Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

Have you ever been accused by somebody of being judgmental?

Or have you ever had anyone say to you, stop judging me.

! Who are you to judge me?

Probably most of us have heard this at least once from someone.

And sometimes the person saying it may even quote Jesus' famous words,

Judge not, lest ye be judged.

Or as a more modern translation puts it,

Do not judge, and you will not be judged.

These are familiar words of Jesus,

but they're often misapplied and perhaps not well understood.

I'll be honest, I have always wrestled with these words a little bit.

I found them difficult.

The first reason is because I know that I've been guilty of judging others.

And so I find these words convicting.

A second reason, I've had people accuse me of being judgmental

when I was not intending to judge them,

but just to offer a helpful word of correction or advice.

And third, what does it even mean not to judge people?

Not to judge someone.

What does Jesus mean by that?

Let's maybe start there with that question.

What does it mean to judge someone?

As Jesus is talking about it here in his sermon in Luke chapter 6.

Luke 6 · chapter mention

We use that word judge in a variety of ways.

To think, to consider,

to evaluate,

and to decide.

Judge for yourself,

whether the glass is half full or half empty.

We also use it to mean to measure

or to estimate.

Judging by how much rain we had last year,

maybe we should do this this year.

And then, of course,

there's also the legal meaning,

the obvious meaning,

the courtroom,

to give the verdict

of whether someone is guilty or innocent,

liable or not liable,

and then the penalty

that should be given.

But then finally,

to judge someone can mean,

we use this language,

it's kind of using the same word to define it,

but I think we just feel what it means.

To judge someone can mean

to pass judgment on someone.

And in this case,

it's always an unfavorable judgment.

Meaning to frown upon

or to criticize

or to condemn someone

based on how they're living.

And this is probably what Jesus means

by this imperative.

This has to do with

passing judgment on others

for how they live.

It has to do with

being a fault finder.

A person who's

very critical

of others.

Always measuring

people

to see if they match up.

Do they have the right beliefs?

Do they have the right

standard of conduct?

Do they have the right way

of doing things?

But of course,

behind this measuring of people

is pride

and not a restorative

attitude of love.

There's a tone of condemnation

that's embedded

in this passing of judgment

on others.

Like,

if you don't measure up

to my standard,

then you're out.

You're off the team.

You're living unfaithfully.

You're compromising.

You're on the naughty list.

Or even sometimes

we hear it go so far

as you're not even saved.

You're not even a Christian.

How could you be a Christian

and do that?

Notice the parallelism

in this passage

which helps us see

that a tone of condemnation

is indeed present.

Jesus says,

do not judge

and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn

and you will not be condemned.

Those words are synonyms here.

So there is that tone

of condemnation implied.

But this is where

it gets kind of tricky.

If Jesus is saying,

do not pass judgment

on others

for how they're living,

what does he actually

mean by that?

Is Jesus essentially saying,

don't worry at all

about other people

and how they live

or what they're doing.

Just let them do

whatever they want to do.

especially in their personal lives

or their private lives.

Don't even look

at their lives.

Don't even evaluate

what they're doing

whether it's right or wrong.

Just let them do

as they please.

Is that what Jesus means here?

Do not judge

and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn

and you will not be condemned.

I think we all know

deep down inside

that Jesus can't mean that.

Jesus can't mean

that we should simply

just let others

do as they please

or that we should refrain

from ever making

any kind of moral evaluation

of others.

And here's why.

We are commanded

as followers of Jesus

to morally evaluate others

in numerous places

in the Bible.

Let's just look at

some of them.

In the parallel passage

to this one

from Matthew's Gospel

Matthew chapter 7

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

Jesus says the same thing

do not judge.

But then just a little bit

down from where he says

that in Matthew 7 verse 6

Matthew 7:6

he says

do not give dogs

what is sacred.

Do not throw your pearls

to pigs.

If you do

they may trample them

under their feet

and turn and tear you

to pieces.

