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Topic: Do Not Judge Others
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practicalbibleteaching
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Member # 7755
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posted
There are judgments we can make and judgments we cannot make.
The judgments we can make are the ones God has already made. Example: I told my brother-in-law, who was married to one woman and living with another, he was committing adultery. He response was "your not suppose to judge me". The truth is I wasn't, I was just agreeing with God. The only problem in doing what I did would be to do it with a holier than than attitude.
Then judgments we are not suppose to make concern the heart or inward part of others. Like trying to say I know your thoughts, motivations, or true spiritual condition. We can be a fruit inspector, but we can't know their heart.
1 Cor 2:3-5 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
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The Church of Jesus Christ is perfect for those who are not!
Posts: 53 | From: Tennessee | Registered: Jun 2009
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Keeper
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OK, I had heard of that of course. It happens here on this board every day. It's going on right now. That is why I must say Goodbye and God Bless. Wish I had know you longer.
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Carol Swenson
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Not "send" them. But point fingers and say they're going to go to hell. We can't know that.
We can say certain sins will result in damnation, but we can't know if people are going to repent or not. We can't judge them in that way.
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Keeper
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so you are saying that people used to think they could send others to hell ? I have never heard that before. Howbout that ?
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Carol Swenson
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Hi Keeper ![[wave3]](graemlins/18.gif)
Yeah, but it's all water under the bridge now. I think sometimes all of us get to feeling a little self-righteous, and we need to be reminded that we are supposed to care about others and help them, not condemn them.
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Keeper
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Hi Carol,
It always seemed to me that no man or woman had any right to send another to hell.
Do you think that someone is claiming that ? It sort of sounded that way in your post.
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KnowHim
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What are God's judgments?
Here are some...
*IDOLATERS (those who love self, anyone, or anything more than their God) are headed for the lake of fire
*THOSE WHO TAKE GOD'S NAME IN VAIN and THOSE WHO CURSE THEIR NEIGHBORS will be cursed by God
*THOSE WHO DISHONOR THEIR PARENTS will be damned forever
*THOSE WHO INDULGE IN PREMARITAL SEX or EXTRAMARITAL SEX will suffer the eternal torments of fire and brimstone
*HOMOSEXUALS will bear the fierce vengeance of their HOLY CREATOR on the Day of Woe and Doom
*FILTHY PORN-ADDICTS will suffer everlasting punishments
*DRUNKARDS will sup the cup of the wrath of Almighty God
*THOSE WHO MURDER (esp. PRO-CHOICERS who murder innocent babies) will experience the terrible second death
*WITCHES AND SORCERERS will bow to Jesus and confess He is Lord before being bound hand and foot and cast into hell
*LIARS will be condemned by their own words
*THIEVES will pay for their crimes in the courtroom of eternal justice
*THOSE WHO DO NOT SUBMIT TO JESUS will be judged "Guilty" by Him on JUDGMENT DAY, and be cast into eternal hellfire
(See Exodus 20, I Corin. 6:9-11, Galat. 5:19-21, Matt. 5:27-30, Ephes. 5:5-6, Colos. 3:5-6, Revel. 21:8 & 22:14-15...)
***The Bible tells us why so many do not understand preaching on judgment. It is because they are evil fools, destitute of all wisdom and knowledge!
"EVIL MEN understand not judgment, but they that seek the Lord understand all things." (Proverbs 28:5). "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but FOOLS despise wisdom and instruction." (Prov.1:7; see also Prov.9:7-10)
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Written by King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
FEAR GOD and REPENT of ALL your sins NOW!
http://rightremedy.org/tracts/25
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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KnowHim
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MATTHEW 7:1-5:
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye."
Clearly, it is hypocritical judgment that this Scripture condemns. (Look at verse 6, and 13-15 to see that Christ actually instructs them to make judgments!) A hypocritical judgment is judging something for something of which you are also guilty - LIKE TELLING ME NOT TO JUDGE WHEN YOU ARE JUDGING ME! This passage means the opposite of what hypocrites often interpret it to mean! Jesus’ point is for hypocrites to pluck the beam of sin out of their own eye so that they can see clearly to cast the mote out of their neighbor’s eye.
Let's look at some other Scriptures...
JOHN 7:14: "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
LUKE 12:57: "Yea, and why not even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?"
PSALM 37:30: "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment."
PROVERBS 31:9: "Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy."
LUKE 17:3: "Take heed... If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."
LEVITICUS 19:15-17: "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him."
