“God said, Don’t Judge”. WRONG!
Can Christians Judge?
When I first started learning about the bible, I noticed one major thing. The closer I became with God, the more I became farther away from the world. My view of everything I thought was “right” or “okay”, began to drastically change. I started to see just how bad the world really was.
The thing is, when I acknowledged the bad I would see, I felt as if I couldn’t say anything. I felt like I couldn’t truly say that I didn’t want to hangout with some of my old friends anymore because they would huff down alcohol until they blacked out, and I felt that was wrong. I felt like I couldn’t say that I didn’t want to be twerking at the club anymore because that’s not what christians do. I felt I couldn’t say those things because I would be judging and… christians are not supposed to judge, right? Wrong!
I was more mad at someone calling out my sin, then I was at the actual sin itself.
We all have to judge ourselves and sometimes be judged by others, so we can grow as people. If you think about it, christian or not, we literally judge everything. We judge who we want to date, what we want to eat, who we want to visit, what we want to wear, we even judge in a court of law as a judge and jury. We need “judgement” to make basic decisions.
The problem is people are sinners and sinners don’t like their sins called out. Trust me, I’ve been there. Before I became a christian, and was kind of playing the fence between actually being a christian and “being of this world”… I remember someone calling me out about having sex before marriage. Instead of being mad at myself and my own sin, I was more angry at the fact another christian said it was wrong. I was furious actually! In my spirit I knew it was true, but I loved my sin more than I loved the truth.
Let’s look at what scripture says…
A popular scripture people like to hit you with when they think about judging is “Christians shouldn’t judge because God said don’t judge.”
They are talking about this scripture…
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Matthew 7: 1–2
But if we keep on reading it then says….
“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:5
To paraphrase this passage, I would say it says, if you judge, you will be judged in the same manner you judge others, and so if you do decide to judge, you shouldn’t be judging someone when you’re doing the same exact thing as them. Make sure you are able to judge with a clean heart.
So even though, yes, sin is sin..and we ALL are sinners… technically if you are not doing the same exact thing as them, then you have the right too kindly and with love speak on it. You speaking on it could help the person grow as a christian.
The bible literally says to “Judge Righteously.”
“You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”
Leviticus 19:15
….In Galatians 6:1 it says
“ Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
To know if someone is overtaken in any trespass we have to make a righteous judgement.
1 John 4:1
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. “
To test, and then judge if a spirit is of God or not we have to make a judgement.
Matthew 7:14–16
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.”
To know if someone bears good fruit or not, again, we have to make a righteous judgement.
There are many scriptures in the bible about judging. Now, should you go around pointing the finger at everyone and looking to pass judgement on every single person? No! But sometimes we have to judge one another to help them, and for many other reasons.
Thank you Saints! Have an amazing day!
Love, Alex
