Jesus said, “Judge not that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). What did the Lord mean by this simple seven word sentence? Is all judging wrong? If this were the only statement on this subject in the Bible one might easily conclude that this is true. All judging is not wrong. Please observe that it is not wrong for a federal or civil judge to decide the sentencing of a convicted criminal. Moses sat in judgment from morning till evening. “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening” (Exodus 18:13).
If all judging is wrong, not only would it prohibit magistrates, it would indict the Almighty. God is described in the Holy Scriptures as judging. “And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance” (Genesis 15:14). Abraham raises a question, That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right” (Genesis 18:25).
In addition to the Father being declared as judging, the Son also is described as a judge. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ: that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Paul told those in Athens to repent, “because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).
Christians are not prohibited from all judging, in fact, just the opposite is true. “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). It is wrong to judge the motives of another. It is wrong to make judgment when there is no way of determining the accuracy of that judgment. It is not wrong when God has spoken on a subject and God’s will is applied.
An example of righteous judgment would be affirming that one is not saved when he has been sprinkled instead of immersed in baptism. Equally true would be affirming that one who teaches salvation before and without baptism is not teaching the doctrine of God. Often when God’s Word is applied to the doctrine of salvation before baptism, advocates of this false teaching affirm that one is judging them and violating the command to “judge not.” This is simply not the case. When God has spoken on any subject and His Word is applied, such action is not judging!
Jerry Jenkins (1936-2010) preached for 44 years for the Roebuck Parkway congregation in Birmingham, Alabama.
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