I think we know

this is a metaphor

obviously

this is not about

actual pigs

and dogs.

How can we know

who are the dogs

and who are the pigs

except by making

some sort of judgment

about the character

and life

of a person.

Or we could look back

to the Proverbs

of Solomon.

Proverbs 26 verse 4

Proverbs 26:4

says

do not answer a fool

according to his folly

or you yourself

will be just like him.

how can we know

when to apply this

without making

some sort of

evaluation

or judgment

about whether

the person

we're talking to

is indeed a fool

or not.

Back to the words

of Jesus

this is probably

the clearest

statement here

in Matthew 18

Matthew 18:15

verse 15

Jesus says this

he says

if your brother

or sister sins

go and point

out their fault

just between

the two of you

if they listen

to you

you have won

them over.

So according

to Jesus

we may see

a brother

or sister sin

and he doesn't

say

don't worry

about it

just let them

do as they

please.

No he says

go and point

out their fault

so there is

a time to go

and point out

the fault

that we see

in others.

It's when they

sin.

It's when they

stray.

And it requires

that we make

some sort of

judgment

as to whether

what they did

was right

or wrong.

Sin or

not a sin.

And it even

requires that we

confront them

about it.

This kind of

restorative

correction

is not what

Jesus had in

mind though

when he said

do not judge.

Do not condemn.

Let's hear a few

more.

Paul tells

Timothy

in his second

letter

2 Timothy

3.16

he says

all scripture

is God

breathed

and is

useful for

teaching

rebuking

correcting

and training

in righteousness

so that the

servant of God

may be thoroughly

equipped

for every good

work.

So we see

that

God's word

is useful

for correcting

for bringing

a word of

correction to

others

even a

rebuke

a stronger

word

and Timothy

at times

you need

to do

this

Paul says

it very

clearly

just a few

verses down

the page

in chapter

4 verse 2

Paul says

to Timothy

preach the

word

be prepared

in season

and out of

season

correct

rebuke

and encourage

with great

patience

and careful

instruction.

So correction

and even

the stronger

rebuke

are at times

commanded

and required

of us

and this

requires

that we make

a judgment

of sorts

about

how a brother

or sister

is living

whether they've

strayed from

Christ

whether they're

living in sin

whether they're

ignoring the

commands of

Jesus

whether they're

holding fast

to sound

doctrine

to the truth

of the gospel

a judgment

is required

and even

a conversation

with a person

who is straying

where we tell

them the fault

that we see

the error

they have made

and offer

correction

to restore them.

Listen to how

Paul instructs

Timothy

just a little bit

earlier in the

same letter

in chapter 2

verse 25

about how to

deal with his

opponents

he says

to Timothy

opponents must be

gently instructed

in the hope

that God will

grant them

repentance

leading them

to a knowledge

of the truth

and that they

will come to

their senses

and escape

from the trap

of the devil

who has taken

them captive

to do his

will.

