The undisputed Bible verse champ is now Matthew 7:1. John 3:16 had a great run. Is judging others wrong? Is judging others really the ultimate sin? What does the Bible say about judging others?
Judging others is not an unrighteous act and is often required. Jesus warned us about the reciprocal nature of judging others, however. It’s important that we keep judgment in its proper context and do so righteously and not with malice. Proceed with caution.
Judging Others — The Ultimate Sin
My wife and I are reading the book Faithfully Different by Natasha Crain. We fully recommend this book! Crain states that modern society believes that judging others is the ultimate soon. She is right.
Voddie Baucham Jr., states that the 11th commandment is “Thou Shalt Not Judge” and we ignored the previous ten commandments.
What does Jesus say about judging others? Does the Bible prohibit the act of judging others? Let’s get to it!
Judging Others — What Did Jesus Say?
Jesus clearly warned about reciprocal judgment in Matthew 7:1 and Luke 6:37.
Matthew 7:1-2 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Jesus was not forbidding the judgment of others. He issued a warning to unrighteous judges.
Matthew 7:6 Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:15 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
How can one determine what is sacred or dangerous without issuing some type of judgment?
Luke 12:57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
Jesus, speaking about discerning the times, encouraged His disciples to judge what is right.
John 7:24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.
Jesus teaches us how to judge.
John 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.
The Word will be our judge in the last days.
The Acts of the Apostles
Acts 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
Acts 13:10 You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
Paul must not have received the “Judge Not” memo.
Acts 17:31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.
Judging Others — Rome & Corinth
Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Paul is not telling the Romans to stop judging others. What is he doing, then? Pointing out another’s sin does not free us from God’s judgment. God’s standard is perfection. Christians often feel morally superior when they point out others’ sins. Pointing out another’s sin can dangerously make us feel like we’ve arrived. We have not arrived.
Romans 2:16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
When I hear a person say, “God knows my heart!” I cringe. God judges our secrets through the perfection of Christ. That should be terrifying!
Corinth
I Corinthians 4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
Paul had his moments of snarkiness.
I Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
This verse reminds me of the parable of the wheat and tares.
I Corinthians 5:12-13 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
Paul here commands the church to judge those inside the church. God judges those who are outside of His kingdom.
This is a tough line to follow and requires wisdom (my article on sharing your faith without being a turd).
Ostracize those who claim to be Christians and practice sinful and unrepentant behavior. This requires judgment. It also requires a spirit of gentleness.
Judging Others — God
Hebrews 10:30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
I Peter 1:17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
I Peter 4:5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Jude 14-15 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Final Judgment
Revelation 20:12-14 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
A Final Word On Judging Others
We’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s perfect standard. Judging others does not free us from God’s wrath or judgment.
Judge with a pure motive. Do it only to help someone and not to embarrass them. Proceed with caution.
Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.