“Judge not, that you be not judged. ” Matthew 7:1. This is one of the most quoted scriptures in our time. It’s usually quoted when someone is being corrected for doing something that they believe they should be able to do. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b is the other verse we love to quote after being corrected. Which leaves us all asking the question, can Christians judge? Or is it ‘Thou Shall Not Judge’?
Are Christians allowed to judge? Is that morally, right? Many believe that it is, while others believe that it is morally wrong and sinful. We love to say Jesus never judged. Jesus only showed love. So where does that leave us? Watch the video below, check the evidence presented, and you decide what the Bible deems is morally right.
Thou Shall Not Judge
We often quote Matthew 7 but never read the verse in its entirety.
1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
6 Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Matthew 7:1-6
Jesus isn’t saying ‘do not judge’. He’s saying judge righteously. Look at God’s warning to Elijah.
18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
Ezekiel 3:18-19
We are to judge righteously by calling sin sin, and living a righteous life by following Christ.