So notice

the aim

of this

correction

it's restoration

it's that they

would repent

that they would

turn away

from what's wrong

and turn back

to what's good

and what's right

this kind of

gracious

restorative action

is good

this is needed

this is not

what Jesus

is talking about

when he says

do not judge

do not condemn

at times

we must consider

and evaluate

one another

and we must

even confront

the sins

that we see

in another

this is not

judging a person

but to the

person who's

receiving that

correction

or rebuke

it may feel

like I'm

being judged

you're judging

me

who are you

to tell me

how I should

be living

it may feel

like the

person confronting

us is being

judgmental

one more

passage

quickly which

I think will

just drive this

home for us

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 3:12

3 verse 12

and 13

one of my

favorite scriptures

it says

see to it

brothers and

sisters

that none of

you

has a sinful

unbelieving

heart

that turns away

from the living

God

but encourage

one another

daily

as long as

it's called

today

so that none

of you

may be

hardened

by sins

deceitfulness

do you

hear the

sense of

obligation

that we

all have

to one

another

in these

words

we're to

care for

one another

we're to

watch over

one another

we're to

see if

someone has

a sinful

unbelieving

heart

and if they

do we're

to encourage

that person

we're to

talk to

them

to say

to them

hey

I see

you drifting

away

what's

going on

come back

to the

Lord

when we

continually

give ourselves

to sin

it has a

way of

hardening

us

it has a

way of

deceiving

us

so that

we don't

see straight

or think

clearly

anymore

it impairs

our judgment

and so

what do we

need most

in those

moments

we need

a clear

seeing

brother

or sister

to speak

into our

lives

and to

remind us

of what's

true

and what's

right

and to

encourage us

to turn

back to

the Lord

so back

to Luke

6

37

what then

does Jesus

mean when he

says do

not judge

and you

will not

be judged

do not

condemn

and you

will not

be condemned

well he

clearly doesn't

mean that we

should just

let others

live however

they please

and think

nothing

or say

nothing

about that

maybe we

can gain

some insight

from the

context

here

are there

examples

of this

what does

Jesus have

in mind

specifically

when he

tells us

do not

judge

do not

condemn

well let's

look back

just a little

bit in Luke's

gospel to

chapter 5

do you

remember what

happened when

Jesus attended

the banquet

that Levi

put on

in Jesus

honor

with all

the tax

collectors

in

attendance

back in

Luke

Luke 5:30

chapter 5

verse 30

29 and

30

the Pharisees

certainly

passed judgment

on that

occasion

it says

they complained

to Jesus

disciples

saying

why do

you eat

and drink

with tax

collectors

and sinners

you can hear

that tone

of condemnation

they were

judging

Jesus

and his

disciples

they were

condemning

him

with their

words

as an

immoral

man

as a

drunkard

as a

glutton

you're

partying

with wicked

men

and so

you too

must be

wicked

this is

I think

a pretty

clear example

of what it

looks like

to judge

someone

or to

condemn

someone

notice how

they assume

Jesus

motives for

being at

the banquet

like why

were you

there

well you

must have

been there

because

you're

immoral

like they

are

not only

that

but

do you

hear how

they had

almost

arrived at

the verdict

of guilty

before they

even knew

what was

going on

before they

even had

the conversation

with Jesus

we see the

same thing

just a few

verses later

in chapter 5

verse 33

it's actually

just a continuation

of the conversation

but they say

to Jesus

John's disciples

often fast

and pray

and so

do the

disciples

of the

Pharisees

but yours

go on

eating

and drinking

so they

judge

Jesus

and his

disciples

you guys

aren't doing

the religious

fasts

that you're

supposed to

be doing

what's wrong

with you

guys

are you

gluttons

are you

drunkards

you can

almost hear

it

Jesus

you don't

measure up

to that

standard

of righteousness

that we

live by

can you

hear that

tone of

condemnation

this is not

the kind

of restorative

or loving

rebuke of a

brother who's

seeing a

brother sinning

this is a

self-righteous

passing of

judgment on

those who

