Judging Judgment
Rather listen to this blog? Listen to “Judging Judgment.”
Judgement (noun): the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions.
Judge (verb): to form an opinion or conclusion about.
Judgment has become a trigger word for many people and in many societies. It has been given a negative connotation, though, by definition, judgment is neutral. It has become popular to say things like, “Don’t judge me,” “Stop being so judgmental,” “You can’t judge me - you don’t know my life,” and on and on. What’s worse, the phrase, “Only God can judge me,” is stated with such arrogance and confidence it almost physically manifests as some type of divine armor.
When did the idea of God’s judgment morph from humbling to empowering?
Satan, the Father of Lies, has once again taken something of God’s and befouled it into something the world takes ownership of for its own sinful purposes.
Every time I see or hear that phrase, “Only God can judge me,” I’m reminded of the movie The Princess Bride where Vizzini keeps repeating the word “Inconceivable,” and at one point, Inigo says to him, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
“Only God can judge me” doesn’t mean what the world thinks it means, and judgment is not a negative thing. Judgment is imperative to human existence, and it is even more imperative to spiritual life.
I make judgments all the time. I make judgments about what I’m going to eat, how much sleep I need, how high something is and whether or not I am willing to go there (I am terrified of heights!), what to wear, what to say, what to read, what to watch on TV, what radio station to listen to, what direction to travel…the list goes on.
Do you see what I mean? We make thousands, if not millions, of judgments every day. In fairness, I’ve been listing what you may call inconsequential “judgments,” and certainly there are far more important things we make judgments about. I intend to change your perception of the word judgment to really see what the Bible says about it - because the Bible, NOT the world, should guide us in all things.
There are two types of judgment I see in the Bible: Judgment that has to do with the world, and judgment that has to do with believers.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2)
This is the Bible verse that seems to be the one most often used against Christians any time we are critical of the actions of the world. In its Biblical context, the world is right about this scripture. It is not for us to judge the final destination of those in the world, but more than that - this verse is a caution for believers against the arrogance that can come with our deliverance from sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23).
Matthew 7: 1-2 doesn’t mean we shouldn’t judge the actions of the world - we HAVE to judge the actions of the world and place what the world tells us is right against what the Bible says is right because if we don’t, we place ourselves in danger of conforming to the world rather than holding fast to God. Jesus said we have to arm ourselves against what Satan will try to corrupt. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves,” (Matthew 10:16).
Matthew 7: 1-2 reminds us that as believers we have a responsibility to be living, daily examples for the world of what it means to be Christ-like, and to not grow arrogant in our own salvation towards those who are lost. Instead, we should feel compassion for them, and seek to bring them into the family as brothers and sisters. Jesus as our example shows us how to combat the lies of Satan through judgment while loving the lost as He did.
In John 8: 1-11, there is a story of a woman caught in adultery. In what is clearly attempted entrapment, the Pharisees and teachers of the law bring a woman before Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery (side observation: interestingly, only the woman was brought before Him when she wasn’t committing adultery on her own…). They used scripture to try to force Jesus to condemn her, as the law of Moses dictated she should be stoned, but then asked Jesus what He had to say about it.
Jesus said…NOTHING! He refused to say anything, and instead squatted down and wrote in the sand. Finally, he threw the challenge back at them and said whoever among them that was without sin should throw the first stone. Eventually, they all left until just the woman and Jesus were there. This is a perfect example of how we should handle judging the world: Jesus convicted all the people there of their sin in the manner of a true teacher allowing the crowd to judge themselves. Now, even though Jesus didn’t condemn the woman in front of everyone and told her that just as no one stayed to condemn her He wouldn’t condemn her either, He didn’t let her off the hook. He ended their encounter by telling her to stop sinning.
This is the point of Matthew 7: 1-2. We ARE supposed to judge the world, but for the purpose of remaining vigilant against the lies of Satan. Further, in our vigilance we should always clothe ourselves in the compassion for the lost that Jesus displayed, and remember we are sinners too. The very judgments we use towards the world we should apply to ourselves to make sure we are right with God.
This brings me to the second type of judgment - the judgment that has to do with believers. I have seen many times the same scripture (Matthew 7: 1-2) used by believers against believers when sin is exposed. This is WRONG! As believers, we are absolutely supposed to judge each other, but NOT as the world judges.
In 1 Corinthians the Apostle Paul teaches believers are supposed to judge each other. The Corinthians were engaged in very sinful behavior, and, what’s more, they were arrogant and boastful about it! Paul wrote to them about the reports he received and said, “For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this,” (I Corinthians 5:3).
Paul passes judgment on the Corinthians and tells them that by allowing someone who is boastfully and arrogantly sinning to remain with them, they are at great risk of the judgment of God. Paul instructs the Corinthians they are to judge fellow believers, to keep each other accountable and right with God, and to remain lights on the hill for the world to see Jesus and glorify God. “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside,” (1 Corinthians 5: 12-13).
As the body of Christ, what harms one of us harms all of us. Imagine you cut your foot, and the wound gets infected. The infection gets into your bloodstream, and soon it has traveled and infected your whole body. That’s how sin works in the church, and if we don’t judge each other and hold each other accountable, then the infection of sin will spread until it kills us spiritually.
We are in this together, and we need to be able to rely on each other to help us navigate the world and the sin in it. We need to make sure we are immersed in the Word because the Word gives us direction and discernment, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, (Hebrews 4:12).
If we are truly the Family of God, then to be the light of the world, we have to judge and hold each other accountable to be the example for the world. “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God,” (1 Peter 4:17).
The way we judge each other and hold each other accountable is to do so in love, on the solid foundation of what the Word says is right, and in the balanced way Jesus showed us with the woman caught in adultery - no condemnation, but also not condoning. “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ,” (Galatians 6: 1-2).
I don’t fear the censure of fellow believers. I welcome, pray for, and eagerly hope for it, because I would much rather have a brother or sister judge me here and now while I can repent and correct my behavior than to have those who claim to love me remain silent, leaving me to take my chances with God. I hope to show my love to my brothers and sisters by speaking up if I see them behaving against what the Bible says as Paul wrote about in Corinthians. I do not want judgment from God for behavior I could have corrected if only a believer, someone who knows the Bible, had pointed it out to me, nor do I want judgment from God for not pointing out wrong behavior of a fellow believer when I saw it.
“Only God can judge me,” said by the world with arrogance and confidence, but from my lips and my heart said with humble and respectful fear. God WILL judge me - He will judge us all. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad,” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Ultimately, for believers, there is really only one judgment that needs to be made, and every Godly action should spring from it:
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose (judge) for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord,” (Joshua 24:15).
AMEN
