Please Judge

Please Judge

Romans 2:1-16; Romans 7:1; Colossians 1:28

Listen to the first words of Romans 2:1 and Matthew 7:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else...”

“Judge not that you be not judged.”

Based just on those two scriptures, and some others like them, How many of us were taught that it is wrong to judge others.”

Sure you were. In church... by parents and grandparents.

The term “judgment” is one of those words we have allowed the world to rob from us. It is a very scriptural and Christian word.

However, “judgment” and “judgmental” have been allowed to take on a pejorative meaning.... a negative definition.

Words like “righteous” and “saint” and “wrath” have been allowed to become negative words and the church has tended to drop them like hot potatoes.

In reality, judgment means the assertion of right.

However, it is now used mostly in the negative sense of “to criticize or censure.”

Today, it is a big No-No for any person to pass any judgment or express any negative opinion on the actions or beliefs of any other person.

It is seen as an expression of superiority or “self-righteousness.

In fact, you may see me that way when I tell you that if anyone taught you that it is wrong to judge others for their actions or lifestyle or thoughts or words... THEY WERE WRONG!

See, that makes me seem conceited or stuck-up to say that I am right and they are wrong.

However, you need to understand...

Not all lawnmowers are equal

Not all carpenters are equal

Not all opinions are equal

Not all understandings of scripture are equal

Today I hope to give you a good understanding on the subject of JUDGING OTHERS

First of all understand Romans 2:1-16 does not say it is wrong to judge others for their life or their theology, or their actions.

It says it is wrong to think that you can judge others for their sin and then think that God will overlook your sin.

When verse two says you are condemning yourself... it does not mean you are condemned for judging. It means you are condemned because you held others up to a certain level of accountability... and you did not live up to that level.

The very fact that you know the truth, so you can hold them accountable is proof that you knew to live up to that level.

EXAMPLE: If you see your neighbor bringing home tools he stole from work and you confront him and accuse him of sin... and then you go home and fill out your taxes and don’t report that side job.

READ THE SCRIPTURE— “because you who pass judgment DO THE SAME THING.”

It is not the judgment that was wrong... it was that YOU DO THE SAME THING.

You would not be wrong to go to your neighbor and judge him for stealing.... if you went home and changed your 1040 to report the side job.

So what is the real problem with judging? (V. 5) You are going to force God to bring His wrath on you on the day of judgment.

Look at Matthew 7:1-2. “Judge not that you be not judged.”

Does this mean that if we do not judge the actions of others, but live and let live, that God will not judge us for our wrong either?

NO!!! A thousand times NO!!!!

If we know anything from scripture we know that God will judge every man for his actions.

It is said over and over in the Bible.

Look at v. 6 6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.”

That calls for us to judge others. We have to judge whether others are dogs and pigs... unspiritual, ungodly characters. We are called to evaluate their character on the basis of their actions.... THAT IS JUDGMENT!!!!!!

Verse 1 sounds like Don’t judge... Verse 6 calls for us to judge.

Why do you think Paul spent so much time writing to the churches to describe the false teachers... SO THEY COULD JUDGE THE FALSE FROM THE TRUE!!

Why did Jesus spend so much time preaching about the true kingdom of God? SO WE COULD JUDGE THE TRUE FROM THE FALSE!!!

Does God want us to judge? YES!!!!

Is it wrong to judge? NO!

It is wrong to judge by the wrong standard.

It is wrong to judge with bias

It is wrong to judge others and not apply the same judgment to us.

The Word of God is very plain

1. ALL MEN WILL BE JUDGED..... BY GOD.

Heb. 9:27 It is appointed to all once to die and then the judgment.