Righteous Judgment

Introduction. Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath.  Because of this the Jews sought to kill Him (John 5:1-18).  Because of this much of his work was confined to Galilee. When the feast comes, Jesus goes secretly to Jerusalem. In discussions that arise while he is in Jerusalem, Jesus responds...  John 7:19-24.  The appearance of things said, “this is a work done on the Sabbath!”  Jesus illustrates that healing is no different that circumcision.  It was not a sin to do the one, so neither is it a sin to do the other!

      In this lesson, let’s consider what is involved in “righteous judgment” as well as what it means to be guilty of “judging by appearances.”  We will try to come to understand when, as Christians we should and should not judge.

I.  Judging by Appearance.  Judging by appearance can occur in a number of ways:

•  Judging motives and...

•  Showing partiality (James 2:1-4). When we show partiality we are judges with evil thoughts.  In this text they are looking at someone’s clothes or wealth and determining, “This person is worthy of our attention and teaching”—and then the poor man and saying, “This person doesn’t really love God.”  How do we know?  What does wealth have to do with serving God?  What do clothes have to do with being a disciple? (We are not talking about modesty—Yes, we are to give our best.  The poor may be giving their best!)

•  Superficial application of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15,16). Notice that we are to rightly divide Scripture.  The problem in John 7 was hasty in making improper application of Scripture.  We need to be “people of the Book.”  Only then can we make righteous judgments.  Example:  I once studied with a young woman who was in an adulterous relationship. She was unscripturally divorced and remarried. As she studied the Lord’s teaching on divorce, I didn’t have to push her to understand—she came to see “My marriage isn’t right, is it?” But, she then saw a dilemma. She didn’t understand, “How could she divorce the husband she had unlawfully if the Lord disapproves of divorce?”  The answer comes in “rightly dividing” Scripture. Matthew 19:6 teaches,“what God has joined together” man is not to separate. God never joins a man with a man, a woman with a woman, or an adulterer with an adulterer!                     

II.  Righteous Judgment (Luke 12:57). We are not to judge by appearance, but we are to use “righteous judgment.”  That which is “righteous” is “doing what is right” (Luke 12:57).  We should judge what is right, proper, true, or correct. How are we to use righteous judgment?

•  Judgment without hypocrisy (Romans 2:1-5). Hypocritical judgment is inexcusable. It is not “righteous judgment.”

•  Judgment according to Scripture (John 12:47,48). The word judges a person. We must allow it to determine truth. It is not about our opinions, wishes, or traditions. Judgment according to Scripture is “righteous judgment.”

•  Judgment within the church (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). We are not the ultimate judge of others, but as we look to Scripture, it is our responsibility to help our brethren in their efforts to follow Scripture. We are to judge those inside the church. This is a form of “righteous judgment.”

•  Disputes among brethren (1 Corinthians 6:1-5). Not only in matters of right and wrong but in conflicts, or personality, or attitudes, brethren should be able to judge between brethren with “righteous judgment.”

•  Correcting, rebuking and exposing error. This can involve turning a sinner from error (James 5:19-20).  We are to restore one who is overtaken in a trespass (Galatians 6:1). We are to expose works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). We are to rebuke the one who sins (Luke 17:3). The preacher must rebuke sins (2 Timothy 4:2).

III.  When or what must we not judge?

•  In hypocrisy (Matthew 7:1-5).  The Lord really addresses a number of things in this text:  1.) Harshness in judgment.  The measure we use in judging others will be applied to us.  2.)  Blindness to our own problems.  Hypocrisy destroys effectiveness of rebuke.  3.)  How to make righteous judgment effective.  First remove the speck - then the speck of a brother. 

•  Matters of indifference (Romans 14:1-13). Paul is not talking here about things which are sin before God (but someone imagines it is permitted). He is talking about things that God neither disapproves nor approves.  We must not judge each other in matters of indifference or preference.  (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:29; Colossians 2:16).  There may be matters that are issues of maturity and growth (i.e. modesty, behavior, language, habits).  Although these may not be matters of indifference we must be patient with the spiritually immature as we try to teach them.  We can never ignore sin—but we must leave to God (and not our judgment) what constitutes sin and rebellion on the part of a babe in Christ.

•  Things “before the time” (1 Corinthians 4:1-4).  We should judge nothing before the time.  This seems to apply to both the positive and the negative judgment.  For example, we might look at someone and conclude, “This brother has a first class ticket to heaven!”  How do we know?  Only God knows!  By the same token, while we can point people to Scripture, allowing God’s word to reveal someone’s spiritual condition—when we go beyond this and put ourselves in the position of judging one’s eternal fate we put ourselves in the place of God!  We must leave the final condition of a person’s soul to God.  In doing that we let God’s word judge them.

•  By speaking evil of a brother (James 4:11-12). Speaking evil of a brother is judging a brother.  This is not rebuke—which is constructive.  This is gossip!  This is judgment of motives or worth before God.  It is wrong.

Conclusion.  While we must not judge by appearances or with partiality and hypocrisy, we must make righteous judgments regarding what the word of God does and does not teach.  In so doing we leave the judgment to God.  Making righteous judgment is not intended to exalt one person over another—but rather it is intended to help us, and those with whom we are teaching and working go to heaven.