Is it wrong to Judge Is it wrong to Judge others?others?

““Judge not, lest ye be Judge not, lest ye be judged.”judged.”

Matt 7:1Matt 7:1

Many believe all controversy in Many believe all controversy in religion is wrongreligion is wrong

True—not to “argumentative” or be True—not to “argumentative” or be divisive over “disputable matters.”divisive over “disputable matters.”

There is a sense in which we are not There is a sense in which we are not to judge others….yet must to judge others….yet must reconcile…reconcile… Jude 3 “Content earnestly for the Jude 3 “Content earnestly for the

faith.”faith.” Timothy - “Set for the defense of the Timothy - “Set for the defense of the

gospel”gospel”

The Example of Christ and the The Example of Christ and the ApostlesApostles

Christ was in a series of religious Christ was in a series of religious controversies --- controversies --- Matt 22:5-46-- PhariseesMatt 22:5-46-- Pharisees Lk 21 – “The day of controversy.”Lk 21 – “The day of controversy.”

The book of Acts is filled with The book of Acts is filled with controversies that arose from controversies that arose from preaching. Acts 7 (Stephen), Acts 17 preaching. Acts 7 (Stephen), Acts 17 (Paul Mars Hill)(Paul Mars Hill)

Must have the right attitudeMust have the right attitude Ephesians 4:15 “Speak the truth in love.”Ephesians 4:15 “Speak the truth in love.” 2 Tim 2:22-26 “2 Tim 2:22-26 “PursuePursue righteousness, righteousness,

faith, love and faith, love and peace.. peace.. 23 But 23 But refuse refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord's bond-servant must not 24 The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in oppositionwho are in opposition, if perhaps God , if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil.”snare of the devil.”

Right attitudeRight attitude

1 Peter 3:15-16 “Sanctify Christ as 1 Peter 3:15-16 “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always Lord in your hearts, always being being ready to make a defense to ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverenceyet with gentleness and reverence; ; 16 and keep a good conscience so that 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shameChrist will be put to shame

Right attitudeRight attitude

Col 4:4-6 Make it clear in the way I Col 4:4-6 Make it clear in the way I ought to speak. 5 Conduct ought to speak. 5 Conduct yourselves with yourselves with wisdom toward wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with gracealways be with grace, as though , as though seasoned with saltseasoned with salt, so that you will , so that you will know how you should respond to know how you should respond to each person. each person.

Judge not lest you be judged!Judge not lest you be judged!

““The Sum of thy word is truth!” Ps The Sum of thy word is truth!” Ps 119:160119:160

How does all of this fit together?How does all of this fit together? II Cor 13:5 “Try yourselves whether ye II Cor 13:5 “Try yourselves whether ye

be in the faith.”be in the faith.” I Thess 5:21 “Prove all things, hold fast I Thess 5:21 “Prove all things, hold fast

to that which is good.”to that which is good.”

Must have BalanceMust have Balance ““The Bible is like a cage full of strong, The Bible is like a cage full of strong,

ferocious animals. One cannot be allowed ferocious animals. One cannot be allowed to swallow up the other. They must be to swallow up the other. They must be kept in kept in proper relationship.proper relationship.

The Bible teaching on heaven does not The Bible teaching on heaven does not swallow up what is says on hell, or vice swallow up what is says on hell, or vice versa. versa.

Must be careful in teaching people not to Must be careful in teaching people not to be self-righteous, not to swallow up and be self-righteous, not to swallow up and forget the teaching about forget the teaching about standing firmly standing firmly against ungodliness and departure from against ungodliness and departure from the word of God.”the word of God.”

Examine the “Judge Not” text itself Examine the “Judge Not” text itself Matt 7:1-6 " Do not judge so that you will Matt 7:1-6 " Do not judge so that you will

not be judged. 2 "For in the way you judge, not be judged. 2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. measure, it will be measured to you.

3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in 3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 " Or how can log that is in your own eye? 4 " Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? is in your own eye?

5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of 5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

What is Jesus warning against?What is Jesus warning against? Hypercritical, Self-righteous judgment. Hypercritical, Self-righteous judgment. CondemnsCondemns one kind and one kind and commandscommands

another! another! Matt 7:6 " Do not give what is Matt 7:6 " Do not give what is holy to dogsholy to dogs, and , and

do not do not throw your pearls before swinethrow your pearls before swine, or they , or they will trample them under their feet, and turn will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. and tear you to pieces.

Matt 7:15-16 "Beware of the Matt 7:15-16 "Beware of the false prophetsfalse prophets, , who come to you in sheep's clothing, but who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Gives the basis of judging: 16 "You will know Gives the basis of judging: 16 "You will know them them by their fruits.by their fruits.

Good and Bad JudgingGood and Bad Judging Jesus: “Judge not according to Jesus: “Judge not according to appearancesappearances but but

judge righteous judgment.”judge righteous judgment.” Jn 7:24 Jn 7:24 ““Righteous judgment” is commanded!Righteous judgment” is commanded!

Luke 12:54-57 54 And He was also saying to the Luke 12:54-57 54 And He was also saying to the crowds, " When you see a cloud rising in the west, crowds, " When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out. 55 "And when you see a south wind turns out. 55 "And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way. 56 "You hypocrites! You know how to out that way. 56 "You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time? but why do you not analyze this present time?

57 "And why do you not even on your own initiative 57 "And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?judge what is right?

