“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” Matthew 7:1

SkyWriting · Jan 27, 2019

Dave-W said:
I know the answer you are looking for. But I ask you why would that ONE be COMMANDING us to do that?

First you need to investigate the type of judging referred to.

"Righteous judgment" is defined as treating poor people the same as rich people when you are a judge in the legal system. "Righteous judgment" is not judging a person by their clothing, by outward appearances, but as a human being, one of God's children.

You should not judge people by the crimes that you see them commit, but should use ""Righteous judgment" and try to see what their intentions are in their heart.

"Righteous judgment" is judging people who steal food for their family, different than people who steal jewelry for profit.

And our court system (in the US) does attempt to do this. In many non-Christian countries, there is no difference what your intentions are. If a woman is seen outside without her head covered, she is guilty. If a person steals food for any reason, they go to jail.

"Righteous judgment" attempts to see into the heart before sentencing.

Deuteronomy 16
18 You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. 19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept any bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous

Leviticus 19:15
"You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Deuteronomy 1:16
At that time I charged your judges: "Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge fairly between a man and his brother or a foreign resident.

Isaiah 11:3
And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,

Zechariah 7:9
"This is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another.

2 Corinthians 10:7
You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

James 2:4
have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 11:4
but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide in favor of the earth's oppressed. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.

Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Ezekiel 18:8
He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.

"Righteous judgment" is the polar opposite of what happens in chat forums where people are judged by what a poster says in a forum. What people see here in forums is just outward clothing. A person motivations for posting are completely invisible.

Dave-W · Jan 27, 2019

SkyWriting said:
"Righteous judgment" is defined as treating poor people the same as rich people when you are a judge in the legal system.

That is only part of it.

SkyWriting · Jan 27, 2019

Dave-W said:
That is only part of it.

19 Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept any bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous

29 minutes ago#41

SkyWriting · Jan 27, 2019

Anand Prabhu Antony said:
- We judge to keep the purity of the church;
- we judge the wrong doings so that other believers will not follow them.
- We judge that is not for death punishment, rather saving them from the eternal judgement that leads to eternal death at the lake of fire.
- We judge as an act of discipline, but not as authoritative and condemning for death sentence.

And do you have scripture support for each one of these activities? That would be helpful.

SkyWriting · Jan 27, 2019

Dave-W said:
It means they think you should ask other questions and make other statements that play into what THEY want to say.

He's requesting an answer that matches the answer he thinks I should give him.
I'm just explaining he has no control over my responses.

Pethesedzao · Jan 27, 2019

redleghunter said:
Yes Jesus said that in Matthew 7:1.

Does this mean we are not to judge fellow believers or even unbelievers at all or according to our own sense of self righteousness?

Does this mean if a Bishop, Pastor or Elder of a church sins we as the Body of Christ are not to enact church discipline. I mean Jesus said don’t judge so that we will not be judged. So keeping with the first verse of chapter alone we end up letting overt unrepentant sinners lead our churches. We let sin perpetuate in our churches. We also remain silent preaching the Gospel because to tell people our sin separates us from God would bring Judgment on us. Verse one says it!

But what does Jesus say in the following verses in Matthew chapter 7?

1“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (NASB)

This is clear teaching. Someone should not accuse another of sins when they too are sinners. The intent here Jesus is teaching we are all sinners and are not to judge others according to how we live or thr degree of our perceived “righteousness.” In the chapters leading to this one and after Jesus takes to task thr Pharisees for their judgment according to their rituals. Jesus spoke of in chapter 6 the self righteous ways the religious leaders prayed, fasted and gave to the poor. So we see here in verses 1-5 again the standards we set should not be the basis of judging others. That is why when we preach the Gospel we explain to others we are all sinners in need of God’s redemption.

Yet in verse 6 we have this.

6“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (NASB)

How can we determine what is holy if we cannot judge between what is righteous and what is wicked? Jesus tells us a few verses later how to identify false prophets.

15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know them by their fruits. (NASB)

It seems Jesus tells us we would be able to judge between good fruit and bad fruit. How are we to do this if we are told not to judge? I mean a new pastor comes in and says “Jesus is not the Son of God” which we know to be false. Can we now judge as a church that the errant pastor needs to be removed?

