Olsen Park Church of Christ


“Don’t Judge Me”

Introduction. It is not uncommon, in discussions with our friends, classmates, or neighbors, when an issue of behavior is raised—if someone ever questions whether what someone else is doing is right—to hear the cry “Don’t judge me!” This is true of many things such as homosexuality, adultery, premarital sex, drug use, or abortion. But it is also true when talking to people about matters of faith. “Don’t judge me...”

        If I don’t want to go to church.

        If I don’t believe in Jesus.

        If I reject the Bible.

Sometimes, even Christians will respond with anger and say “don’t judge me!” if issues arise such as drinking, dancing, immodest clothing, or divorce and remarriage.

I. “Judge Not, That You Be Not Judged.”

A.    The Bible teaches a time when we must not judge (Matt. 7:1-2).

1.      This concerns judgment of others without considering our own behavior (Matt. 7:3-5). We will look at this further in a moment.

2.      This concerns the harshness of our judgment of others (Matt. 7:2).

3.      Yet, it assumes the importance of correction of behavior (Matt. 7:5). Correction is not the judgment that is condemned.

B.     Speaking evil of others is a judgment that is condemned (James 4:11-12).

1.      This is not condemnation of correction (cf. James 5:19-20).

2.      It is judgment of motives, which only God can know (James 4:12).

3.      It is slander, gossip, and backbiting which harms others rather than helping them.

C.     Judgment must not be contrary to what God has revealed.

1.      When the Law of Christ had come, elements of the Mosaic Law could no longer be bound (Col. 2:16-17).

2.      Liberty God’s word has granted cannot be condemned by others (Rom. 14:3-13).

a.       Why isn’t this correction? Because God’s word has granted liberty.

b.      Is this just personal opinion? No. God has spoken on these things—therefore we cannot judge “another’s servant” (Rom. 14:4).

c.       Does this mean anything is acceptable? No. We will all “stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Rom. 14:10). We will each “give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12).

3.      The standard of judgment is God’s word. We will look at this more a little later.

D.    Hypocritical judgment is “inexcusable” (Rom. 2:1-6).

1.      Just as Jesus taught in Matthew 7:1-5, we have no right to correct others when we have not corrected ourselves.

2.      In doing this we can condemn ourselves (Rom. 2:1).

3.      God’s judgment is “according to truth” (Rom. 2:2). Jesus taught that God’s “word is truth” (John 17:17).

4.      No one will escape the “judgment of God” (Rom. 2:3).

II. What Does it Mean to “Judge”?

A.    It is to compare something according to a standard. We noted that Paul taught that God’s judgment is “according to truth” (Rom. 2:2). Jesus states this even more specifically...

1.      Christ’s words will judge on the last day (John 12:47-48).

2.      On judgment day Jesus will judge all the world according to the standard of His word (Matt. 25:31-32). “The father has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).

3.      No human being can make this judgment.

B.     Human beings can play roles in the judgment of others.

1.      Civil authority has the right to judge wrongdoing (Rom. 13:1-4). In the same sermon when Jesus taught “judge not” he acknowledged behavior that can allow one to be delivered over “to the judge” and even be imprisoned (Matt. 5:25).

2.      Churches must make judgments concerning discipline (Matt. 18:15-17). When Paul commands the Corinthians to withdraw from a man who was committing fornication with his father’s wife, he claims “I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed” (1 Cor. 5:1-5).

3.      Our life can serve to “judge” others. The disciples of the Pharisees who cast out demons served to judge the Pharisees when they claimed Jesus did so by Beelzebub (Matt. 12:27). Jesus teaches that the men of Nineveh who repented at the preaching of Jonah will “condemn” the cities that heard Jesus and rejected Him—because they repented (Matt. 12:41). This is the sense in which Scripture teaches the apostles will judge the twelve tribes (Matt. 19:28) and Christians shall judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3).

a.       This is comparison of our life in relation to the behavior of others.

b.      It is not the same type of judgment Christ makes of the world.

c.       The standard is still the word of God.

C.     Without a standard life would be chaos. “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law”(Prov. 29:18).

1.      If no comparison or correction was allowed any and all behavior would be acceptable (murder, theft, rape, torture—anything).

D.    We have a right to expect and encourage behavior that conforms to standards set by proper authority.

1.      Christ holds absolute authority (Matt. 28:18).

2.      God will judge all the earth. Abraham’s description long ago remains true—the Lord is “the judge of all the earth” (Gen. 18:25).

3.      At best, man can simply urge other men to prepare to stand before the judge—this is not a judgment that is improper—it is a judgment that must be done. Without it no one will follow the standard of God’s word.

III. When Are Christians Commanded to Judge Others?

A.    We are commanded to judge brethren.

1.      In order to correct behavior (1 Cor. 5:9-13).

2.      In order to resolve conflicts (1 Cor. 6:1-5).

B.     We are commanded to “judge” what is spoken. Even in the age of miraculous spiritual gifts the church was commanded to listen to what was spoken and “judge” its soundness (1 Cor. 14:29). John commands us to “test the spirits” whether they are from God (1 John 4:1-3).

C.     We are commanded to “judge” ourselves (1 Cor. 11:31-32). Yet, this judgment does not guarantee that we are right (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1-4).

D.    We are commanded to make “righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

1.      This is judgment according to the truth, not just the appearance.

2.      In matters of behavior, this is truth according to God’s word.

3.      Christians are to help others shape their behavior according to truth. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

Conclusion. We do not have the right to imagine that we can act as Christ will on the day of judgment to save or condemn others. We do not have the right to judge motives, or to excuse our own behavior while hypocritically judging others. We are to help others come to truth, and this requires that we look to the standard by which all will one day be judged—the word of God.

Kyle Pope 2014

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