Are we allowed to judge? Jesus told us in Matthew 7:1-2 to judge not, that ye not be judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again.
Jesus was speaking to the hypocrites. Aren't true Christians allowed to have a righteous judgment? Or maybe I should use the word discern. Maybe I am thinking about the word discerment instead of judgment. Are the two almost the same?
I am teaching to the church tomorrow night and I am trying to get my lesson together. I am reading To Judge or Not to Judge by Edwin & Lillian Harvey. They speak about a righteous judgment.
Judgment/Judging
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Nicholas25, Dec 26, 2006.
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I think that the Bible clearly teaches us not to judge a person, but this is different from judging right from wrong. If we judge another by holding their actions against them we are forgetting that we are just as guilty in God’s site. We are righteous solely by our faith in Christ.
It is through reading Gods Word we gain discernment, and I think that we are supposed to judge actions by the Word ( homosexuality, murder, adultery, etc) without condemning the person in our own minds. There is a big difference in saying a Christian who has committed adultery is wrong and saying that person is not a Christian. We have the discernment to judge an act; God has the knowledge to judge a person.
At the same time we need to be careful not to go beyond the Word. Some actions may or may not be sin depending on that person’s conscience. It’s always troubled me to see churches preach to abstain from all alcohol (though I think we’d be better without it and drunkenness is defiantly a sin), a vegetarian diet, the type of music appropriate for worship, etc.
Judge the sin, not the sinner. Apart from the grace of God we are the same. I don’t think that discernment and judging is the same here. We discern actions while God judges people.
We sometimes doubt murders in jail as actually receiving salvation and changing their ways. But we don’t have the right or ability to judge the convict, only his actions. A murder and adulterer doesn’t necessarily forfeit his salvation. I think that most of us would have judge David as faithless based on his actions, but God, while punishing his actions, knew David as a “man after His heart”. -
1. Judge things not people. (actions not motives)
2. Be not hasty in your judgment. (Rom 14)
3. Judge only if you must.
4. Consider all sides of the issue. (Joh. 7:24)
5. Use mercy and error on the side of mercy. (Gal 6:1)
6. God deals with us like this.
Hope this helps. In the two passages most often referred to concerning judgment we have two apparently opposing views. One is to make righteous judgment and the other is to not judge at all. There is much misunderstanding about this word "judgment".
Discernment is different. Discernment is concerned with knowledge of a situation or person. We must use discernment to MAKE a judgment but the two are not the same.
We ALL make judgments every day all day long. Will I make that light or should I stop? Should I fill up or can I wait another day to get gas?
See? If we could not make judgments then we would cease to function. God knows this. And that is why He tells us to make righteous judgments. My list should give you a springboard to develope your own lesson.
God bless. -
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Quote:
Originally Posted by av1611jim
Six things you need to remember when teaching on judgment.
1. Judge things not people. (actions not motives)
2. Be not hasty in your judgment. (Rom 14)
3. Judge only if you must.
4. Consider all sides of the issue. (Joh. 7:24)
5. Use mercy and error on the side of mercy. (Gal 6:1)
6. God deals with us like this.
Rbell: //well said ... //
Amen, Brother av12611jim - Preach it! :thumbs: -
]Judge the sin, not the sinner. Apart from the grace of God we are the same. I don’t think that discernment and judging is the same here. We discern actions while God judges people. [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
Amen to these statements!:applause: Wouldn't it be great if we all could hold on to this? I know I would be a better person. :smilewinkgrin: -
Remember that Paul commanded the church at Corinth to pass judgment on a member who was having an affair with his father's wife. He told them to kick him out. In II Corinthians we have an apparent reference to his restoration to fellowship. That should always be the goal--restoration, not revenge.
In general I would support the advice to judge the sin, not the sinner. But no one, including me, can be separated from my sin apart from the blood of Jesus.
Otherwise, the advice that has been given is quite sound. -
We are to judge as Jesus said.
(Joh 7:24) Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
We are not to judge according to appearance, but according to the spirit.
When we meet someone for the first time we must judge that person to determine if we are going to be "friends" with that person.
When our children introduce a new friend, we as parents, are to judge that child to determine if our child spends time with his new friend or not.
But, regardless of our verdict, our responsibility of sharing the gospel with that individual is not affected. -
And we have to be careful in our definition of "friends." Jesus has been referred to as "friend of sinners." -
Welcome to BB, leenies. Perhaps you missed the note that these top forums are Baptists only...? You are more than welcome to post in the 'all Christians' section, however.
Folks, we all make judgments everyday, about just about everything, from what is best to eat, what to wear, what to say and do. Not just about others.
We are told NOT to judge others, as the posts above have stated. A person's relationship with God is a personal thing. However it needs be stated just as much that a person's relationship with God will show up in the person's life. In that way I can understand what pasdave was saying. Yes, we can be friends with all sorts of people, but we dare not partner with people who do not love the Lord -- what has light to do with darkness? So that definitely implies judging the spiritual condition of someone at some point, doesn't it?
But whatever judgments we do make, whether in the little things in life or the big things, if we live a life guided by the Holy Spirit, then our judgments will be right. -
Matt 7 :2
KJV: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. -
There are times when judging the sinner is of necessity. Or do we forget the Church at Corinth and Paul being asked to judge the matters of the church? i.e., the man fornicating with his step-mother, the divisions in the body, those not honoring the Lord's Supper, and others.
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul is clearly judging the man when he writes to the Church at Corinth to 'put such an one from among you.' Notice it did not say put the sin from among you, but the man who was committing the sin.
Now, I know we are all sinners and there is none righteous, no, not one. But the epistle to the Church at Corinth clearly shows a judgment of man himself.
Jesus Himself said in the Book of Matthew to beware of false prophets. He told the disciples that they would know them by their fruit. Jesus was clearly showing how man can judge man by the fruit man produces in his life.
Back to 1 Corinthians... Chapters 5 and 6 clearly show that we can judge those who are in the body or claim to be of the body and God will judge those who are without, or not of the body.
We cannot just say 'That man is fornicating with his step-mother and walk away. Judgment must be passed against the person, else the person will continue in the sin. Put such an on from amongst you. -
Regarding the "Baptist Only" at the top of the page, actually I didn't see it. :tonofbricks: I was going through the daily posts. If I have caused a problem, I am sorry. I am new to this sight. Next time I will start a new thread, please give me time and I will learn my way around. Thank you for the welcome anyway! -
In the context of false prophets Jesus said:
Mt 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?