Since "judging" came up, it should be noted that we are called to judge. Jesus makes that abundantly clear. So if we don't judge we are deficient. What Jesus makes plane is that we should never judge self righteously, hastily (without evidence) or hypocritically.
Jesus didn’t teach against judging, nor did He relieve His followers of the need for discerning right and wrong, but He condemned unjust hypocritical judging of others. (Matt 6:43-45).
When people says "do not judge," this is called the law of non-contradiction. They are "judging" when they say that. If one says there is no standard of "morality," they've already made a standard of morality. It's funny because the person doesn't even realize that fact.
We are called to judge. Jesus makes that abundantly clear. So if we don't judge we are deficient. What Jesus makes plane is that we should never judge self righteously, hastily (without evidence) or hypocritically.
Jesus didn’t teach against judging, nor did He relieve His followers of the need for discerning right and wrong, but He condemned unjust hypocritical judging if others. (Matt 6:43-45). He taught against a specific kind of judging. The type of judging he spoke against was a blind, ignorant, hypocritical, self-righteous judging that overlooks one’s own faults, failures and sins and only sees faults, failures and sins in other people.
Leviticus 19:15 (NIV)
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
Leviticus 19:17 (NIV-1984)
Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share his guilt.
Jesus said:
John 7:24 (NIV)
Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly."
The issue Jesus is going after is the pride that was in the people’s hearts which made it easy for them to see other people’s faults, but be blinded to their own. And notice what Jesus called them “you hypocrite.” Now, what’s a hypocrite? Someone who pretends to be something they aren’t. Here Jesus is going after people who wear a mask of piety over a heart that was judgmental, critical, and self-righteous toward others.