EZEKIEL 22:2 & 23:36: "Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? Yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations... The Lord said moreover unto me, Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? Yea, declare unto them their abominations."
ISAIAH 58:1: "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins."
MATTHEW 3:2,7: John the Baptist preaching, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"
MATTHEW 23: Jesus publicly rebuked the hypocrites, "Woe unto you... hypocrites!...ye blind guides...fools...full of extortion and excess...whited sepulchres...full of hypocrisy and iniquity...Woe unto you...Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
ACTS 7:51: Deacon Stephen said to the mob that ended up stoning him, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." (Read the whole chapter - No fear-of-man patty cake here!)
ACTS 13:10: The Apostle Paul says to a man who hindered the Gospel, "O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?"
ACTS 8:20-23: Here the Apostle Peter severely rebukes a baby Christian who commits one sin: "Thy money perish with thee... Thy heart is not right in the sight of God.Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitter-ness, and in the bond of iniquity."
I CORINTHIANS 2:15; 6:2-3: "He that is spiritual judgeth all things... Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world 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?"
JOHN 3:18-19: "He that believeth on Him (JESUS) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
JOHN 12:48: JESUS CHRIST said, "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."
***It is God that sets the standard and passes the judgment. We simply pass on the information.
No man has any right to define what is right and wrong - ONLY God! Those who reject God's laws and judgments and trust in their own judgments are the ones guilty of judging in the worst sense of the word. For example, the person that says premarital sex is okay is judging just as much as the person who says it is sin. What right do you have to judge another human being? (It works both ways.) God is the ultimate Judge, and it is up to us to submit unto His judgments. The Psalmist said,
"With my lips have I declared all the judgments of THY mouth." (Psalm 119:13) Whose judgments do you declare?
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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KnowHim
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Judge not?
Matthew 7
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.
This is a warning against self-righteous severity, not a command to be neutral toward moral issues.
"You're not supposed to judge me!"
This is a verse that is often said and, often misused. In other words, its taken out of context. The people that use this verse often use it to stop me (or others) from pointing out their sinful life and their need for salvation. This verse even has some Christians confused, and it hinders their attempts to share the gospel. To convince them that they need salvation, you first must convince them of their sin.
I get so tired of people using this verse to tell everyone not to say any thing about sin. It is not a verse to tell us to keep quit on sin. We are to expose sin!
Jesus Christ is the one whom stated the below, and we are to be like him:
MATTHEW 23: Jesus publicly rebuked the hypocrites, "Woe unto you... hypocrites!...ye blind guides...fools...full of extortion and excess...whited sepulchres...full of hypocrisy and iniquity...Woe unto you...Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
Judge not, that ye be not judged. We cannot help judging. Gossip is a mass of verdicts on our neighbor's conduct, and everybody talks about his neighbors. Politics, national or international, is considerably concerned with judgments. These are inevitable: appraisals are a stock in trade of the mind. Ethical verdicts gather into worthy tradition. Who can rightly remain silent in face of flagrant wrong? So we must be clear about the meaning of this word: Jesus here speaks of censorious judgment and too quick condemnation. He draws a line between ethical appraisal and sharp-tongued criticism, and bids us keep on the right side of the line. He says that critical censure is a boomerang.
This does not mean that we are to stick our head in the sand and not judge every spirit!
1 John 4:1-3 (KJV)
1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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KnowHim
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quote:
Originally posted by Carol Swenson:
The problem is confusion over the word "judge".
We are not to condemn people to hell. That is for God alone to decide. We should not judge people in that way.
But, we are expected to discern truth from error, and to offer correction. We must try to restore someone who has gone astray. Or if someone in the church continues to sin, after being corrected, then we are to remove him from fellowship until he repents.
Vert true!
![[thumbsup2]](graemlins/thumbsup2.gif)
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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Carol Swenson
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The problem is confusion over the word "judge".
We are not to condemn people to hell. That is for God alone to decide. We should not judge people in that way.
But, we are expected to discern truth from error, and to offer correction. We must try to restore someone who has gone astray. Or if someone in the church continues to sin, after being corrected, then we are to remove him from fellowship until he repents.
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Keeper
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KNOW HIM...I sure hope that everyone got the message here about judgement, right or wrong.
So many times I have heard people say " don't you know that your are not supposed to judge me?"
or "Who made you the judge" or "who gave you the right to judge me, isn't that for God to do?"
Many kind hearted Christians just sit back and say nothing, making no judgement, leaving it up to God.
