“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 out 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 out the mote out of thy brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5, KJV)
Many people refuse to make any comments on sinful behavior or make a determination on whether or not someone is saved by the first verse of this passage.
However, the context is very different.
Firstly, v.5 appears to give the permission to deal with a brother's sin, ONLY AFTER you deal with your own.
Secondly, consider these passages:
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24, KJV)
“Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall 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?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3, KJV)
“For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 5:3-5, KJV)
“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3, KJV)
“Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” (Leviticus 19:17, KJV)
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11, KJV)
There's probably more, but the message is clear: Judging (which we all do, we all judge that the sky is blue) in and of itself is not a sin.
So what of judging IS a sin? For there is a kind of judging that is forbidden in Scripture.
1. Judging The Very Thing You Do
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
(Rom 2:21-22)
This is the very definition of hypocrisy. Yes, we shouldn't steal. Yes, we shouldn't commit adultery. Yes, we should abhor idols. But at the same you, YOU don't steal. YOU don't commit adultery. YOU don't rob temples (what "sacrilege" means in the text)
2. Judging Those Outside The Church Camp
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
(1Co 5:12-13)
It is none of our business to judge those outside the faith. Do not judge non-Christians for worshipping the Kansas City Chiefs (Exodus 20:3), or anything like that (also see Luke 16:15).
3. Judging Without The Facts
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.
(1Co 4:5)
If a believer's sin is hidden, and you suspect a believer is living in sin, don't make any judgments until it is proven that such a believer is indeed living in sin. I Corinthians 5:1 provides an example of enough evidence given that a believer is living in sin:
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
(1Co 5:1)
In this instance, it was obvious of the facts of the sinning believer.
Above all else, remember the following when considering a judgment:
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
(1Th 5:21)
4. Judging a Non-Sin
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
(Rom 14:3-4)
It is not a sin to eat bacon under grace (Mark 7:19).
It is not a sin in and of itself to drink alcohol (see I Timothy 5:23), but drunkenness is sinful (Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 5:21)
It is not a sin in and of itself to smoke tobacco (Proverbs 30:6).
It is not a sin in and of itself to smoke marijuana (Proverbs 30:6), but to do so in the USA is ILLEGAL, thus a sin for that reason (Romans 13:1, I Peter 2:13-14).
It is not a sin in and of itself to masturbate (Titus 1:15), but lust (Matthew 5:28), as well as evil thoughts (Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21) are still evil (Matthew 5:28).
If a believer's behavior is not sinful according to Scripture, DO NOT JUDGE. If it is, then by all means, rebuke, according to Scripture (I Timothy 5:20).
In conclusion, there is a time to judge, and there is a time to not judge. "Judge Not" is not universal. Even in the opening Scripture passage:
“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 out 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 out the mote out of thy brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5, KJV)
When Jesus says "Judge not", He does not mean "Judge nothing", but rather, "Do not judge in unrighteousness."
No comments:
Post a Comment