Biblegems #122
Question:
Is it biblically
correct when people say, ‘It’s not our place to judge others, only God should
judge’ — or are there times when it is right for us to judge others?
To “judge”
in English carries a variety of meanings. Usually we mean passing judgment,
determining right from wrong. This is also the way “judge” is typically used in
the Bible:
Genesis
16:5 “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I
put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she
despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.”
The
Hebrew word Sarai uses for “judge” is “qal,”
which means to “act as law-giver, judge, governor (giving law, deciding controversies and executing law,
civil, religious, political, social…”
The
New Testament Greek equivalent is “krinw:”
Matt. 7:1-2 “Do
not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
People
often take this saying in Matthew out of context when they say, ‘You have no
right to judge me.’ But “Do not judge”
means in this context, “don’t be judgmental,” because one day we will want God
to show mercy toward us:
1 Pet. 4:5 But
they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the
dead.
The
truth is, it is absolutely biblical and necessary for people to judge right and
wrong behavior in others. It is not,
however, always appropriate for us to pass
judgment:
Rom. 14:4 Who
are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.
And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Accurately
judging between right and wrong requires a baseline to judge by. Believers in
Jesus Christ operate on the basis of biblical teaching. The world outside of
Christ operates on a much different set of values:
1 Cor. 5:12 What
business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge
those inside?
1 Cor. 6:2, 5 Do
you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the
world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? …I say this to shame you.
Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute
between believers?
The ability
to judge between right and wrong sets humanity apart from animals. The right to
exercise judgment as vengeance belongs to God (Dt. 32:35; Rom. 12:19). And the
ability to pass judgment for salvation and eternal damnation is reserved for
God alone (Ja. 4:12). God has given humanity a conscience, His Word and His Son
to show us right from wrong. He has given believers His Holy Spirit who enables
us to judge between righteousness and sinfulness. Exercising godly judgment now
under the authority and guidance of God’s Word illuminated by the Holy Spirit
trains us for that day when we will reign with Jesus, exercising judgment:
Rev. 20:4 I
saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.
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