There is a problem here, because there are times when it is appropriate for us to judge and time when we should not. Simply put, if you see a need to judge or correct someone and you know that you know the will of God without a doubt then perhaps you should do so. In turn, you are simply opening their eyes to truth.
If someone is going to knock your block off for correcting them, forget it. If you are drunk, don't go judge another Christian who is drunk.
Lastly, if possible make your first correction privately. If it persists and could be causing the church (family) problems, take it up with the leaders. It that doesn't work, find them a seat in Obama's administration...No, No, My Bad.
(sorta) If that doesn't work ask them to git.
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Carol Swenson
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John 8:7 - 11 (NLT)
7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone !” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
*******
We must not misinterpret this event to mean that Jesus was “easy on sin” or that He contradicted the Law. For Jesus to forgive this woman meant that He had to one day die for her sins. Forgiveness is free but it is not cheap. Furthermore, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law so that no one could justly accuse Him of opposing its teachings or weakening its power. By applying the Law to the woman and not to themselves, the Jewish leaders were violating both the letter and the spirit of the Law —and they thought they were defending Moses!
The Law was given to reveal sin (Rom. 3:20), and we must be condemned by the Law before we can be cleansed by God’s grace. Law and grace do not compete with each other; they complement each other. Nobody was ever saved by keeping the Law, but nobody was ever saved by grace who was not first indicted by the Law. There must be conviction before there can be conversion.
Nor is Christ’s gracious forgiveness an excuse to sin. “Go, and sin no more!” was our Lord’s counsel. “But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared” (Ps. 130:4).
Certainly the experience of gracious forgiveness would motivate the penitent sinner to live a holy and obedient life to the glory of God.
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Carol Swenson
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Wow! That judge's gavel really works fast! I'll have to try it more often ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
(Kidding! Kidding!)
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Keeper
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My Bad. You Good.
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Keeper
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Carol, I lied. I couldn't stand to wait to see what you had to say. YIKES !!!!!
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Keeper
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Very Interesting. hehehe
Carol, your post described judging very well according to the usual present day judgement.
The examples are almost word for word when you get into a discussion on the subject.
KnowHim, your post drew from two authors and was very good but not so well accepted or interpreted these days are they?
Both of you wrote very believable posts and they made sense, both of them, especially if you didn't read them the same day.
OneInChrist, well it looks like you go along with KnowHim according to your comments.
Since reading through all these posts I feel judgemental. Huhaahummm (clearing throat). I feel that KnowHim has the proper conclusion, and here is why...It is a matter of who is being judged. I believe that what is being discussed is judging another Christian. However, to show that it is best to judge no one, now how, no way, and stuff like that the scriptures say the one being judged was not a christian or the one doing the judging was not doing so according to the will or law of God.
Bam !(that was the gavel slammin down on my judgemental thangie) Boy, am I gonna catch it from Carol. Carol...I have to go now. lol
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Carol Swenson
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quote:
If one agrees with all that God has said, one has an obligation to identify sin or faults -- not with the intent to condemn , but, rather, with the motive to restore .
KnowHim
Luke 5:31-32 The Physician
The scribes and Pharisees saw Matthew and his friends as condemned sinners, but Jesus saw them as spiritually sick “patients” who needed the help of a physician. In fact, He had illustrated this when He cleansed the leper and healed the paralytic. Sin is like a disease: it starts in a small and hidden way; it grows secretly; it saps our strength; and if it is not cured, it kills. It is tragic when sickness kills the body, but it is even more tragic when sin condemns the soul to hell.
The scribes and Pharisees were quick to diagnose the needs of others, but they were blind to their own needs, for they were sinners like everyone else. They appeared righteous on the outside but were corrupt within (Matt. 23:25-28). They may not have been “prodigal sons” who were guilty of sins of the flesh, but they were certainly “elder brothers” who were guilty of sins of the spirit (Luke 15:11-32; 2 Cor. 7:1).
As I was writing this chapter, I received a phone call from a woman in Canada who disagreed with my radio ministry and repeatedly condemned “the judgmental fundamentalists.” I tried to reason with her from the Word, but she would not accept it. According to her, there was no hell and I had no right to preach about it. As I quoted Scripture to her, she hung up; all I could do was pause to pray for her, and I did it with a heavy heart.
The first step toward healing sin sickness is admitting that we have a need and that we must do something about it. False prophets give a false diagnosis that leads to a false hope (Jer. 6:14); but the servant of God tells the truth about sin, death, and hell, and offers the only remedy: faith in Jesus Christ. The religion of the scribes and Pharisees could offer no hope to Matthew’s friends, but Jesus could.