The answer is of course we can judge on these matters and more because God has given us His Holy Spirit, His commands and words to judge error and remove unrepentant sin from our churches.

Jesus concludes the dialogue with the following:

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (NASB)

The answer is if we hear His words and act on them we reside on a foundation of rock and will not be swayed.

Judge not unless we be judged is based on our standards of righteousness or self righteousness. Jesus clarifies in the remainder of the chapter that we can decipher the difference between truth and error by judging on on their fruits.

This was picked up on in Apostolic teachings as well when Paul called for church discipline:

1 Corinthians 5: NASB

1It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.2You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

3For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. (NASB)

“Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

I think that is loud and clear.

Awake to righteousness and sin not.

LightLoveHope · Jan 27, 2019

redleghunter said:
Does this mean we are not to judge fellow believers or even unbelievers at all or according to our own sense of self righteousness?

We are to judge according to Gods word.
And when we judge we should realise we must equally walk the way.

If someone is holding a knife above someone about to stab them, will we walk away or intervene?
If someone is stealing something from someone else, will we bring about justice and the return of the goods with a penalty as is fair?

Once you have compassion and understanding for both the sinner and the victim things become in balance. Often a crime has a massive shock to the victim out of proportion to the crime, because it shows them the real risk they run everyday, and can become paralysing. Why should we trust strangers, and not expect to lose all security and rights?

I have heard some claiming to judge anyone for sin is wrong, and hypocrisy. But they literally do not understand the harm to both the victim and sinner this results in. No resolution, no restitution, no safety and no recognition of responsibility we have one to another in love. Once one gives up on love, one has left the Kingdom and its reality. So such a compromise can sound appealing, until you see a society where everyone is a victim and no one is safe or loved or secure in anything. Welcome to the modern world.... where we have unbelievable wealth yet unbelievable loneliness and exploitation and abuse hidden behind closed doors.

Maria Billingsley · Jan 27, 2019

redleghunter said:
1“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Notice "by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you". If you bring attention to a sin, say fornication, to a brother or sister and you do not fornicate and you lovingly remind the sinner that their walk with God is hindered by their sin, I see no judgment, I only see a love centered warning.
Blessings

redleghunter · Jan 27, 2019

Pethesedzao said:
Awake to righteousness and sin not.

Good advice.

Invalidusername · Jan 27, 2019

SkyWriting said:
He's requesting an answer that matches the answer he thinks I should give him.
I'm just explaining he has no control over my responses.

I hate to say but I think it's an accurate judgement to say that you're puffed up with pride right now.

SkyWriting · Jan 27, 2019

Invalidusername said:
I hate to say but I think it's an accurate judgement to say that you're puffed up with pride right now.

True, you don't have much to go on.

S.O.J.I.A. · Jan 27, 2019

AKA..

don't be a hypocrite..

Invalidusername · Jan 27, 2019

SkyWriting said:
True, you don't have much to go on.

Neither do you, my friend.

ProjectExodus · Jan 27, 2019

When Jesus said judge not lest ye be judged I believe he was talking about the eternal soul, the truth of their person as God defined them. I'm Jeremy Benson. You shouldn't judge that. I am that I am beyond my actions and sins. I'm Jeremy. I also think he meant the eternal fate of the soul, as in heaven or hell, because only God can do that.

We are commanded to judge all things with a pure heart. Actions and sins, such as cussing, are things. Therefore we can judge them with the pure heart. This is why we can make anathema when fellow believers sin. We can demonstrate actions are things, "I don't like that thing you're doing." But when we call people things, we are always being rude, even if we joke: "Look at that thing over there." Not good, we should say "Look at him/her."

7angels · Jan 27, 2019

from your replies above if I am not mistaken many of you do not understand what judging others is. the scriptures listed are correct but you all are to consumed on the gospels. when judging we are not to judge a person. for example calling someone stupid. we are told in scripture to judge a person's actions, behavior, and ect. we are told to judge this way so we can help other grow, encourage, divine what God and what is not God. when you judge a person instead of their actions, behavior, and ect all you do is make a person feel bad which can lead to depression, suicide, and ect. remember the scriptures also tell us to judge people by their fruit. God's fruit is positive and encourages and builds us up.