don't measure

up to

my standard

we see it

again from

the Pharisees

a few verses

later in Luke

Luke 6:2

chapter 6

verse 2

you probably

remember the

story

the disciples

were gleaning

some wheat

out of the

fields and

eating it

on the

Sabbath day

and the

Pharisees see

this and they

say to Jesus

why are you

doing what is

unlawful

on the

Sabbath

they accuse

him of being

a lawbreaker

and of failing

to keep the

Sabbath

notice how

there's no

discussion

with Jesus

about what

it means to

honor God

on the

Sabbath

they just

go straight

to the

guilty

verdict

you're

doing

what's

unlawful

what's

your

explanation

we see

it again

from them

just a few

verses later

in chapter 6

verse 7

the Pharisees

and the

teachers

of the

law

are standing

by

watching

to see

if Jesus

will heal

a man

on the

Sabbath

they were

looking

for a

reason

to accuse

Jesus

so they've

already

condemned

Jesus

they've

already

come to

the

verdict

of

guilty

but now

we need

like a

specific

charge

against

him

it's

kind of

backwards

isn't

it

we've

got to

secure

that

verdict

with

some

concrete

thing

in fact

think back

through all

the encounters

that Jesus

had with

the Pharisees

and there

are so

many

examples

of them

judging

Jesus

condemning

Jesus

Jesus

Jesus

even

at times

calls

them

out

on

it

Luke

Luke 7 · chapter mention

chapter

7

I think

it is

verse

33

hold on

a second

John the

baptizer

he came

neither

eating

bread

nor drinking

wine

and you

say he

has a

demon

the son

of man

came

eating

and drinking

and you

say

here's a

glutton

and a

drunkard

a friend

of tax

collectors

and sinners

like it

doesn't even

matter

what

we do

guilty

demon

you have

a demon

possessed

think of

the time

that they

accused

Jesus

of healing

driving

out

a demon

by the

power

of

Beelzebul

the prince

of demons

they couldn't

deny

that the

miracles

really were

happening

that the

man was

possessed

and the

demon

came out

and so

they condemned

Jesus

well you

must have

done it

because you're

in league

with the

prince of

the demons

we got to

find some

wrong thing

here with

you

finally think

about the

sham trial

that they

put Jesus

through after

they arrested

him in the

garden of

Gethsemane

they have

falsely accused

him of all

sorts of

things

they made

stuff up

they took

his words

out of

context

they were

looking for

a reason

to put him

to death

because

they'd

already

passed

judgment

on him

they'd

already

condemned

him

and now

it's

just a

matter

of

figuring

out

what's

the

charges

to write

what's

the

thing

to tell

to

Pilate

to get

this

done

they're

the prime

example

of this

passing

of judgment

on others

the Pharisees

the Sanhedrin

the teachers

of the law

there was a

time when

Jesus even

said to

them

John

John 7:24

chapter 7

verse 24

stop

judging

by mere

appearances

but instead

judge

correctly

so this

passing

of judgment

on others

the kind

that Jesus

forbids

is often

focused

on externals

and appearances

it's focused

on the

external

the appearance

of how

Jesus

attended

that banquet

with those

tax collectors

and sinners

it's focused

on the

external

the appearance

of that

immoral

woman

washing

the feet

of Jesus

if he knew

what kind

of woman

she was

he wouldn't

allow that

it's focused

on the

externals

of how

Jesus

disciples

didn't do

the ceremonial

washing

of hands

before the

meal

this got

me thinking

back to

when I was

a courier

for FedEx

I had to

make deliveries

of letters

and parcels

to some

strange

places

including

bars

and night

clubs

and

if it

wasn't

for my

uniform

in the

FedEx

truck

parked

out

front

I

sometimes

wondered

what

conclusions

a Christian

friend

might come

to

if they

saw me

walking

out of

a place

like that

but I

think what

Jesus is

telling us

here is

that a

follower

of Jesus

shouldn't

come to

any

conclusions

based on

mere

appearances

that's

the kind

of judging

Jesus is

telling us

not to

do here

do not

judge

do not

condemn

this

passing

of

judgment

on

others

that

Jesus

forbids

often

assumes

the motives

of others

he must

be okay

with the

sinful

choices

of those

sinners

and tax

collectors

I mean

he's at

the party

with them

but hold

on a

second

this

