DO NOT JUDGE -- RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT --- REVISED copy I know that this post is lengthy, but if you read it you might learn something. There is some studying to do. If you don’t, you will always be in error. I know that there are Greek speaking, Jesus loving people who will read this and I am very confident that they will agree with what I have written. If you want to remain ignorant, don’t read. Who are you to judge me? You are not any better than I am. Besides, the Bible says you are not to judge. And you call yourself a Christian? So many times I have been challenged with this statement that it leads me to believe that many people are completely ignorant, this includes men of the cloth, with the entire meaning of Matthew 7:1-5. They read the first seven words and skip the rest, without paying attention to or discovering the truth about the context. Not only that, but they are also unaware of all other verses that confirm that a born-again Christian can judge. Matthew 7:1-5 KJV 1 ¶ 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 brothers 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 brothers eye. Also: Luke 6:39-42 KJV 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye. On the surface it seems like we can not judge at anytime or anyone. But lets examine these two passages a little deeper. As you can see, in these two scriptures Jesus is talking about the “hypocrites”. Who are the hypocrites? In both cases Jesus is addressing the Synagogue leaders. These leaders were not-- only-- imposing the Laws of God on the people, but also their own laws called the oral traditions; which are the “Jewish Talmud.” And they could not even follow their own laws. Jesus was specifically throwing verbal stones at them with verse 5 of Matthew 7 and verse 42 of Luke 6 above. The word hypocrite appears three times in the gospels and all three times Jesus is directing His speech against the Pharisees not against the people. At the same time that Jesus was throwing His verbal stones to the Pharisees, He was teaching the people a lesson. Let me continue on and see what this lesson is. Take a very closer look at Matthew 5:20 KJV. Jesus is talking to the people but pointing the finger at the Pharisees. The Pharisees believed that they were very righteous and yet they fell far short of God’s expectations. Matthew 5:20 QUOTE“ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” UNQUOTE. Don’t forget that the only way in which we can become righteous is by believing in Jesus. And none of the church leaders believed in Jesus, so how could they be righteous as Jesus was pointing out? Their legalistic beliefs based on their oral traditions did not meet God’s requirements either. Jesus was being sarcastic. What the scriptures are saying is that we should not judge according to “OUR OWN STANDARDS.” Because we can not live up to them just as the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees could not live up to their own oral traditions (this is the lesson). John 7:24 says, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Notice that it says to “judge righteous judgment”. What is righteous judgment if it is not the righteousness in the Word of God and not our own word! Even in Luke 12:56-57, Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? Jesus is telling us to judge or is he contradicting Himself according to Matthew 7:1-5 mentioned above? In 1 Corinthians 4:5 it says, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, ..etc”. Is this verse also contradicting Romans 16:17-18 down below? The word “judge” in 1 Corinthians 4:5 should have been better translated as “Therefore condemn nothing” instead of “judge”. In Greek, the word “judge” has different meanings depending on how it is used. I will point out two instances: 1 Corinthians 4:5 judge Krino should be katakrinw which should be condemn 1 Corinthians 4:3 judge Krino is used as anakrito which means scrutinize, i.e. (by implication) investigate, interrogate, determine:--ask, question, discern, examine, judge, search. You see, it is strictly forbidden for us to condemn but we can certainly judge. I believe that Jesus was not teaching that we should never judge anyone. We should not judge if we are basing our judgment on human opinions and motives and not God’s word. We can judge if it is Biblical, if it is not Biblical, lets keep our mouths shut. On the other hand, when issues have to do with morals, or other areas within the context of the Bible or God’s law, we can judge. We can judge but we can not condemn. Note the following verses where we can judge. Romans 16:17-18 17 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8.……Christians judging Christians 1 Corinthians 5:3-5.……The church Matthew 18:15-20.…if he refuses instructions then, treat him like a heathen man and a publican. Galatians 6:1-5.…….restore the man at fault 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, not to company with fornicators, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9 Revelation 2:20-24.…the church at Thyatira, Jesus rebuked the church because they did not stand against a false prophetess who was sinning. (They failed to judge) 1 Corinthians 5:13 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person……….YES 1 Corinthians 6:5 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?………….NO James 4:12 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?……………..NO 2 Corinthians 6:17 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,…………….YES II Timothy 3:2-5 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. YES In the verses above, the statement….from such turn away….In order for me to turn away, I must make some sort of judgment. But, whatever judgment I make, it must be within the context of being BIBLICAL or scriptural. Sometime ago, I was attending a Baptist church in Southern California. Two month went by and I noticed that Communion had not been offered. I asked the pastor and he said that communion was held every three months and only to the church members. Is this scriptural? No, it is not. I let him know that he was totally wrong and I walked out. He did know that I am born-again and I still had to be church member? Outrageous!
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 13:19:39 +0000
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