There is only Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:12)
Have you ever run into another believer who has what is known as a judgmental spirit? I have found my self in situations like that and must say it’s very uncomfortable, and I find my self reflecting on the words of Jesus in John 12:47-48. “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.”
Jesus clearly points out that He did not come to judge. Therefore, it goes against what we should be doing as followers of Christ if we begin judging others. I must confess that there have been, and sadly still are, times when I place my self on the judgment seat, looking down on others. When I find myself doing that I must take a step back and remember God’s grace in my own life; I must then get up off that judgment seat and impart the same grace that God has given me.
When we take on a critical spirit we not only set ourselves above the Law, we set ourselves also above God. God is the only one who can “save and destroy,” only God has the right to judge! Judgmentalism is not only arrogant it’s blasphemous. Jesus gives a warning about judging others in 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.”
I have heard some say “you shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:14-23), and then proceed to cast judgment on them. This is a justification, which also takes that passage out of context; this is a tact the Lie Whisperer uses over and over. Only God knows the heart of each person. I don’t know about you, but my heart is very wicked and if I don’t stay focused on Jesus moment by moment I am not living in total obedience to Him. I have a forest of planks in my own eye to be concerned about instead of trying to remove the speck in my brothers. “You 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.” (Matthew 7:5)
Because of that plank, which can be a judgmental spirit, I can end up doing a lot more damage then good. Because we are sinful beings our judgment can and will be severely impaired. I for one am so very glad and thank God with all my heart that I will not be judged by sinful human counterparts. James addresses this issue because the sin of judging others will destroy the body of Christ. Because of what Christ did for us it is indeed very possible to live like Him, living a life, which heals instead of bites, which sustains instead of taking. “Father, forgive me for judging others, for only You can and will judge justly. Please remove any judgmental spirit from my being. In Jesus name. Amen.
Dale LaFrance (please look up Job 40:7-14)
theweeklyflea 
Anyone can judge me if they want. They can also condemn me if they want. My judge is my Father in heaven, and man’s judgment means nothing to me. However, if a friend finds me in error and has good and right judgment to correct me, I welcome it and do not whine cry about my friend attempting to take a speck out of my eye. I welcome it because I am hungering and thirsting for truth and righteousness. I jump for joy when I am shown my error. Thank you!
So, when are we going to start making right judgments and holding our neighbors to being good neighbors? Good neighbors don’t miseducate their neighbors children in government schools. Does the Bible allow me to make that correct judgment? How about this one, ” Good neighbors don’t call evil good and good evil.” Is that a good judgment that I can make from scripture? Seems a lot of the prophets of old spent a lot of time “judging” others.
Dale, we have enough Christians who can’t take a correction like a man. We have a whole Bible that teaches us to judge according to God’s definitions of right and wrong. I think we need to grow up and quit judging those who judge correctly. That is exactly what your post does, you know. You say not to judge others. You are judging “another believer who has a judgmental spirit.” You are committing the act that you are warning us not to commit. See something wrong with this picture? Let’s just be good friends. Good friends don’t whine and complain, they love and teach and live good lives the best they can. I wish some of my friends would be more judgmental and discerning. I wish we could talk about reality and how we can work together to fix problems…
I am a judger. I am not a condemner, because only God can condemn someone to hell, but I reach out to them with the truth that God has spoken in scripture to try and save them from God’s judgment and wrath. I want to teach people that they can find the kingdom of heaven and keep it “within you” and pass it on to your children. “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” “He who seeks finds.” We need more people to find it. We need to be doing the role God gave us as fathers, grandfathers, as churches and as families… We (America’s churches) are in a mess and we need people who can rightly handle the word of God.
Russ, I do not advocate judging others just as Jesus did not, as He points out in John 12: 47-48. Biblical correction which is surely needed in the body of Christ is not judging but must be done prayerfully and with the right spirit, which is not a judgmental spirit. Correction when done correctly will build and strengthen the body, too many though are doing it with a judgmental spirit and or attitude which weakens the body.
Dale, for the purpose of a productive and enlightening conversation, I wish you could be more specific. Give me an example of correction/judging that is correct, and give me an example of an incorrect “judgmental spirit or attitude.” When the preacher in the pulpit condemns sin, he is passing judgment on sinners who need to make corrections on their path “seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.” Jesus asked people to judge correctly and “Go and sin no more.”
Perhaps Jesus spoke of not judging others according to our own standards. Notice that He went on to say, “First take the plank (your own standards) out of your eye, then you will be able to see correctly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” “…for by the standard you judge, you will be judged.”
Perhaps, language barriers limited the translation and meaning of Jesus’ words. Jesus certainly said that we are not to condemn others, but correcting and teaching is not the same as “condemning.”
From my experience thus far in life, I find that people get their feelings hurt too easily. They feel a bit of the Holy Spirit convicting them, and they quickly run to the “do not judge” verse in the Bible. Hmmm… They even did it to Moses, and caused Moses to flee Egypt. “Who made you judge over us?” they said to Moses.
