1:19&20 says;

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

And Christians MUST be able to judge between right & wrong in order to escape deception or temptation, and to help others do the same. We've looked at the first 5 verses of Matthew 7, but just a few verses later (15-20) Jesus tells us that we will know false prophets by their “fruits”; to do that, we have to judge their actions, don't we? But plenty of other scripture attests to our responsibility to judge;

“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? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” -1 Corinthians 6:2,3.

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.” -Luke 17:3.

“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” -1 Timothy 5:20.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” -2 Timothy 4:2.

“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.” -Titus 3:10,11.

The Bible instructs us to begin our warnings with gentleness (2 Timothy 2:24-26), but often we are TOO gentle; the message against sin becomes watered down, and it turns into permissiveness.

1 Corinthians 5 gives a great occurrence of permissive sin, rebuke, and judgment. Apparently a man of the church group was having intercourse with his father's wife, but the rest of the church group seemed proud of their acceptance of him, rather than confronting him. In writing to them, Paul insisted that this evil person be put away from the church body; please read this, it's only 13 verses.

Especially as Christians it's important not to give in to the philosophy of “Judge Not”, both for ourselves, and for the practice of others. How will we confront this? First of all, we should identify if the person we confront claims to be a Christian. If they do, then the Bible should have authority in their lives, and as Jesus was clear in pointing out;

“...It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” -from Matthew 4:4. Bold type added to emphasize. Yes, we need EVERY word of God!

“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.” -John 12:48.

We can only hope & pray that the supposed Christian really is one, and wants to obey God's Word! We can then point out the context of Matthew 7:1-5, and other scriptures related to judgment.

Yet even if the person isn't a Christian, they will almost certainly try to use the phrase, “Judge Not” as a Christian doctrine, a Bible teaching. If so, you can give them the context, and other verses, too! It's kind of a “calling them out” as the Bible scholar (ha!) they're posing as.

But there is even a more BASIC protest against using the phrase, “Judge Not” as some type of philosophy; to carry this out as a practice would undermine laws, warnings for others, and even the education system. It would do away with concepts of right and wrong, and make morality subjective to each individual. People who tout the Judge Not approach really just don't want to answer to anyone; yet they would be outraged if it meant someone could hurt them without punishment!

The Bible says that in the ways of our flesh, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:” yet God is looking at our hearts (Proverbs 21:2). And this tendency continues with us even after we've been born-again, and the Bible gives insight as to how we should regard it;

“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.” -1 Corinthians 11:31,32.

These verses are pretty self-explanatory; if it were up to us, we would never be judged. But when God does judge us, He is chastening us as His own children (Hebrews 12:5-11), so that we won't be condemned with the unsaved world around us. What a merciful God we serve!

As with all things pertaining to us, God's adopted children (Romans 8:14-16), our Lord works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Let us study His Word and trust Him, who laid down His life for our sins.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15.

“...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;” -1 Corinthians 15:3B.

Here is a link to the YouTube video that I also did on this subject https://youtu.be/xKmsqEAjU3g.

Receive the Sign of Jonah

“...the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” -John 12:48B.

We've already revealed the truth about Easter in past blogs; how the Bible never directs us to observe Jesus' birth, or resurrection, but only His death for our sins through the occasional sacrament of communion. We've seen how Easter was in place long before Jesus' time in the flesh, and celebrated Spring, reproduction (rabbits, eggs), and the mother goddess of earth. These generalities won't be gone over again here.

But if Easter is a worldly pollution and not of God, we can expect LIES to accompany it. One really, really bad lie attached to Easter regards the observance of Good Friday, celebrated as the day Jesus died on the cross. I do hope we will praise God continually for this unspeakable gift! And yet we will account to God for all of our words (Matthew 12:36,37), and LIES cannot honor Him, and they won't be a part of His eternal, heavenly kingdom.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” -John 4:24.

“And there shall in no wise enter into it (New Jerusalem) any thing that...maketh a lie:..” -from Revelation 21:27. (New Jerusalem) was added for clarity.

Surely, there are at least some that question the validity of Good Friday! It is well known that Jesus was in the grave for 3 days, but from late Friday afternoon until early Sunday morning is more like 1.5 days, and certainly less than 2! In a quick count, I saw 13 times Jesus said directly that He would be counted as dead for 3 days, then rise again.

Yet there is one, prime mention of the 3 days found in Matthew 12:40, here with verses 38-41;

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.”

When the Jewish leaders asked Jesus for a sign, He replied that no sign would be given except that of Jonah; and as Jonah was 3 days & nights in the whale's belly, so He (Jesus) would be 3 days & nights in the heart of the earth. This is more than a dispute about the number of days, Jesus said this was His sign that testified of Him for the redemption and judgment He would bring to the world-just as Jonah brought it to Nineveh, as included in verse 41.

Brethren, if Good Friday were true, then Jesus lied to us, and never gave us His promised sign! Thankfully, our God doesn't lie, and we have additional support from the Bible for the 3 day sign;

Matthew; 12:40, 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 27:63. Mark; 8:31, 9:31, 10:34,

Luke; 9:22, 18:33, 24:7,46. John; 2:19-21.

Jesus was crucified on the Passover, which falls on the 14^th day of the Jewish month Nisan, and some have traced it back to a Wednesday the year Jesus was killed. The day after Passover is a day of rest known as the High Sabbath; instructed in both Leviticus 23:5-7, and Numbers 28:16-18, and mentioned in John 19:31;

“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” Bold type added to emphasize High Sabbath.

We know that Sunday is the beginning of the week, starting Saturday evening 6p.m. as the Jews account days, so from Wednesday afternoon to Saturday afternoon were the 3 days Jesus promised. But why observe a Good Friday, and should it matter?

Good Friday may have begun by confusing the High Sabbath with a regular Sabbath, which goes from Friday 6p.m. to Saturday 6p.m; but why would John 19:31 refer to the Sabbath in a special way unless it differed from regular Sabbaths? This might be an excusable mistake for your average layman, but NOT for any reasonable Bible scholar over these many centuries.

And there should be no doubt that it matters, for we rely on scripture to be true, and salvation comes through these accounts, taken to be given from God. Jesus' presence in the grave for 3 days is a foundation for who He is, and our need to repent; just as Jonah's time in the whale was a foundation of preaching for Nineveh's repentance.

But I think what matters most is that we need to trust God's Word by faith, and not give in to traditions of men that contradict it (Mark 7:9). Jesus declared that we need EVERY Word of God, and if we act unjustly with that which is least, it will grow into being unjust with much more.

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” -Matthew 4:4.

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” -Luke 16:10.

“Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” -1 Corinthians 5:6,7.

The Bible identifies that people of this age will have a form of godliness which actually denies Him (2 Timothy 3:5), and from such we should turn away. The real question is whether or not we will stand up for the truth at this late point in history, “swimming against the tide,” as it were. We truly live in a time of lying deceptions, a time that's even overtaken the body of Christ.

Taking a stand over this sign of Jonah issue is one key way you can begin to act against bad practices that have crept in, and to actively realize there IS a cost for being a Christian. Embrace the Word of God as true, and prayerfully look into this matter more deeply for yourself.

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” -Acts 20:29-31.

Here is a link to the YouTube Short that I also did on this subject  https://youtube.com/shorts/8uYYUJdKXMo.