“We have no right to judge them.” We hear statements like this quite often these days, and I get the impression many usually just nod in agreement. After all, no one has the right to judge anyone else, do they? Perhaps due to the frequency in which the statement is made the issue bears a bit more thought.
An equivocation is made in that what we often mean by “you have no right to judge” is “you are not allowed to call what someone else does wrong”. If that is the case, however, then to apply the principle (we have no right to judge) the first thing that must be done is violate the principle (judging that one person has judged another). We must stop using the phrase in that way and instead take the time to define the terminology and really spend time thinking what the issue of judging is really all about.
Judge is defined as, “to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises.” Surely this is not the normally intended usage that is found to be so objectionable. Why would we tell someone else they have no right to form an opinion through carefully weighing evidence and testing of premises? If I come to an intersection and see another vehicle continue without stopping through the intersection even though the light was a steady red color, I would correctly judge that the individual committed a traffic violation by running a red light.
Judge is also defined as, “to sit in judgment on”, or put another way to be the moral judge over another person. Perhaps this hits a little closer to home. Should no one sit in judgment over another? If so why not? In most cases what would first come to mind would be the statement, “Judge not or you will be judged.” But that statement comes from the Bible, specifically Matthew 7:1. Does this mean the Bible is the authority on judging? I believe that it must be, lest we resort to the subjective, arbitrary and capricious human constructs.
I leave it to you the reader to think further about an absolutely binding ethic of judging. For now, since Matthew 7:1 is invariably quoted when instructing others not to judge, let’s just assume the Bible is the authority on, and provides proper instruction on judging. What then does the Bible actually say about judging others? Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that we should not judge motivations, that only God knows a persons thoughts and attitudes. James 2:1-4 instructs us not to show favoritism, or to judge by appearance. These verses, among others, instruct us in the negative, or ways in which we should not judge others. However, there is no command to abandon all judgment completely. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 and 6:1-8; Matthew 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1, and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-21 commend us to judge others to determine if their actions are in accordance with what God has established as acceptable behavior. In short, we are instructed to make judgments on behavior (observing the fruit) while at the same time prohibited from going to the thoughts, attitudes and motivations behind the behavior (cursing the tree).
Whenever the issue of judging comes up we must be careful to define the terms and correctly represent the argument. While it may be patently wrong to believe that any human being is the authority on morality and therefore has the obligation to sit as moral judge over the motivations of another person, it does not follow that one cannot say anything negative concerning the behavior of another. Of prime importance is establishing the fundamental moral code applicable to all people by which judgments are made. Properly understood, because of a transcendent ethic we not only have the right, but also the responsibility to observe the fruit of human behavior and measure it against the moral law of the bible established and revealed by God for the purpose of transformation into the likeness of Christ that is intended for us all; a process that must begin in each individual human heart. After all, Jesus himself taught us to remove the beam from our own eye before we try to remove a speck from our brother.
By way of simple analogy, Jesus came to provide forgiveness through obedient submission and sacrifice. We all will be judged by God’s perfect and holy standard, and we all fall short. This is the hope of the Gospel: God judged us and then demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us as our substitute in order to provide a way of escape from His final eternal judgment. Perhaps when we say “We have no right to judge them” we are only partially correct; perhaps our statement should be ‘We have no right to judge them against anything but Gods absolute moral law.’ If we couple that understanding with the command to love others as ourselves and look at the entire issue of judging in light of the cross, perhaps we can understand aright the issue of judgment.
Matt 7:1 is considered today to be the best known Bible verse in America, overtaking John 3:16. The suggestion is that it says "You're not supposed to judge." To understand this as its meaning requires that they yank it completely out of context and twist it to mean what they intend: "You Christians need to stop saying that what I'm doing is sin." Jesus gives the reason for His statement: "For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged." He goes on to describe the famous "speck in your brother's eye" problem. The point? "First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." The point is not "Never evaluate anyone else's behavior or attitudes as sin." The point is "Test yourself first." The point is to apply the same judgment to yourself before passing it on others. Jesus went on in this very same passage to speak of "false teachers" and knowing them "by their fruits". That's what is called "judgment", and it is recommended by Christ.
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