Judge Not - Or Not?

I've heard it a million times in a million different ways:

"You are like totally judging me!"

"Yo dog, why you be hatin?"

"Hey hypocrite, you're not supposed to judge!"

"Don't you know that Jesus said not to judge?"

"Hey Shotgun, you're really cute, here's my phone number."

Oh wait, that last comment wasn't supposed to be in there....(grins).

What do the authors of these comments have in common? They should all be charged with mis-use and abuse of Matthew chapter 7 verse 1.

I started hearing this stated as "Judge not lest ye be judged". Then eventually this philosophy was dumbed down even further to just be stated as "Judge not". Seems like nobody even really understands the concept of judging in a clear biblical light anymore. Leave it up to the "Shotgun" to set everyone strait.

I'm just going to come out and say this, and I know it will hurt allot of peoples feelings, but YES, as Christians we are supposed to judge. This verse in Matthew chapter 7 is Jesus' way of teaching us the proper attitude we are to use to go about doing this.

Pay attention, it's about to get good!

NIV:

"Judge not, or you too will be judged." - quote by Jesus.

I'm wondering how many people out there who constantly mis-quote this believe that if they do not judge anyone that they will not be judged by God? 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10 says this: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. We're all getting judged regardless of what we do or say in this life. So what is Jesus saying here?

Esteemed commentator Albert Barnes say's this about Matthew chapter 7:

"This command refers to rash, censorious, and unjust judgment. [Christ] does not condemn our forming an opinion of the conduct of others, for it is impossible not to form an opinion of conduct that we know to be evil." (italics added by Barnes not me)

Barnes claims that what Jesus is referring to here is a "habit of forming a judgment hastily , harshly, and without an allowance for every palliating circumstance, and a habit of expressing such an opinion harshly and unnecessarily when formed."

Jesus tells us that before we do judge someone, we need to fix the big problems we have in our own lives, and then we will be able to see clearly enough to help others with their problems. I wonder why no one ever considers that part of Jesus comments? I think it's because for both parties, the judger, and the judgee, change is required. No one likes to admit that they have problems, but a wise person will heed instruction when it's given. Proverbs 12, verse 15: The way of a fool seems right to him but a wise man listens to advice.

Perhaps the most interesting thing Jesus says about judgment is in verse 6. I am sure the mis-quoters of Matthew 7 have never bothered to read this far, but if a few of them have, I wonder what they made of Jesus comments about pigs and dogs? Why in the world is this thrown into the middle of a discussion about judgment?

For those of us Christians out in the world arguing with skeptics, and other non-believers, we need to be aware of something. The gospel message that we have is one of our most valuable possessions. It is the greatest gift ever given to mankind, and in turn it is our most treasured gift to give to others. Allot of the people we converse with about the gospel fail to realize this however. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 18 says "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

How many times have you tried to tell someone that the way they live their life is contrary to how God would have us live, only to be met with a half-hearted version of Matthew chapter 7? "Hey...don't judge me man!" I hear it at least once a day. What Jesus is saying here is that instead of trying to convict these people, these "pigs" or these "dogs", we should just keep our pearls to ourselves.

Don't give the dogs what is sacred, or throw your pearls to the pigs! Why bother trying to correct some people who really don't even care in the first place. They don't realize the value of your message, anymore than a pig would realize the value of a pearl necklace.

So then, to sum all this up, how are we supposed to judge?

1. Judge in a loving manner.

2. Make sure that you are qualified to correct that person. (I.E. plank free eyes)

3. Make sure that if you correct someone, they are worth correcting.

and finally,

4. Always be sure to hit them at least twice with your Bible - really hard!

(I was just joking about that last one!)