So, for Christians to be salt and light, we need examples of good Biblical correction and judging, and bad correction “which weakens the body.”
Or, we can just throw the truth out in front of everyone to see and hear, and let the chips fall where they may. Some will be attracted to correction and truth and grow to maturity, and others will be opposed and remain in infantile and delusional Christianity. After all my years of walking on eggshells, I am leaning further and further on just speaking the truth and letting the chips fall where they may…
I am writing here because I really want to know how to help others without hurting their feelings. Been trying to do that for a long time. Hmmm… even John the Baptist hurt people’s feeling when he told them to “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Herod’s wife had John’s head cut off for doing that…
So, if you are going to try to correct the “judgmental spirit” please be fair and give specific examples so that those of us who desire to be part of the solution don’t step out of line.
Thanks,
Russ, the judgment that is written about here is in regards to those who would judge by saying this or that person is going to hell because they don’t live like I do. We must remember that James is addressing the church here in the text I used. The church is full of people that have that attitude, then and today. I believe you understand that. My article does not advocate looking the other way when members of the body are living sinful lives.
Thank you, Dale. You included “because they don’t live like I do” which is what I was referring to when I wrote “judging by your own standards.” There is a huge misunderstanding here that perpetuates stupidity in the church among immature believers who have not been discipled to the full. Obviously, mainstream American churches have not been doing the role God gave them to do for the last three or four generations…
Among casual believers and unbelievers, “Do not judge” is taken literally. People believe it to the point of refusing to make right judgments. Now, if I am going along with the crowd, and the crowd hires the government socialists, Darwinists, and hedonists to miseducate their children in government schools for three or four generations, I can say, “I must not judge the teachers who are educating my children. It is not the school’s job to teach my kids morality, love, honor, justice, and the Truth of the Bible.” [Note: Real Christians ought to accept the reality that government schools are the reason young people leave the church when they leave the home]
“My people perish for lack of judgment! They do not know their right hand from their left, and they fail to protect their children from error, seductions, and lies…”
So,every time I hear “Do not judge,” I cringe and the hair stands up on the back of my neck. This is what the Lord says, “Judge rightly! Do not deceive yourselves! There is a whole world going to hell out there and your children are stuck in it. Therefore, go and make disciples, TEACHING THEM EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED. Make friends in the Lord who know the definitions of right and wrong, honor, honesty, justice, liberty, and love your neighbor. Friends in the Lord are the best friends. They are loyal, supportive, caring, encouraging, helpful, wise, honest, and good. Do not condemn them, save them!”
Therefore, the correct way to write an article like yours is to say: Do not pronounce judgment on the unbeliever or the weaker believers by condemning them to hell. Look for ways to bring them home into the family of God. Show hospitality, heartfelt concern, and grace for the lost and for the immature, for the Lord has shown all of those things toward you. However, do not give your blessing to, nor condone, sin and error. Lev. 19:17, “‘Do not hate a fellow [Christian] in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” AND DO NOT GOSSIP ABOUT SO AND SO SUPPOSEDLY GOING TO HELL BECAUSE HE IS DOING THIS OR THAT. That is what gives a bad name to Christians and the God whom Christians claim to serve. Romans 2:24, As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
Jesus came to save, not condemn. And we have been given the same command. Save the lost, don’t condemn them because Jesus came to save those who would come to Him of their own freewill. It is nonsense(lack of good judgment), gossip, and a lack of love and hospitality that drives people from the Truth of our Creator.
Grace, hospitality, love, and righteousness(good judgment) brings people to the truth of their Creator. A condemning, cold, unloving spirit that exudes sanctimonious self-righteousness is a stench among the church.
Be real. Righteous preaching, good judgment, correcting errors in our brothers and sisters STRENGTHENS THE CHURCH. It does not weaken the body of the church. Christians are supposed to be humble toward God’s truth, and not get upset over someone trying to remove a speck from their eye. If you have to correct someone, do it gently with love and concern. Show them their error using scripture and let the Holy Spirit convict them. He will convict the world of sin and lead His people into all truth. The Holy Spirit should be working through you and I so that we can learn to be the good and wise servant who does well with the talents the Lord gives us.
Dale, from my experience and vantage point, I hate the phrase “Do not judge” because the lost and immature do not correctly understand what it means. They misuse it to the point of demonizing someone who presents the truth to them. They misuse it as an excuse for not standing up for what is right and good because it may make them appear to be “judgmental.” Isn’t that exactly how the Devil uses the truth? Doesn’t he twist the truth and insert confusion into the meanings of words?
Give the men of the church the tools they need to make right judgments and the courage to stand for love, wisdom, and righteousness. Put on the whole armor of God…
May God use you to draw others closer to Him to strengthen the body of the church,
Russ