What a wonderful Physician Jesus is! He comes to us in love; He calls us; He saves us when we trust Him; and He “pays the bill.” His diagnosis is always accurate and His cure is perfect and complete. No wonder Matthew was so happy and wanted to share the Good News with his friends!
Hebrews 5
You would think that one sinner would have compassion for another sinner, but this is not always the case. Sin makes a person selfish. Sin can blind us to the hurts of others. Sin can harden our hearts and make us judgmental instead of sympathetic. Remember how heartbroken Hannah, who was praying for a son, was accused by high priest Eli of being drunk? (1 Sam. 1:9-18) And when King David was confronted with a story of a rich man’s sin, he had no sympathy for him, even though David himself was a worse sinner (2 Sam. 12).
No, it is the spiritually minded person with a clean heart who sympathizes with a sinner and seeks to help him (see Gal. 6:1). Because we are so sinful, we have a hard time helping other sinners; but because Jesus is perfect, He is able to meet our needs after we sin.
(Wiersbe)
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oneinchrist
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"The council of God" coupled with "The motive to restore" all done in a spirit of humility and Godly fear.
Yes, I 100% agree that that is what makes the difference between "right" judgement and "wrong" judgement.
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KnowHim
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"JUDGE NOT, THAT YE BE NOT JUDGED"
Concerning the proper application of Matthew 7:1
It is not very often we hear this verse quoted accurately. More often than not when a Christian speaks of sin, a form of this verse is quoted as, "You're not supposed to judge," or, "We're not supposed to judge."
Let's reexamine Matthew 7:1,2 -
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
A poor paraphrase of Matthew 7:1 is often quoted without considering Matthew 7:2. Notice again what verse 2 says: "For with what (judgment ye judge), ye shall be judged: and (with what measure ye mete), it shall be measured to you again."
Some people have been so misled into believing that love equals tolerance they have with all-out enthusiasm adopted the position that Christians can't identify sin, because that would be judging. Yet Matthew 7:2 says, "For with what judgment ye judge." This Scripture acknowledges that everyone judges.
What we need to be sure of is that our judgment is not based on our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 is a key text to understanding what Matthew 7:1 is teaching about judging. It reads: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
The word "understanding" is a synonymous term for "judging." These two words (understanding and judgment) both refer to one's ability to discern between right and wrong. Judgment needs to be righteous judgment; that is, based on the Word of God. John 7:24 reads: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
Jesus' words recorded in John 5:30, 31 refer to the same thought as Matthew 7:1:
"I can of Mine own Self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father Which hath sent me. If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true."
Jesus is saying His judgment is not His judgment, but, rather, the will of the Father. Jesus was in total agreement with the Father. In fact, Jesus and the Father were one (John 10:30).
Christians should pattern themselves after Jesus, obviously. Our judgment should not be our own judgment, but, rather, our judgment should be righteous judgment (John 7:24). Righteous judgment is not our own judgment. It is the judgment of God that we are in agreement with.
John 8:15,16 records Jesus' words as follows:
"Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, My judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father That sent me."
Jesus said He did not judge any man. Then he says, "And yet if I judge." Is this a paradox? No. Jesus only did the things which were His Father's will (John 7:16-18). The objection might then be raised, even though Jesus said He judged no man, that if one were to identify sin, that such a person is judging, and that isn't proper. Usually this thought is followed by the statement that only Jesus was perfect, and, therefore, He is the only one qualified to identify sin.
A reading from 1 Corinthians 2:15,16 should clear this up: "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the LORD, that he may instruct Him? (But we have the mind of Christ.)" Yes, the body of Christ, the church, must be connected to the head (mind), Jesus Christ.
Romans chapters 1 and 2 warn us of what happens when people judge for themselves, apart from the Word of God. Romans 1:32 reads:
"Who (knowing the judgment of God), that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
The first two verses of Romans 2 really build upon this, too:
"Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things."
Notice, these verses are not speaking about judging according to what God has outlined in His Word; but, rather, these verses make the point that these know the judgment of God (Romans 1:32), but willingly decide to go against the judgment of God (Romans 2:1).
When Matthew 7:1 makes the statement to "judge not," it means one does not have the right to decide what things are right and what things are wrong. If one makes decisions based on one's feelings, this is judging. If one makes decisions based on what is permissible or popular, one could very well be judging. If one makes decisions based on what might be most beneficial under the circumstances, one is judging.
If one makes decisions based on the Word of God, God remains the Judge, and we are merely in agreement with what God has said. This is "righteous judgment." See John 8:15,16 again.
