Because of the content that I might highly blog on, I think it is important to start off with one concerning Christians and judging.
I think there is a lot of misunderstanding and lack of biblical knowledge that comes into play when dealing with this issue. I’ll try to be brief and simple.
Because the word judge has different meanings, I think it is important to understand the context or situation the following type of comments are made:
* “Don’t Judge me.”
* “Who are you to Judge me.”
* “The bible says Christians are not to Judge.”
This is why people misunderstand Matthew 7:1 when Jesus said “Judge not, les ye be judged.” People read this and in error, applied it out of context. If you read this in its proper context, it’s referring to hypocritical judgment.
In John 7:24 , “judge not by appearance, yet judge righteous judgment,” Jesus is referring to and actually mentions “righteous judgment.”
This verse, not in its proper context, would present a contradiction in the bible. No Christian will ever tell you the bible contradicts itself. I believe the bible does not contradict itself. I think the mis-education of the bible renders contradictions. But correctly taught an applied, it does not contradict itself and Christians are not to judge hypocritically, but are to judge righteously.
What can be more righteous then the word of God?
A further study of judging will tell us that we are to judge other Christians and God will judge those who are not Christians.
I think what people are really saying is either:
* Don’t criticize or correct me
* Don’t tell me I’m going to hell for what I’m doing
* Don’t tell me I’m doing something wrong
In other words, they don’t want you to rebuke them. The bible clearly instructs us to rebuke our brothers and sisters when they are living in error of the word of God.
If you live by the word of God, no one will be able to see you to be blamed. Therefore no one will be able to “righteously judge” you.