wasn't

just

any

old

party

the usual

party

of the

tax

collectors

this

was a

banquet

that

Levi

had

planned

to

honor

Jesus

right

after

being

called

by

Jesus

to

follow

him

which

implies

that

he

had

repented

he

had

come

to

see

Jesus

as

his

Lord

and

his

Savior

this

was

to

honor

Jesus

this

was

to

celebrate

Jesus

and no

doubt

his

tax

collector

friends

were

invited

in order

to

introduce

them

to

this

one

that

he

has

now

come

to

follow

look

at

the

motives

of

Levi

in

that

are

they

not

honorable

and

beautiful

unfortunately

we're

sometimes

all too

quick

to jump

to

conclusions

or

to

assume

motives

and

in

doing

so

we

pass

judgment

on

others

we

condemn

others

without

even

knowing

the

reasons

they're

doing

what

they're

doing

another

common

element

to

this

passing

of

judgment

which

Jesus

forbids

has to

do

with

the

standard

that

we

judge

people

by

righteous

judgment

all

throughout

the

Bible

looks

at a

person's

life

in

relation

to

what

God

has

said

is

right

and

wrong

is

that

person

doing

what

God

has

commanded

!

Are

they

going

against

what

God

has

commanded

but

passing

judgment

often

looks

at

a

person's

life

in

relation

to

a

standard

outside

of

the

Bible

are

they

keeping

our

traditions

are

they

doing

whatever

they're

doing

in the

right

way

or

in

the

best

way

according

to

my

experience

according

to

my

opinion

often

times

we

pass

judgment

on

others

about

things

where

God's

word

gives

us

freedom

of

conscience

or

freedom

to

choose

the

classic

passage

here

and

the

most

helpful

is

Romans

Romans 14 · chapter mention

chapter

14

and

it's

a

little

bit

longer

but

I'll

read

it

all

because

it

all

just

speaks

right

to

this

Paul

writes

to

the

church

there

and

he

says

Except

the

one

whose

faith

is

weak

!

One

person's

faith

allows

them

to

eat

anything

but

another

whose

faith

is

weak

eats

only

vegetables

the

one

who

eats

everything

must

not

treat

with

contempt

there

it

is

the

judging

the

one

who

does

not

and

the

one

who

does

not

eat

everything

must

not

judge

the

one

who

does

for

God

has

accepted

them

who

are

you

to

judge

someone

else's

servant

to

their

own

master

servants

stand

or

fall

and

they

will

stand

for

the

Lord

is

able

to

make

them

stand

one

person

considers

one

day

more

sacred

than

another

another

considers

every

day

alike

each

of

them

should

be

fully

convinced

in

their

own

mind

whoever

regards

one

day

is

special

does

so

to

the

Lord

whoever

eats

meat

does

so

to

the

Lord

for

they

give

thanks

to

God

and

whoever

abstains

does

so

to

the

Lord

and

gives

thanks

to

God

so

whether

we live

or die

we belong

to

the

Lord

you

you

then

why

do

you

judge

your

brother

or

sister

or

why

do

you

treat

them

with

contempt

for

we

will

all

stand

before

God's

judgment

seat

it

is

written

as

surely

as

I

live

says

the

Lord

every

knee

will

bow

before

me

every

tongue

will

acknowledge

God

so

then

each

of

us

will

give

an

account

of

ourselves

to

God

therefore

let

us

stop

passing

judgment

on

one

another

instead

make

up

your

mind

not

to

put

any

stumbling

block

or

obstacle

in

the

way

of

a

brother

or

sister

these

are

important

words

on

this

subject

of

judging

notice

the

judging

that's

forbidden

is

passing

judgment

on

others

regarding

disputable

matters

like

what

kind

of

foods

we

can

eat

or

if

you

look

down

to

verse

21

whether

we

can

drink

wine

or

alcohol

disputable

matters

as he

talked

about

include

whether

we

consider

one

day

as

holy

to

the

Lord

or

consider

every

day

alike

these

are

disputable

matters

we

may

come

to

different

opinions

or

convictions

on

these

things

and

even

be

spiritually

motivated

to

live

a

certain

way

in

these

areas

but

Paul

says

let

us

stop

passing

judgment

on

one

another

with

regard

to

these

things

God

is

going

to

be

the

judge

in

what

are

some

other

disputable

matters

things

pertaining

to

clothing

and

what

should

be

worn

to

church

do

I

dress

up

for

Jesus

or

do

I

come