To Judge or Not

To Judge or Not

To judge or not to judge? That is the question. And rightly so, since that the Lord has said “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Mat 7:1, KJV).

But this verse has raised concerns to a few why discernment ministries such as this one and?The Bereans: Apologetics Research Ministry?are able to label “false” the prophet-, the teacher-, and the apostle-wannabees since they thought Christians are not supposed to judge another.

Is Mat. 7:1 a sweeping statement that left Christians in the dark and ill equipped to distinguish the false from the true, the lie from the truth, and the bad from the good? And if our leaders are left in this type of darkness, what would become of the followers who are learners, will they not stumble?

A quick survey of the New Testament Scriptures reveal that the answer depends on where the limitation lies. That if we’re supposed to judge, we’re not to step beyond the limit.

Not to Judge

Every judge has his own measuring stick, the problem is if that measuring stick becomes subjective, flawed or corrupted. John 8:15 says, “You judge by HUMAN STANDARDS” (NIV) that is, “after the flesh” in KJV. Carnal judgment is subjective, flawed and corrupted thus we must avoid it.

Carnal judgment is hypocritical. The Lord said in Mat. 7:5, “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Instead of being quick to judge others, we must first examine and correct ourselves before we even try to address the fault of others. (See also 1 Cor 11:31 and Jas 4:11.)

Carnal judgment is also superficial. It is merely based on appearances.? In John 7:24 the Lord said “Judge not according to appearance”. So we must avoid this. Example of this is how we express our devotion to God as well as the maturity of everyone’s faith. Some people show their devotion by abstinence or fasting, yet others value certain days of worship. Some?believers are more mature than the others. ?”Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way” (Rom 14:13). Please read also Rom. 14:1-10.

Another example is what motivates us to serve God, 1 Cor. 4:5 says, “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the MOTIVES of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” (See also Col 2:16)

And so, don’t judge by hypocritical human standards, don’t judge based on appearances and more importantly, don’t judge the motives or sincerity of your brother’s devotion to God.

To Judge

“Judge righteous judgment” says John 7:24b (KJV). What constitutes a righteous judgment?

To judge is to decide, to try, to assess something or someone. A judge is a person who is able to weigh in evidences and critically listens to arguments before he passes on his verdict.? That is why in Mat. 7:2 the Lord continued, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the MEASURE you use, it will be MEASURED to you.” Everyone has his own measuring stick albeit subjectively. Can we not?find something objective, a standard of sort so that everyone will be able to use it to discern what is true and what is not? We do. We have the Scriptures!

We read in 1 Corinthians 5-6 that when the Apostle Paul learned how the church at Corinth was condoning a brother for having sexual relationship with his father’s wife, they got a stern rebuke from him. He said in 1 Cor. 5:2, 9, 11,? “And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?… I have WRITTEN you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people… But now I am WRITING you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat” (NIV).

The Gospel Scripture is our standard measuring stick. It is written for us so that we can know what is righteous and true. With it the saints will judge the world (1 Cor 6:2) and the angels (1 Cor 6:3). Therefore we should not shy away from disciplining sinning brothers (1 Cor 5:12) nor from judging disputes between them (1 Cor 6:4-5).?But what the “prophets” say should also be judged, read 1 Cor. 14:29,

“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others JUDGE.” (NJKV)

We’re not to sit idly when wannabees dare speak of things contrary to the one true eternal Gospel already given to us. Whatever they say must be weighed in. The early Christians of Berea were called “noble” for not being gullible.?They were open minded yet cautious?and what Paul taught, they proved from the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).? And so,?whatever these wannabees are trying to sell us, we must turn to our standard measuring stick. Even if he is an angel. Gal 1:9 says,

“As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that ye have received, let him be?accursed” (KJV).

The Lord did not leave us in the dark after all. The Gospel has been illuminated for us by the Holy Spirit so that we may be able to judge in righteousness and determine what is right and what is wrong, to distinguish what is true and what is false, and to ascertain what is righteous and what is wicked.

John wrote to his?friends who were early church leaders, followers and learners and told them, “Dear friends, DO NOT BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT, but TEST the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many FALSE PROPHETS have gone out into the world.” (1Jn. 4:1 NIV). It is telling right now,? “Hey guys, don’t be gullible, test these wannabees.”

But test them how? Test them from the Scriptures. Originally written to test Gnostic heretics in the early Church who denied the human nature of?the?Lord, John gave them a criteria in 1 Jn. 4:2-3. Here are some other useful criteria:

• Deut. 18:22 – unfulfilled prophecies
• Jer. 23:16 – they make up?empty promises and give you false hopes
• Mat. 7:15-23?- they produce evil fruits; evil doers
• Mat. 24:4-5 – they claim to be Christ Jesus in the flesh
• 2 Cor. 11:4 – they preach another Jesus, another Gospel, and they possess a different spirit
• 2 Thes. 2:9-12 – they do not love the truth
• 1 Tim. 4:1-3 – they pay attention to deceitful demons
• 2 Tim. 4:2 – unsound doctrines and they suit their own desires
• 2 Pet. 2:1 – they introduce heretical teachings

Rarely do we find a wannabee who possesses all the above characteristics what they do rather is go undetected by mixing the truth with errors but as the Gal. 5:9 says, “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”?In the last days, they will increase not only in number but also in power. The Lord has already forewarned us of this in Mat. 24:24:

“For false Christs and false?prophets will appear and PERFORM GREAT SIGNS and MIRACLES to deceive even the elect–if that were possible.” (NIV)

But if we cannot identify them now for?the mere seductive words they?offer us, how worst can?it be for the whole church when the day comes that they are given demonic powers to do great signs and wonders?

We may not know their true motives for us to condemn their lack of sincerity but with the Scriptures, we can find out if they are sincere but sincerely mistaken.