Recently, I’ve been attacked by other Christians on social media for taking firm stands on cultural issues. Whenever I post about current events, some followers claim I shouldn’t speak up, or that criticism isn’t Christlike because “Jesus loves everybody.” A few even suggest that holding these views is incompatible with being a Christian. This pervasive, mistaken attitude toward judgment suggests it is time to reconsider what the Bible actually teaches. The command in Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge,” is so frequently misunderstood that we must reexamine whether Jesus truly meant we should never exercise discernment.
When you examine the Scriptures related to judgment, it becomes clear that Jesus was often addressing our internal attitude and motivation rather than the act itself. Common sense tells us that making judgments is an essential part of daily life. Decisions regarding who our children play with, which church we attend, where we work, and how we vote all require us to judge between various options. Without this capacity, the quality of our lives would suffer significantly. Biblical judgment is often required rather than forbidden, and having the judgment seat of christ explained helps us understand our ultimate accountability.
Ultimately, we are called to exercise discernment and uphold biblical justice while avoiding the trap of self-righteous condemnation. Our goal should be to reflect God’s character in our lives and the world around us. By aligning our motivations with Scripture, we can navigate the fine line between the forbidden spirit of censoriousness and the necessary application of truth. Understanding this distinction allows us to stand firm in our faith while maintaining the grace and wisdom that Christ expects from His followers.
In a fallen and sinful world, people must be held accountable. Today the culture tries to convince us that tolerance is the highest virtue. Who are you to judge? is the rallying cry of deviant behavior, heretical teaching and immoral living. There’s nothing the enemy would love more than if we as believers gave up calling sinners to repentance, and what would our society become if we stopped evaluating student performance, calling failed leaders to account or arresting criminals? Without proper criticism and judgment, living in a real community would become impossible.
Not only do we have to judge, but we are called to judge, and in today’s society we need to be more vigilant about judgment than ever. The question becomes, how do we judge as Jesus would, and how can we be sure that love, repentance and restoration are the principles that we use in making our decisions?
First, anyone can have an opinion, but true judgment happens after serious examination, reflection and consultation with the Scripture. We can’t be frivolous, especially when dealing with an alleged sin of a pastor or Christian leader, but if we follow Scripture and investigate properly, we can arrive at a proper decision. Paul’s writings to Timothy and to the church in Corinth are veritable manuals about judgment and correction within the context of the church.
Second, lose the beam. When Jesus taught in Matthew 7:3–5, he was speaking in the context of a hypocritical religious system that said one thing and did another. The Pharisees couldn’t see clearly because of their own sin, and yet felt perfectly free to judge and condemn others. Nowhere in the Bible does it say we have to be absolutely perfect in word and deed before we can practice discernment, but if we point the finger at someone else, as much as possible, we need to be living right before God and have a clean conscience.
Third, judging actions and judging people are dramatically different issues. There’s never a place for gossip or personal attacks in the church, but serious discernment on issues of doctrine, performance, quality, professionalism, stewardship, moral choices and skill are absolutely necessary. We can love a pastor or ministry leader, but when their lifestyle becomes abusive or their teaching aberrant, it’s critical for the life of the church that they be held accountable. Likewise, when Christian employees do a poor job at work, they need to be disciplined. It’s not about them personally; it’s about their performance and the impact it’s having on others.
If we can’t have adult conversations about today’s issues such as the LGBTQ+ movement, the push to mutilate minors in the name of “gender-affirming care,” abortion, the public school system, politics or other issues, then our future will be a long slide into oblivion.
It never hurts to keep in mind that our ability to judge is always limited, and one day, we’ll all stand on level ground before the ultimate Judge. But until that time, I hope we will stop being afraid, and continue graciously calling each other to task for our many failures and shortcomings so that we can, as Paul said, “Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
This article originally appeared on PhilCooke.com and is reposted here by permission.
