IS IT ALWAYS WRONG FOR CHRISTIANS TO JUDGE?

Pastor James J. Barker

Text: MATTHEW 7:1-6




INTRODUCTION:


  1. Most people today do not know much about the Bible. Year after year, the Bible comes up #1 on the best-selling lists (and the KJV is still the most popular translation). But even though people are buying the Bible, this does not mean people are reading the Bible, or that they understand the Bible.
  2. For example, every now and then we will hear some worldly fellow quote Matt.7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." This is one of the few verses in the Bible some people know.
  3. And according to them, this Scripture teaches that we are never to judge other people. If someone gets drunk and a Christian criticizes his behaviour, he is told: "Don’t judge!" This also applies to almost any kind of sinful behaviour as we recently observed by our nation’s reaction to President Clinton’s adulteries and perjuries.
  4. Let me start out by stating that our Lord is not here condemning critical judgment (cf. 7:6,15-20). What he is condemning is the fault-finding spirit that is quick to judge without knowing all the facts, or judging people’s motives, etc.
  5. Some people are hyper-critical and some people are hypocritical and this is always wrong. Remember, the Pharisees were hypocrites ("Thou hypocrite" – 7:5).
  6. Spurgeon said "the Pharisees were great at censuring, but slow at amending." Unfortunately there are too many Baptists like that (cf. James 4:11,12).

 

I. SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS MUST EXERCISE JUDGMENT.

    1. It is not always wrong to judge – in fact it is sometimes necessary (cf. I Cor.5; 2:15; 10:15; Luke 7:43; 12:57; John 7:24).
    2. We must exercise judgment when it comes to church discipline (Matt.18:15-17).
    3. We are to "mark them" which teach false doctrine (Rom.16:17). And we are to "avoid them." This means we must judge them.
    4. Sometimes this even means separating from fellow Christians (II Thess.3:14,15).
    5. We are not supposed to fellowship with unbelievers (II Cor.6:14-7:1; II John 9-11). This all involves some sort of judging; otherwise, how could one determine who to separate from? Many religious unbelievers profess to be Christians. If we are to "come out from among them" (II Cor.6:17), then we must judge whether or not they are saved or lost.
    6. This applies to our soulwinning as well. In our zeal to get the Gospel out, let us not give "that which is holy unto the dogs" (Matt.7:6). Our Lord is not speaking here of some cute household pets but of wild, ferocious scavengers that roamed the dirty streets of Israel.

 

II. WE ARE NOT TO JUDGE PEOPLES’ MOTIVES.

    1. We must be careful not to judge before all the facts are in. Oftentimes people make hasty judgments that are not right.
    2. Spurgeon said, "If you impute motives, and pretend to read hearts, others will do the same towards you" (cf. 7:2).
    3. By the way, this same principle of measure for measure applies to hearing and giving also (cf. Mark 4:23-25; Luke 6:37,38).
    4. We should not judge a fellow Christian over "doubtful disputations" (Rom.14:1, cf. 14:4,10-13).
    5. Let us remember that God is keeping a record and there is a day coming when He will straighten everything out (I Cor.4:5).

 

III. WE ARE TO JUDGE OURSELVES.

    1. Here is where many Christians fail. They are quick to judge others, but slow to judge themselves when it should be the other way around (cf. I Cor.11:28; II Cor.13:5).
    2. "Judgment must begin at the house of God" (I Peter 4:17,18).
    3. If we judge ourselves regularly it is less likely that others will judge us because we will cut the sin off at the root before it grows and becomes more noticeable.
    4. Getting back to our text in the Sermon on the Mount, the procedure of getting a mote out of someone’s eye (Matt.7:4) is a very difficult one. The eye is very sensitive, the most sensitive organ in the body.
    5. Therefore, the person who attempts to do this must be right with God. He must be sincere, sensitive, humble, etc.

CONCLUSION:

  1. We are living in a strange day when it is alright (even "good") to be a pervert, or a liar, or an abortionist, etc.
  2. But there is one thing that is considered bad in 1999. The only thing that is not acceptable today is being "judgmental" (especially if you are a fundamental Christian).
  3. Here are some guidelines: we should never say what is untrue; we should avoid saying what is unkind; and we should try not to say what is unnecessary.
  4. "Great King, how much wisdom thy precepts require! I need thee, not only to open my mouth, but also at times to keep it shut" (CHS).


| Customized by Jun Gapuz |