As Christians We Must Judge Righteously
As Christians We Must Judge Righteously
As Christians we do not judge a person’s life, i.e., sin, because we are all sinners (Matt 7:1)., we judge righteously according to the Word of God. The Bible commands us to judge fellow Christians teachings and their fruit. Those in the church we are to judge according to the Word of God. Those outside of the church we show them the error of their ways, preach the gospel to them and then leave them in God’s hands. We are also commanded to judge/test their teachings/doctrine to make sure it is correct and that it ties up with scripture.
There are many verses in the bible where we are told to JUDGE/TEST:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (Amplified Bible)
21But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
Matthew 7:15-20 (Amplified Bible)
15Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.
16You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.
18A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear [excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].
19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
20Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (Amplified Bible)
12What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]?
13God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you [expel him from your church].
1 Corinthians 14:29 (Amplified Bible)
29 So let two or three prophets speak [those inspired to preach or teach], while the rest pay attention and weigh and discern what is said.
John 7:24 (Amplified Bible)
24Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.
Titus 1:9-16 (Amplified Bible)
9He must hold fast to the sure and trustworthy Word of God as he was taught it, so that he may be able both to give stimulating instruction and encouragement in sound (wholesome) doctrine and to refute and convict those who contradict and oppose it [showing the wayward their error].
10For there are many disorderly and unruly men who are idle (vain, empty) and misleading talkers and self-deceivers and deceivers of others. [This is true] especially of those of the circumcision party [who have come over from Judaism].
11Their mouths must be stopped, for they are mentally distressing and subverting whole families by teaching what they ought not to teach, for the purpose of getting base advantage and disreputable gain.
12One of their [very] number, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, hurtful beasts, idle and lazy gluttons.
13And this account of them is [really] true. Because it is [true], rebuke them sharply [deal sternly, even severely with them], so that they may be sound in the faith and free from error,
14[And may show their soundness by] ceasing to give attention to Jewish myths and fables or to rules [laid down] by [mere] men who reject and turn their backs on the Truth.
15To the pure [in heart and conscience] all things are pure, but to the defiled and corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are defiled and polluted.
16They profess to know God [to recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and [they are] unfit and worthless for good work (deed or enterprise) of any kind.
1 John 4 (Amplified Bible)
1BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
See article: https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2018/03/18/ravenous-wolves-sheeps-clothing/
Maggie
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I’ve noticed people have gotten on new bandwagon lately by saying “he who is without sin let him cast the first stone” But I think to myself wasn’t Jesus was referring actual literal stones?
Another thing I wonder Does casting the mote out of your eye mean you are to be completely free from all sins before judging ?
Hi Laura,
Stoning was a way of execution in the Old Testament. It is still practiced by Muslims in the Middle East. Jesus actually said to the rabble who wanted to stone a woman who was caught in adultery, “You are all sinners and you yourselves need to be executed for your transgressions against God just as much as this woman who was caught in adultery.”
No one can ever be sinless this side of the grave. In fact, the Bible warns that whoever boasts that he or she is without sin is not saved. To say you are sinless is tantamount to saying you don’t need Jesus to be your Saviour because He came to the world to save sinners and not those who think they are sinless. (1 John 1:8; 1 Timothy 1:15). So, as you can see, Matthew 7:5 does not mean that you first need to be sinless to rebuke others for their sins. It simply means I cannot rebuke someone for sins I myself are guilty of. I cannot, for instance, tell someone smoking is a sin whilst I myself am a smoking chimney. I must first confess that sin and abandon it before I can rebuke someone else for that particular sin. At any rate, the best way to rebuke someone for their sin, is to tell them that you were once guilty of doing those very same sins but that God in his wonderful mercy has forgiven you and now you are living a life of victory over those sins in the Name of Jesus.