JUDGE NOT!

A cousin this morning made a comment that I have heard often, and one that I addressed before. Perhaps I need to clarify what, Don’t judge me, actually means. That is a cunning way of blaming others. The Serpent used that same ploy to mislead Eve. Note that the Serpent was not a snake but the demon angel, Lucifer, within the snake. What I am getting at, is beware to whom you listen! It may be that the silent voice in your mind is a nefarious demon.
  Don’t judge me, comes from the actual Bible verse, “Judge not…” (Mat 7:1). That passage is the most often quoted and misquoted (don’t judge me) of any verse in scripture. It is true; our place is not to judge. That belongs to Jesus (Acts 10:42): “He (Jesus) commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick (living) and dead.”
  Jesus’s came to save mankind from spiritual death. He had to discern who is worthy. Just who is worthy? Not those who do not sin, but,

 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men…  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. (Mat 10:32,37-380).

  Judgment is YOU deciding who is worthy of eternal life and who is not. That is the sin within the First Word — “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exod 20:3). YOU judging makes you the god in opposition to God. That attitude is damning for yourself if you harshly judge others. But how is one convicted if they are not judged? Refer to part B — “…that ye be not judged.” What did I write about you judging who is worthy and who is not? That you are play-acting Jesus. You will be judged for deciding who is worthy of eternal life and who deserves eternal Hell.
  God has already done that (see above): (1) Christians confess to others that Jesus is their Lord, (2) Jesus must be the person’s first love (not others or even themselves), and (3) Christians must serve Jesus, which is how they bear their cross as Jesus did.
  Jesus was willing to die for us; therefore, we must be willing to die for Jesus. Jesus judges by those metrics. He did not judge by who fornicates, lies, steals, and other things; but note that if you love Jesus, you will not do those things. If you live in sin, what is one to expect, but that you are a sinner. When a Christian looks at anyone, the correct assumption is that those people are sinners. When I look in the mirror, a sinner looks back (1 John 1:8). How can anyone even think of judging another person? The rest of the story!

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Mat 7:2-5)

  What is the “mote” and what is the “beam?” The mote is the sin that you see in the other person. What is the beam? That you do not see your own sin. Again, what would be your sin? You, as God does, determining who is worthy of Heaven and Hell. In other words, if the juryman’s attitude is one of love, rather than condemnation, then judging is acceptable. How do I know that?

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:37-38)

  “Judging” ranges from having an opinion to condemning to Hell (damnation). It is written, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” (2 Pet 2:3).
  “Condemnation” is damning others — merchandising them to the Devil and destruction. Why would Christians even do that? Perhaps they know that they too are sinners and want others to be worse sinners. True Christians would want the sinner to repent, and to be born again. Hypocrites would be focused on the sin, and that those they judge, don’t deserve the new life that God has given them. Rather than condemn others for their sins, the attitude would be to forgive them of their sins as you would have God do unto you!
  Thus, “judging” is attitudinal. Does the person “judging” have the motive to convert or condemn? Sincere, loving Christians will first judge themselves, and they will certainly find sin. It’s there without much looking. Even thinking, I do not sin, is sinful. When the Christian comes to realize that, and deal with it, then he or she can inform others. How is that done” All have sinned and do not deserve eternal life. (It must be generalized not particularized.) What tool to use? Scripture! How can our words be supreme to God’s Word? How can we be the “god “ who informs when God has all the information written down. It’s a question of who applies the Word. Here is what is written:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:6-7)

  Our words our ineffective. Scripture is God’s Word already given to mankind. Look at the purpose that God had it written — “that the man of God may be perfect.” Perfection is the goal; and imperfection is practical Christianity because we are NOT God but an image of Him. (Only God is good). We all will sin even when our spirit wills that we not. (Mat 26:41). The sinner’s attitude is imperative as well; he or she must want NOT to sin. What is sin? “TO BE” what we are not. We are not God, and if we say that we don’t sin, then we are as gods, but we are not.
  Scripture is for information (doctrine) — what God expects from us and what He has promised us. “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people” (Lev 26:12). Then scripture, not us, is for correction. As the eunuch asked, How would I know if someone doesn’t explain it to me? The eunuch wanted it explained, and Philip explained it. He did not force-feed it into the man’s mind, but persuaded him. Condemning is not effective persuasion. However, the eunuch judged rightly; that he was a sinner, and Philip concurred with him because we all are.
  The attitude that you are not a sinner is damning because it makes God out to be a liar. Conviction is owning the sin to the extent that you desire to do something about it. Denial is that you have not sinned, and deserve reward. No one deserves the reward, because that circumvents grace by which you are saved. Grace is obtaining what is not deserved. The attitude that you do not sin, makes you unworthy of grace. When I am accused of being a sinner, I think, Thank you brother! because I know that I am. The brother knows that both he and I have hidden sin. Why deny it? Just fess up, and all will be forgiven.
  Those who shun the Christians who merely want that they not perish, are foolish. Even that little old lady who encourages you to go forward and repent is not judging. She knows that you have sinned even this day. Have you watched an ungodly program on TV? If so, you have sinned. Have you been angry at your spouse today? If so, it is probably a sin. Christians, therefore, need not worry about being judged, because they inherently know that they sin. As for the preacher and deacons, it is their business and responsibility to tend the sheep, so to speak. If the lamb gets away from the flock, it is the duty of the shepherds to persuade the lamb to come back to the flock. Some degree of judgment is required for that. However, the lamb cannot be hit with the shepherd’s hook and driven back; he must follow the path that leads to safety. That would be the shepherd that loves it so that he wants the lamb to not perish in the wilderness.
  Ask yourself when you feel judged, Are you guilty? Does the preacher look down on me, or want to raise me up? Does the deacon want that I not perish, or condemn me to perishing? It’s all in the attitudes of the judge and the judged.

(Judge Roland Freisler condemning Hitler's attempted assassins)