Friday Night Message: To Judge, Or Not To Judge - Part III

Mar. 17, 2023

Good evening brethren, 

The word “judgment” is multi-faceted.  Although it is a single word, it can have many shades or colors of meanings, each important and significant in its own right.  

In this series of Friday Night Messages, let’s look more closely at this word “judgment”, to see if we can come to more clearly understand what it means for us as Christians. 

Is judgment something that we are to have and to grow in, or is it something that we are to avoid altogether and eliminate from our lives?  Or could it be both, depending upon the multiple meanings and nuances of this word “judgment”.

This series of messages is named “To Judge, Or Not To Judge?”

Let me start by saying that this is not a simple subject.  For the purpose of this series, I would like to give two very broad categories or types of judgment – condemnation, and discernment: 

• Under the general heading of condemnation go such meanings as harsh criticism, sentencing, passing judgment, censure, and the like.  

• Under the general heading of discernment go such things as distinguishing right from wrong, having understanding or good sense, the ability to compare and decide.

Let’s first look at condemnation.  In this kind of judgment, the emphasis and focus is on the person (not an incident), on the inner heart and motives (not just the outward actions or behavior), and on their destiny or ultimate fate (not just present consequences).

So then last Friday Night we asked: “Why is it wrong for us to judge others in this way?”  Why should it be avoided?  Well, first of all …

1. It’s not our job.

But even if we suppose for a moment that it was our responsibility… we humans can’t judge righteously, like God can.  We can see outward actions, we can observe fruits, we can recognize the results of behavior.  But we can’t see into a person’s heart.  We can’t always accurately determine motives or attitudes.

2. We would not do a good job of it.

Below there are two reasons why we would not do a very good job of it, and next Friday Night we will review a third reason why we would not do a very good job of it:

2-A. Judging according to the flesh

The first problem that humans have is that they normally judge by the flesh (that is, by outward appearances).

I Sam 16:7 – …the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

John 7:24 – Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.

It is very difficult for us as humans to know another person’s heart and mind.  People can sin for various reasons.  Sometimes we sin out of ignorance, sometimes we sin out of habit, sometimes we sin out of weakness, and yes … sometimes we sin out of willful disobedience.

Thus we can’t always know why another person sins.  Only God can know that, only He can look into the heart.  Only God can know a person’s intent and motive and attitude and state of mind.

2-B. Judging before the time.

I Cor. 4:5 – Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring both to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.  Then each one’s praise will come from God.

In my 50 years of observing people in God’s church…some who you think are pillars, those who seem to be so solid …have not only departed from a particular fellowship, but they have abandoned the truth and God’s way of life.  Notice in the eighteenth chapter of the prophet Ezekiel, that the wicked can repent, and the righteous can fall away from the truth.

Ezek. 18:21-22 – But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statues, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.  None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done he shall live. 

Ezek. 18:24 – But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live?  All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.

So therefore, we should not judge anything prematurely

In the fullness of time God will judge all things.  We don’t have the knowledge or the wisdom or the experience or the patience that God does, so only He can do a perfect job of it.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Fred