God bless

Blade · Jan 27, 2019

Most of us should NEVER judge. Walking in 1st Cor 13 and walking in the fruits of the spirit? Thinking of the best for that person since you love them as you do Christ. Really wanting to help them uplift them?

If we don't then the Father aka GOD will judge us the same way we judged them. That's why Christ when He said..IF I judge my judgement is true.. He loves the world..wants NONE to perish. Get that BEAM out of your eye 1st then you can help your bother get that SPEC out of his eye. Judge your self 1st...get your life in order 1st. Most are not praying all the time nor about EVERYTHING they do. Are you looking for faults for LOVE does not see them..on and on..

A man that prayers allot.. asking the lord about this or that.. one day.. someone asked him if he wanted to go to this place.. the man said yes.. they would meet up later. The man said.. the lord asked me.. you didn't even ask me.. he said his heart just sank.

God is not a man... ever have the friend you just WANT to do everything with? AMP it up with God.. How many say good night or good morning.. good afternoon.. at some point He will know you MEAN it and some time you say what ya thinking about and HOLD ON! Trying to get you to see.. your not alone.. HE IS IN YOU WITH YOU. So when you look at others.. see them through HIS EYES the word not yours not how you feel what you personally believe. But through HIM! With love compassion mercy grace forgiveness

Neogaia777 · Jan 27, 2019

If that same wickedness is in you, or is a part of you, then you'd better be very, very careful judging it... (Romans 2) or is even tempted by the same I would say...

And do not ever be proud of your judging either... right or wrong, whether that same wickedness is in you or not... When and where we feel we have to judge, it should be a regrettable thing always...

God Bless!

Neogaia777 · Jan 27, 2019

THE W said:
AKA..

don't be a hypocrite..

We are being a/the hypocrite, whenever and in whatever we do take up judging, always, and anyone who disagrees with me or this is hypocrite always...

Were all prone to the same things due to our fallen nature, some just cross the line from being prone or weak to it, to actually doing and or committing it/them, and we have to carefully decide when it cannot be allowed in the body of believers, and take appropriate action, if we have to, and only when and where we have to and it should be very regrettable...

We have no right judging another's state of salvation or their eternal destination either, ever, only God alone has that right...

S.O.J.I.A. · Jan 27, 2019

Neogaia777 said:
We are being a/the hypocrite, whenever and in whatever we do take up judging, always, and anyone who disagrees with me or this is hypocrite always...

Were all prone to the same things due to our fallen nature, some just cross the line from being prone or weak to it, to actually doing and or committing it/them, and we have to carefully decide when it cannot be allowed in the body of believers, and take appropriate action, if we have to, and only when and where we have to and it should be very regrettable...

We have no right judging another's state of salvation or their eternal destination either, ever, only God alone has that right...

judging another's behavior is not hypocritical in and of itself.

that's bad theology to think that.

SaintCody777 · Jan 27, 2019

SkyWriting said:
James 4
11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Law and judges it. And if you judge the Law, you are not a practitioner of the Law, but a judge of it.

Romans 14
13 Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

Romans 14
10 Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

1 Corinthians 4
5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

Slander and condemnation is NOT the same thing as rebuke to a sinning fellow and correct him or her (Galatians 6:1) (But this certainly does not mean that the church has to take any disciplinary action against those who speak out their disagreement on or demonstrate these opposing views against some pastor's or church doctrine, like cultish churches do).
All these "Judge Not" verses that nominal Christians point to, namely Luke 6:36-42 and Matthew 7 actually speak of hypocritical judgement. This is why these verses say, take out the speck from your eye, meaning recognize what you are doing is wrong, and you will see more clearly what your brother is doing.
Also, we are not to judge by mere appearances (John 7:21-4). For example, on a really hot day at a beach, you can't just automatically judge a man or a boy who has no shirt and is just in some swim trunks as an immodest guy or kid trying to get woman or girls to lust after him, just because he is shirtless. He has no shirt on probably (but not all the time, and certainly not anywhere) because his intent is to swim and sunbathe not to get woman to stumble.

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” Matthew 7:1

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