All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Correcting one another, is it scriptural? Are we called to Judge?
20 YEARS AGO THE MOST KNOWN VERSE BY THE WORLD WAS JOHN 3:16
John 3:16 (New International Version)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,a]'>[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
However that has not been the case for a long time now. The text unbelievers and believers alike are extremely familiar with today is found in:
Matthew 7
Judging Others
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 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 then turn and tear you to pieces.
What do you think is the biblical stance, are we to judge or not?
Why do we have such a hard time correcting one another, doing the work of reconciliation?
What is Matthew 7 really teaching?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bruce on
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do not Judge - jesus said
that means accepting others as they are and loving them.
If a person needs help and wants to change - help them.
If they do not want to change - accept them and move on -- do not give your pearls to pigs.
for reconciliation to occur -- both parties must want it
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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"Do not judge," in context of the verse means we do not judge in a hypocritical manner. It means we check our walk before we check anyone else’s. It may mean accepting others as they are and loving them depending on the particular situation, but at times accepting others is an initial response to allow the Holy Spirit to work in their heart as we continue to challenge individuals to align to scripture.
In a world harping tolerance and pressing for us to become flexible to sin, this is an important issue.
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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Jesus is telling us not to pronounce judgement.....He is telling us to discern another person's actions. We are to try to understand their actions. There is such a finality in judgment. Not so with discernment as it can change.
When we judge a person, it is something that sticks. No matter how far down the road we go, our judgment of a person remains. It is a final action. Jesus doesn't want us to judge because of the finality of it. Besides, that is for Him to do.
I appreciate your response, Bruce.
Blessings.....
Rita
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Thanks Rita
when we are non- judgemental we have a real chance of changing the other persons behaviour. I listen to them and avoid scripture. Most people want to change for the better and that leads them to Christ. It can be a long journey and requires patience on the part of the helper.
When my life required change, I did not find out my helper was christian until two years had passed. That was very powerful. Now, becuase of their non judgemental assistance, I am a Christian. God works well with my helper.
Regards Bruce
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Bruce -
There is an important distinction to be made between judging all matters righteously and having a judgmental (negative) attitude.
There is also an important distinction to be made between how we proceed at times in our treatment to a specific situation in which we use righteous judgment when dealing with those within the household of the Lord and those outside of it.
When we do as God leads us, we have a real opportunity to be vessels God works through. We then can influence the behavior of others by the working of the Holy Spirit through us. The Holy Spirit will lead us and give us the discernment on how to proceed with each individual. God may lead us to point out to some in the household or outside of it, their sin, which may come off as judgmental at times for some, but we do as God tells us and not according to trends or human tactics.
We should listen and seek to bless everyone God places in our path and at times we avoid scripture if that is what God leads us to do. We use scriptural wisdom without quoting verses. with others, God may lead us to share scripture with, so again, we must do as God leads us, but we should not boxed him in, rather allow him to use us as He sees fit. Even if to others we come off as judgmental, we should all do according to God’s leading. John the Baptist was killed for being what would today be label Judgmental, but he was doing God’s work. There is nothing more powerful than the word of God and we should seek to share it every chance God places in our path to do so.
What leads people to Christ is the Father, for no one can come to Jesus without God the Father leading them to Christ. Once God has started work in the human heart, than and only than do we seek God.
I am not trying to hammer you brother nor do I seek to argue with you, I simply share these observations.
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Permalink Reply by RoyW on
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Very good observation - I think that avoiding Scripture would be a rarity rather than the norm. The Scripture gives hope and help. The sooner one learns of its benefits, the better.
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Bruce,
I frequently come up against things that require a great deal of discernment. My normal is to pray about what I see or hear or feel rgarding another. I ask God my questions. He finds it fitting to answer. With the answer I receive, I plan my response around this discernment.
If I am inclined to be judgmental towards a person, I try to speak with God BEFORE I act or speak out. There is a small child that I am close to that God miraculously healed of cancer. The doctors had given up hope for her survival but she was healed. Now the cancer is back. It seemed to me that the family involved wasn't pray and thanking God. They weren't in church. Things didn't seem to have changed for them. I wanted to be judgmental towards them. God told me no. Last Sunday, the mother and grandfather were in church. We anointed and prayed for the child after the service. While all were praying, I prayed for the grandfather. He used to come to our chuch and used to take part in our gatherings but he stopped. I wonder if God didn't allow the cancer to return long enough for us to pray for him and get him back on the right path.
If I had held him in judgment, I wouldn't have been praying for him last Sunday. I would have left my prayers for the child. But, I already knew that God would heal her.....he is the one that needed the prayer.
Blessings.....
Rita
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Rita,
You do realize that there really isn't much difference in the definitions for judgment and discernment. Their definitions intersect at numerous points as seen in the Webster Dictionary. The greatest difference arises when one takes the place of "a judge" with authority to pronounce a verdict followed by a sentence. The term judge is a form of discernment and when we use discernment we are applying judgments based on the information before us. None of us who believe we are to judge rightly assume that we have the power to judge unto condemnation. Only God has that power.
IMO most peole misunderstand the meaning of numerous words with judging (judge) and discipline being two of those words. They are not negative words unless placed into context and used in a negative fashion or wrongly by the individual.
Lord Bless,
LT
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LT
The reason that I use different words is because they mean different thing to me.
Judge is posing an opinion...where discern is detecting. Many of us today, don't do much detecting and we do speak our opinion as though we have authority. Therefore, I use the two different words.
It probably comes from me learning not to judge others. I just don't use the word and what it implies. My favorite word to use is *suspect*. I use it because I don't know. I do have my *suspicions about a person, but I don't judge them because I may have my thoughts wrong.
To me discipline is a teaching word. God disciplines us when He is teaching us. If God has to use harsher methods with me, I deserve it and I know I deserve it. I also try to learn what He is teaching me. If I were to take all His discipline with a personal affront, I never would learn anything. I would be mad with Him continually.
I understand your post and your concern with your post, however. Please know that I try to enlist my dictionary when I differentiate between words and their meanings.
Blessings to you.....
Rita
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Key point: It matters not how you mean to use it unless you define it (as you have attempted to do above) because most people will hear it according to their understanding and apply it accordingly. That is why communicating in this fashion can be challenging. We tend, meaning me as well, to assume that peole think just like us.
Do you think that when we discern we are forming opinions based on avaialble information and if someone is making a judgment should that not be based on available information as well?
Food for thought.
Lord Bless,
LT
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LT
There is judgment that is condemnation and there is judgment that is discernment.
I try to do the discerning (judgment) rather than the condemnation (judgment). Don't know if that makes sense to you.
Blessings.....
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