There was a statement put to me the other day and I pondered on the message. It was the first time I have heard of the term righteous judgement. I decided to pull up everything in the New Testament that speaks about judge, judging, and judgement. Are we to judge others? Is there any such thing as righteous judgement that is required in our daily walk as a believer? So far, I did find one statement with the term ‘righteous judgement.’
John 7:23-25 (New King James Version)
23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement
Jesus is talking to the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath (because he healed a man on the Sabbath Day) and he tells them to judge not according to appearance but with righteous judgement. What does that mean in this context? Obviously, we are not to look outwardly but what fruit a person is producing. In this case, Jesus was healing a blind man, which was producing good fruit. Pharisees were judging Jesus as if he was doing evil (such as witchcraft). But I feel there is a deeper meaning. If you look closer: Jesus is gently accusing them of not judging a person righteously. Looking at the history of the Pharisees, he was a threat to their way of life and some might have deemed him to be of the devil. They did not judge him righteously because of their own prejudices against him (from the start) and they had wanted to find fault or find something that he did to try to “trip him up”. But does this mean Jesus gave us the go ahead to “judge righteously”? What does the bible teach about judging others?
First let’s establish, the definition of Judge in KJV concordance. It means to pass sentence. The Cambridge Dictionary states to judge is to form, give or have as an opinion, or to decide about something or someone, especially after thinking carefully
So I decided to pull up everything that talks about a believer and judging. When I finished, I was able to summarise and basically put into groups what the bible teaches about judgement of others, who can judge and if there will be a time that we can judge.
Case 1: We are not to judge others. This theme is written throughout the entire scriptures starting with Jesus, himself unto Paul and James. According to the scriptures, we have no right to judge a person by their worship, their salvation and even judge the sinners of the world. We are not to put a stumbling block or any thing in believer’s way that causes them to sin. On the other foot, we should not allow others to judge us regarding our worship, our salvation and so forth. Here are the scriptures that support this conclusion.
Matthew 7:1-3 (New King James Version) Do Not Judge
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Luke 6:37-38 (New King James Version)Do Not Judge
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Romans 2:1-3 (New King James Version)God’s Righteous Judgement
1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgement of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practising such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgement of God?
Romans 14:2-4 (New King James Version) Romans 14:3-5 (New King James Version)
2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
Romans 14:9-11 (New King James Version)
9 For to this end Christ died and rose[a] and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.[b] 11 For it is written: “ As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”[c]
Romans 14:12-14 (New King James Version)
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
Corinthians 11:30-32 (New King James Version)
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
Colossians 2:15-17 (New King James Version)
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
James 4:10-12 (New King James Version)Do Not Judge a Brother
11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver,[a] who is able to save and to destroy. Who[b] are you to judge another?[c]
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John 7:23-25 (New King James Version)
23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement
Jesus is talking to the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath (because he healed a man on the Sabbath Day) and he tells them to judge not according to appearance but with righteous judgement. What does that mean in this context? Obviously, we are not to look outwardly but what fruit a person is producing. In this case, Jesus was healing a blind man, which was producing good fruit. Pharisees were judging Jesus as if he was doing evil (such as witchcraft). But I feel there is a deeper meaning. If you look closer: Jesus is gently accusing them of not judging a person righteously. Looking at the history of the Pharisees, he was a threat to their way of life and some might have deemed him to be of the devil. They did not judge him righteously because of their own prejudices against him (from the start) and they had wanted to find fault or find something that he did to try to “trip him up”. But does this mean Jesus gave us the go ahead to “judge righteously”? What does the bible teach about judging others?
First let’s establish, the definition of Judge in KJV concordance. It means to pass sentence. The Cambridge Dictionary states to judge is to form, give or have as an opinion, or to decide about something or someone, especially after thinking carefully
So I decided to pull up everything that talks about a believer and judging. When I finished, I was able to summarise and basically put into groups what the bible teaches about judgement of others, who can judge and if there will be a time that we can judge.
Case 1: We are not to judge others. This theme is written throughout the entire scriptures starting with Jesus, himself unto Paul and James. According to the scriptures, we have no right to judge a person by their worship, their salvation and even judge the sinners of the world. We are not to put a stumbling block or any thing in believer’s way that causes them to sin. On the other foot, we should not allow others to judge us regarding our worship, our salvation and so forth. Here are the scriptures that support this conclusion.
Matthew 7:1-3 (New King James Version) Do Not Judge
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Luke 6:37-38 (New King James Version)Do Not Judge
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Romans 2:1-3 (New King James Version)God’s Righteous Judgement
1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgement of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practising such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgement of God?
Romans 14:2-4 (New King James Version) Romans 14:3-5 (New King James Version)
2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
Romans 14:9-11 (New King James Version)
9 For to this end Christ died and rose[a] and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.[b] 11 For it is written: “ As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”[c]
Romans 14:12-14 (New King James Version)
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
Corinthians 11:30-32 (New King James Version)
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
Colossians 2:15-17 (New King James Version)
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
James 4:10-12 (New King James Version)Do Not Judge a Brother
11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver,[a] who is able to save and to destroy. Who[b] are you to judge another?[c]
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