Question: Is all judgment, condemnation, and criticism wrong? Men, we often hear people who are soft on wrongdoing state that they believe that all judging is wrong and that we should not be at all critical or condemn others who do wrong. These people usually quote the passage from Jesus' Sermon the Mount, Matthew 7:1: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
This Scripture has to be interpreted in the light of what all Scripture has to say on the subject of judging. What the Bible says from Genesis to Revelation is the best interpreter of the subject matter. In Luke 12:56, 57 it says, "Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?" Jesus makes it obvious that we should judge between good and evil. In John 7:24 Jesus said: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
In John 8:26 Jesus says, "I have many things to say and to judge of you."
1 Corinthians 5:11 says, "I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railed, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? . . . Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." Read the whole passage in verses 7-13. How could they do this without judging?
1 Corinthians 6:1-4 is also an important passage to read on this subject. It is obvious that what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 7:1 was that people should not be what James teaches in James 3:14-17: "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." This means that any man or woman appointed to a position of court judge would not be permitted to judge if you took Matthew 7:1 in a general sense.
As fathers and mothers, we are meant to be responsible parents in judging wrong doing. It would be scripturally wrong for parents not to discipline their children for doing wrong. (Hebrews 12:8, 9).
Homosexuals do not believe that Christians should judge them as wrongdoers. Adulterers believe the same. Although it is not politically correct to make judgments in the work place or even many churches these days, we ought to obey God rather than man.
After Peter and John were commanded "not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus," they answered: "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heart" (Acts 45:18-20).
We better get used to making righteous judgments now.
Men, this is a most important subject all our families need to be taught so they will not be deceived.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell