TDW 12-04-08 Righteous Judgment: Under-recognized and Over-vilified

By: Matthew A. Ung
(Righteous Judgment: Under-recognized and Over-vilified)

Let me begin in my characteristically frank and uncompromising tone:

CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO JUDGE!

But Matthew 7:1 says “judge not, lest ye be judged!,” says the flabbergasted Postmodern crowd.

Matthew 7:1, possibly the most abused verse in the entire Bible. I am fully persuaded that righteous judgment is a cornerstone of doing justly according to Micah 6:8. Judgment, in and of itself, is not evil; as it is the consequences and penalty for sin that protects the righteous and brings retribution to the wicked.

How do you “do justly” if you can’t judge? Do people that quote Matthew 7:1 ever quote Matthew 7:2? Very rarely. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

And often Matthew 7:5 is quoted only partially—“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye”… (and then they stop)… “and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (We can take the specks out of each others’ eyes… just judge yourself first.)

The reason many men don’t have the backbone to say “you’re in sin, stop it” is because they don’t hold themselves to a high enough standard, or they are guilty of the same sin. Thus, it is important to note that an emphasis on judgment is much stronger WITHIN the church, than to the lost. Some don’t judge because they wrongly assume it means they are condemning someone, but those two terms are NOT the same. We may judge between right and wrong, and we’re obligated (and hopefully motivated) to tell others the truth, but by what authority could one sinner condemn another? None. That lies with God, so let us stop thinking condemnation is the same as judgment and begin to use righteous judgment as an agent of ministry and to reinforce our SHIELD of faith.

I’m constantly surprised how the entire religious precedence for ideals such as pacifism is rooted in one verse. "Judge not, that you be not judged" is often the wailing cry of false teachers and hardened sinners who misapply the verse to ward off censure for their evil deeds. Many think it is humble and pious for them to say “I can’t judge… I don’t know their hearts… etc.” Well, what does the Bible say? For the passive, willful ignorance is all that stands in the way of the below, “being ignorant of God's righteousness” (Rom. 10:3):

Firstly, read 1 Corinthians 5 before reading anymore of this writing. Stop reading this, and find a way to read the short chapter if you can.

…

“It isn't my (Paul’s) responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your (Corinthian church’s) job to judge those inside the church who are sinning in these ways. God will judge those on the outside (the unsaved); but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you." (O snap, looks like Paul was mad that the Corinthians didn’t use righteous judgment.)

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)” We are not supposed to judge the heart of a fellow Christian without the exception of God’s knowledge imparted to us, or without the gift of discernment (freely available if a Christian cares enough to ask for it). But we may always judge the fruit of their actions, as the Bible says that the fruit is evidence of the roots (Luke 6:44).

Psalm 37:30—“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.” Christians don’t have to judge of themselves, often we are to speak of God’s coming or present judgment… the implication being that you aren’t wise if you don’t do so. Also, while it IS true that Jesus was "brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (Isa. 53:7), he WILL COME as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah...(who) hath prevailed" (Rev. 5:5). Why would it surprise you that God's mercy has always preceded his judgment? ...So apply it--Christians point to the coming judgment.

1 Corinthians 6:1-5—“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?"

Ephesians 5:11 tells us to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. How? By “discriminating?” We discriminate in the natural in almost everything we do. For example, “The door is right there, so I will NOT walk into the wall, because the door IS NOT there.” That kind of discrimination is called “intolerant” by the “judge not” crowd when it involves objective morality. But how much more must we discriminate in the spiritual than in our natural lives?

Who usually says “don’t judge me!”? People who blame you for making them feel guilty. Well, maybe the guilt is there for a reason. Condemnation doesn’t come from God, but guilt certainly does, at least until the issue is resolved or the conscience is “dulled,” “seared as with a hot iron,” etc. If all you have to say to someone is “hey buddy, maybe you shouldn’t, um… do that” to get them pissed off, that rebellion has been festering for a while.

So judge not, sure, and you won’t be judged… if you live a perfect life. Yeah, that’s assuming you’re living blameless before God. Don’t live a blameless life, and you’ll be judged either way, but God’s mercy will intercede to the measure that you ARE MERCIFUL WHILE ALSO POINTING TO GOD’S JUDGMENT (not your own). This is simple “you reap what you sow” stuff… applied to judgment.

Do you think God would use the whole Bible to educate us in what is just and what is unjust and then say “don’t tell anyone?” That’s not a rhetorical question, but most people think it is. Don’t rock the boat, you know. Well, what’s the boat? Bondage to immoral things?

So get the plank out of your eye, and then judge. Ask your friends to help judge that plank away if you want—nothing will surprise them more, but it will definitely help the whole humility thing. Remember, “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.” –Prov. 9:8. Besides, all the people I trust to judge me would do so carefully and kindly knowing that I am opening myself to them, making myself vulnerable in a way. You’d have to be cruel to judge someone spitefully who comes to you asking you to help them become a better person, wouldn’t you?

But a word of warning in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NASB)—“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”

Firstly, to conform anything, we must judge against the thing we must conform, otherwise abusive language (“back off you fundamentalist hate-monger”) and strife (“he/she is just jealous, so they judge me!”) result. But secondly, know that you gain no honor by judging another Christian justly, it is simply an obligation in your job description, so don’t use it as a means to be disrespectful—too many people do that, and it just produces the “instant plank syndrome” problem all over again. (We may not judge on the basis of appearance, personal opinions or unsubstantiated suspicions.) Leviticus 19:15--"You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. But in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor." I believe this is why many people steer clear of judgment completely—it exposes their own need of it. God will handle you with the same mercy you show to others, but you must judge regardless of the discomfort, just as a dog’s master must cause the dog more pain to release their paw from a bear trap.

The purpose of this message was to shake those up who need it, affirm those who will accept it, and to again say that Christianity isn’t pacifism, God isn’t the Watchmaker of the Enlightenment, and that Christ-followers are expected to be students of Scripture before they are warriors on the battlefield. So often cultures will read the Bible piece by piece according to what they are comfortable with, but that’s not how it works. You either use righteous judgment or unrighteous judgment. The Bible makes it clear that to say nothing is just like saying something; indecision is a decision in itself. A love of God’s goodness should create a love for righteous judgment. “Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge; But he that hateth reproof is brutish" (Prov. 12:1, ASV).

Judgment threatens wickedness, and wickedness is usually pretty upset. This is Hebrews 13:13’s response: “Let us therefore go forth unto him without (outside) the camp, bearing his (Jesus’) reproach.” People hated Jesus before they hated you; you’re just part of the story that has been going on long before. But it’s always a pivotal role, because no one can ever be you. And we are the salt and light of the earth. Salt preserves, accentuates flavor, is what we get from most devotionals. But salt also irritates. As did the Judges God appointed in the Old Testament. It’s not who we are, but it’s one of the things we must do to represent Christ.

God bless you as you live for Him,
© 2008 Matthew Ung.