If one agrees with all that God has said, one has an obligation to identify sin or faults -- not with the intent to condemn, but, rather, with the motive to restore. Galatians 6:1 reads: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted." This Scripture is clear that we are to attempt to restore those who are overtaken in a fault.
One must first recognize what constitutes a fault (sin) before one can identify it. Man's judgment, apart from God's revealed Word, is not adequate for this task. Identifying sin is not judging. Judging is the determination of what is right and wrong. Allowing sin to go unchecked in the name of tolerance is judging indeed because one has, directly or by acquiescence, given a nod of approval to the sinful course in defiance to God (Romans 1:32; 2:1).
Usually when one approaches this topic, Matthew 7:3-6 is brought into the discussion. When one examines these passages, however, one finds they are referring to the ability to see clearly. These verses more aptly fit with verses 22 and 23 of Matthew 7. Also verse 3 begins with the word "And." A similar usage occurs in Matthew 6:28 when Jesus changes His thought from one's stature to one's raiment.
By: Ken Mansfield
From: http://home.flash.net/~thinkman/articles/judgenot.htm
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THE QUESTION OF BIBLICAL JUDGMENT
Christians are often told that we are not to judge others but is it true that the Holy Bible tells us that we are not to make judgements? Did the Lord Jesus himself tell us not to judge others? Is it not necessary for us to make judgements every day of our lives? Of course, we do it without question.
What then is the truth? The writer, Bob Allen, has compiled the record with the aid of his computer and the software of BibleSoft. Clearly, the problem is one of making righteous judgement. Surely, as admirable as it may be, the record shows that those who avoid judging the behavior of others are taking the Lord's words out of context. But let us begin with the "hard sayings" of St. Paul because he affirms that "the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good: (Romans 7:12). Paul actually internalizes God's commandments. "For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self," (verse 22). The apostle denounces the idea that Christians, through faith, "overthrow the law". He declares instead that "we uphold the law" (Romans 3:31).
Here is the New Testament record:
Luke 7:43
and the Lord Jesus said unto him: "Thou hast rightly judged."
Luke 12:57
"Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?" (KJV)
"And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?" (NAS)
"Tell me, why do you not judge for yourselves what is just?" (NAB)
"Why do you not of yourselves judge what is right?"
(LAMSA translation from Aramaic language of Christ and the Apostles.)
John 7:24
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (KJV)
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." (NAS)
"Stop judging by appearances and make an honest judgment." (NAB).
"Do not judge by partiality, but judge a just judgment." (LAMSA)
1Cor.2:15-16
"But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (KJV)
"But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?" (NAS)
1Cor.2:15
"The spiritual man, on the other hand, can appraise everything, though he himself can be appraised by no one. 16) For, who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (NAB).
"But the spiritual man discerns every thing, and yet no man can discern him. (LAMSA)
Rom.6:13, 16, 18
"...Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." 16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves as servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" 18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."
II Cor.11:15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
2 Tim. 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2 Pet. 3:13
"... according to His promise, look for New Heavens and a New Earth, herein dwelleth righteousness.
1John 2:29
"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." 3:10) "..whosoever doeth NOT righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."
THE EVIDENCE SURELY INDICATES THAT CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO MAKE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS. MORE IMPORTANTLY CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO BE RIGHTEOUS. WHY? HERE AGAIN IS THE EVIDENCE:
Matt. 7:1-2
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: (KJV).
"Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you" (NAS).
"If you want to avoid judgment, stop passing judgment. Your verdict on others will be the verdict passed on you. The measure with which you measure will be used to measure you (NAB).
"Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with the same judgment that you judge, you will be judged, and with the same measure with which you measure, it will be measured to you. (LAMSA).
And from the Old Testament:
Deut. 1:16
"And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him."
Prov. 31:9
"Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy."
Isa. 16:5
"And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness" (KJV).
"A throne will even be established in loving kindness. And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice and be prompt in righteousness" (NAS).
"A throne shall be set up in mercy, and on it shall sit in fidelity (in David's tent.) A judge upholding right and prompt to do justice" (NAB).
"In mercy shall a throne be established, and he shall sit upon it, in truth in the tabernacle of David, a judge who seeks justice and hastens righteousness" (LAMSA).
From: http://www.metamind.net/judgement.html
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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Carol Swenson
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posted
 Do Not Judge Others
Matthew 7:1-6
Jesus declares that the person judging will be judged (7:1) because judging assumes a divine prerogative; final judgment belongs to God alone, and those who seek to judge others now will answer then for usurping God's position (see also 6:12-15).
God Will Judge Us the Way We Judge Others (7:1-2)
By this point in the sermon, no one who has been taking Jesus' words seriously will feel much like judging anyone else anyway. Still, we humans tend to prefer applying ethics to other people rather than ourselves. (For example, husbands tend to prefer quoting Paul's instructions on marriage to their wives rather than his admonitions to them, and vice-versa. Likewise, I have sometimes listened to a sermon thinking, I wish so-and-so had shown up for church today.) So just in case we have been too obtuse to grasp that Jesus addresses us rather than others in 5:3-6:34, Jesus renders the point explicit in 7:1-5. We are objects of God's evaluation, and God evaluates most graciously the meek, who recognize God alone as judge.
Even if we knew people's hearts, we could not evaluate degrees of personal guilt as if we understood all the genetic and social influences that combine with personal sinful choices in making some people more vulnerable to particular temptations (such as alcohol or spouse abuse) than others. Most important, Jesus warns us that even if we knew people's hearts, we would be in no position to judge unless we had lived sinless lives, never needing God's forgiveness (vv. 3-5; compare 6:12, 14-15).
Many people have ripped this passage out of context, however. Jesus warns us not to assume God's prerogative to condemn the guilty; he is not warning us not to discern truth from error (see 7:15-23). Further, Jesus does not oppose offering correction, but only offering correction in the wrong spirit (v. 5; compare 18:15-17; Gal 6:1-5).
Having right beliefs about judging is not enough. Although Jesus regards scribal and Pharisaic righteousness as inadequate (Mt 5:20), it is not because scribes and Pharisees professed the wrong doctrine on this issue. Most of the sages would have probably agreed with his basic perspective here, and even the particular image of measuring back what one measures out (Mt 7:2-as in "what goes around comes around") was proverbial wisdom. Jesus' contemporaries often affirmed his principle and even used the same illustration, but Jesus demands more than agreement from disciples: he demands obedience (vv. 24-27).
We Blind Ourselves When We Rationalize Away Our Guilt (7:3-5)
We rationalize away our guilt but not that of others, and our double standard itself renders our own behavior inexcusable (compare 6:22-23; Rom 2:1-3). A splinter or wood chip in a neighbor's eye might render that person blind, but a plank embedded in one's own eye would certainly render one blind. The image is graphic hyperbole: imagine a zealous Christian walking around with a log protruding from his eye (as if one end of it would even fit!), totally ignorant of his impossibly grotesque state. Just as we would not want a blind guide leading us into a pit (Mt 15:14; 23:16), we would not want a blind surgeon operating on our eyes; only one who sees well is competent to heal others' blindness (compare 9:27-31; 20:29-34).
Some conservative Christians who are quick to judge those who do not uphold the Bible's authority have spent little time in personal study of the Bible themselves. If Jesus minced no words with those blinded by religious tradition in his day, we who claim devotion to his cause must beware lest we share more in common with them than with him.
Even When You Are Right, Do Not Impose the Truth on Others (7:6)
In its most general sense 7:6 was probably simply a wisdom saying like Proverbs 23:9: "Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words". Dogs may refer to the wicked or oppressors more generally (compare Ps 22:16, 20; 59:14-15; Prov 26:11). It was also commonly known that stray scavenger dogs-the main kind encountered in the towns of Jewish Palestine-growled at those feeding them as much as at passing strangers. Clearly these are people who do not value what we have to offer them; swine also proverbially lacked appreciation of value (Prov 11:22).
But why did Matthew include this saying here? Some connect the saying to the preceding context by suggesting that it means it is worthless to try to correct (7:1-5) one unwilling to listen. Others note that while we should not judge, some people should be avoided or we must exercise discernment. Yet taken by themselves, none of these suggestions explain the lack of disjunction in verse 6.
Most likely verse 6 provides a transition between the preceding and following contexts. Correcting those who will not receive correction is futile (vv. 1-5; Prov 9:8; 23:9); we should discerningly continue to offer wisdom (or the gift of the kingdom) only to those willing to receive what we offer, just as God does (Mt 7:7-11). In this case the text sounds a note of reciprocity to be repeated in verse 12. If verse 6 means something along these lines, it does not allow us to prejudge who may receive our message (13:3-23), but does forbid us to try to force it on those who show no inclination to accept it.
http://mobile.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/index.php?action=getCommentaryText&cid=1&source=1&seq=i.47.7.2
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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