Should We Judge or Not Judge? [Part Two]

       [Click Here to Read PART ONE of this Article]

3. We Should Judge

We have seen how the Holy Scripture teaches not to judge, particularly with wrong motive and wrong sense. Now we will see how it also teaches to judge. As God’s people, we are called to exercise wise judgment essentially in two things:

First, we have to judge false teachings and false teachers. 

The Lord Jesus cautioned, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15, ESV). How do we know they are false? By their fruit, meaning, way of life and teaching (7:20, ESV).

Paul also cautions, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert” (Acts 20:29-31; cf. Rom. 16:17-18, ESV).

Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 1:18-20, Paul judges that Hymenaeus and Alexander have become false disciples who blasphemed. Also, in 2 Timothy 2:16-18, Paul judges that Hymenaeus and Philetus are false teachers.

Here is my question: How can we be cautious of false teachers without first judging they are false? We need to discern truth from error and judge what is right and wrong. If we do not judge false teachers, we may become prey to their false teachings. As deception carries the form of truth, we need to be extremely discerning and judge false teachings, which is corruption of God’s word.

May we be mindful that a person who has a different opinion of Scripture on non-central issues is not a false teacher. For example, if one believes in speaking in tongues and the other doesn’t, they should not accuse each other as false teachers.

A false teacher is he who wanders away from the fundamental doctrines and practices of Christian faith, such as the absolute authority of God’s word, the doctrine of Trinity, the death and the resurrection of Christ Jesus, salvation in the name of Jesus and by grace alone, resurrection of the dead…etc.

Moreover, the doctrine of material prosperity is a dangerous false teaching, for it makes people to seek sufficiency in materialism than in Christ alone (1 Tim. 6:6-10). The doctrine of cheap grace, which undermines repentance and holiness, is also a fatal teaching that despises the sanctification of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers (Jude 4).

Therefore, the word of God does encourage us to judge false teachers and false teachings. Failure to do so is to pave way for heresies to arise and suppress the truth in the churches of Christ Jesus.

Here is a word of caution: when we confront false teachings, we should do so with a Christian spirit, as the word of God exhorts:

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26, ESV)

Second, we have to judge sins that destroy godly atmosphere in church. 

Paul was provoked to know that there was a man in Corinthian church who was living in adulterous relationship and the church was silent about it. Instead of appreciating their unbiblical tolerance, Paul sharply rebukes the Corinthians for being cold in church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:1-2, ESV).

He later admonishes them, saying, “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one” (5:11, ESV).

He then reminds them they are to judge those inside the church, “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge” (5:12, ESV). Is this not judgment? If we do not judge sin as sin, it will put on the mask of righteousness and corrupts the whole church.

The Lord Jesus also taught that if any believer is unwilling to repent of his sins and rejects church counsel, the church should treat him or her as an unbeliever (Matt. 18:17). Is this not judgment?

Paul counsels to avoid those who get into foolish controversies, to abstain from those who bring divisions in church and to keep away from those who are idle (Tit. 3:9; 10; 1 Thess. 5:15; 2 Thess. 3:6). He even charges Timothy to rebuke the church leaders in the presence of all if they persist in sin and found guilty of it (1 Tim. 5:19-20). Is this not judgment?

The Scripture gives a balanced view of the nature of God—God is gracious and loving, and also, He is holy and righteous (Ps. 145:8, 17). The Lord loves people in spite of being evil; however, if they abuse His love and grace, they face the chastisement of the Lord (Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:5-11).

And the Lord desires that we too, as His beloved children, manifest both love and holiness in our lives. Love without holiness corrupts the church. Holiness without love stifles the church.

Finally, there are three things to keep in mind in the exercise of moral judgment and church discipline:

i) We need to examine ourself first to see whether we cherish the same sins we judge in others. Paul wrote, "In passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things" (Rom. 2:1, ESV). Now, this does not mean we have to be absolutely perfect in everything. We must be serious in our pursuit of holiness and honest in acknowledging our weaknesses, and then would we be able to judge rightly and help others with humility.

ii) Before judging any person of any sin, we need to have clear evidence from the Scripture that it is indeed sinful. We should be careful not to erect our own opinions as the standard of holiness, like the Roman Christians who did in regard to food and days (Rom. 14:1-12). And if any accusation is brought against anyone, we need to examine the facts and have witnesses than be hasty in believing hearsay (Matt. 18:16).

iii) Our judgment of others should be driven by love, not by self-righteousness and frustration. The motive of judgment and discipline must be love and the goal of it should be restoration, not condemnation. Without love, we will fall into the pharisaic attitude of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees who were busy judging others but had no mercy on them (Matt. 23:23).  

The Lord Himself said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline” (Rev. 3:19, ESV). The Lord rebukes and disciplines out of love. Should not we, as His disciples, manifest the same attitude? Paul also counsels, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1, ESV). 

Let love and gentleness guide us in judging others of their sin in order to save them from destruction and to protect the church from corruption.

Final Words

We have clearly seen in the Scriptures that we are exhorted not to judge others and also to judge. We have learned not to judge emotionally and hypocritically. We should be careful to judge factually and lovingly.

May we know that in pronouncing the judgment on issues that are Scripturally aberrant, we are actually proclaiming what the Word of God says. We are only announcing the judgment that God has already pronounced in His Word. We neither have any right to erect our own standards and judge others respectively, nor should we ignore the standards of God and fail to judge accordingly.

May the Spirit of God bless us with His wisdom and grace to handle the privilege to judge appropriately! [Click Here to Read PART ONE of this Article]

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