Christians are to make judgmentsChristians are to make judgments

1 Cor 2:14-16: 14 But a natural 1 Cor 2:14-16: 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are understand them, because they are spirituallyspiritually appraised. 15 But appraised. 15 But he who he who is spiritual appraises all things.is spiritual appraises all things. We are to have the mind of Christ as our We are to have the mind of Christ as our

standard. (Vs 8-13)standard. (Vs 8-13)

Christians are to be making Christians are to be making judgmentsjudgments

Phil 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your Phil 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more love may abound still more and more in in real knowledge and all real knowledge and all discernmentdiscernment, 10 so that you may , 10 so that you may approveapprove the things that are the things that are excellentexcellent, in order to be sincere and , in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;blameless until the day of Christ;

Saints will judge the world!Saints will judge the world! 1 Cor 6:2-6 2 Or do you not know that the 1 Cor 6:2-6 2 Or do you not know that the saints saints

will judge the worldwill judge the world? If the world is judged by ? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to judge the smallest you, are you not competent to judge the smallest matters? matters?

3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? much more matters of this life?

4 So if you have law courts dealing with matters 4 So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there your shame. Is it so, that there is not among is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethrenbetween his brethren, 6 but brother goes to , 6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

Oh Consistency, thou art jewelOh Consistency, thou art jewel

If a man steals = thief!If a man steals = thief! If a man murders = murdererIf a man murders = murderer You’re being You’re being judgmental! judgmental!

Isn’t Isn’t that that judging? judging?

Truth or Consequences . .Truth or Consequences . .

If “you can’t judge others” universally is If “you can’t judge others” universally is right ….right ….

Then …Then … Must quit preaching and telling others of sin!Must quit preaching and telling others of sin! The church is The church is condemned for doing the very condemned for doing the very

thing Christ praised if for doingthing Christ praised if for doing. Rev 2:2-3 . Rev 2:2-3 2' I know your deeds and your toil and 2' I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostlesthemselves apostles, and they are not, and you , and they are not, and you found them to be false. found them to be false.

The church could The church could never practice church never practice church discipline as commandeddiscipline as commanded in I Cor 5. in I Cor 5.

Conclusion:Conclusion: Condemned Condemned fault finding, fault finding,

hypercritical treatmentshypercritical treatments of others. of others. Taught us to be Taught us to be “Fruit inspectors”“Fruit inspectors” – –

based upon evidence not a “rush to based upon evidence not a “rush to judgment.” judgment.”

Make judgments based upon His Make judgments based upon His word! Jn 12:48word! Jn 12:48

Taught us to bear the infirmities of Taught us to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to make my the weak and not to make my conscience your guide! Rm 13, conscience your guide! Rm 13,

Christ is the Christ is the ultimate judgeultimate judge of of eternal matterseternal matters

2 Tim 4:8 The Lord, 2 Tim 4:8 The Lord, the righteous Judgethe righteous Judge . . . . . . Acts 10:42-43 This is the One who has been Acts 10:42-43 This is the One who has been

appointed by God as Judgeappointed by God as Judge of the living and of the living and the dead. the dead.

Acts 17:30-31 "Therefore having overlooked Acts 17:30-31 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which which He will judge the world in He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He righteousness through a Man whom He has appointedhas appointed, having furnished proof to all , having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." men by raising Him from the dead."

Epilogue/Concerns:Epilogue/Concerns: Must Not act like we can take the Must Not act like we can take the place of place of

God in final judgment in regard to honest God in final judgment in regard to honest brethren with whom we differ. . . Rm 14:12brethren with whom we differ. . . Rm 14:12

How far will God’s grace go? How far will God’s grace go? Heb 10:26 “willful sin” will void his sacrifice!Heb 10:26 “willful sin” will void his sacrifice! What about sincere differences of What about sincere differences of

interpretation? interpretation? Sins committed in “unawares?”Sins committed in “unawares?”

2 Tim 2:19: 19 Nevertheless, the firm 2 Tim 2:19: 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, foundation of God stands, having this seal, ““The Lord knowsThe Lord knows those who are His .“ those who are His .“

Rm 14:12 “Each man must give his Rm 14:12 “Each man must give his own own accountaccount unto God.” unto God.”

God will be just and merciful!God will be just and merciful!

Will the judge of all the earth do that Will the judge of all the earth do that which is right?which is right? Gen 18:25 Gen 18:25

I could not fellowship with someone that I could not fellowship with someone that forces me to violate my conscience, but forces me to violate my conscience, but that does not mean I can or should that does not mean I can or should pronounce my brother as lost! pronounce my brother as lost!

Best answer in many cases: Best answer in many cases: I Don’t I Don’t know!know!

As judge He can pardon people and As judge He can pardon people and take in account the whole picture… I take in account the whole picture… I can’t!!can’t!!

Final judgment is up to Him!Final judgment is up to Him!

Hasn’t God’s judgments surprised Hasn’t God’s judgments surprised you at times?you at times? Uzzah touches the ark -- seems too Uzzah touches the ark -- seems too

strict.strict. David and Bathsheba – stays on throne, David and Bathsheba – stays on throne,

gets away with murder?gets away with murder? Church at Corinth!! Church at Corinth!!

Isa 55:8-9Isa 55:8-9

InvitationInvitation

I I dodo know for sure--- know for sure--- God is not mocked…God is not mocked… He will judge us one day…He will judge us one day… Be as careful with spiritual matters as Be as careful with spiritual matters as

possiblepossible Don’t delay!!Don’t delay!!