Judging others, Can we?
We have all heard it - “Don’t judge me!” That seems to be everyone’s go to - even if they are not a Christian.
Yet how are we to discern whether someone is truly a follower of Christ or not? With so many social media handles saying in their bio : “Jesus follower” or celebrities, like Kourtney Kardashian, quoting Scripture on their Instagram stories . How do we really know who is a true Christ follower and who isn’t? How do we “test every spirit” (I John 4:1) - if we don’t first make discernments and judgements about people? Can we trust everyone that claims they follow Christ to be true followers?
Lets look at the most commonly used verse that people use or misuse rather when trying to prove their case. Jesus says in Matthew 7:15 says the words, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Most people stop there and do not take the full chapter into context. Jesus goes on to say - “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Jesus is saying deal with yourself first before you start pointing the finger at other people. Self-reflect, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal in you what’s wrong first - because guaranteed there are things you need to work on before you start implicating your brother or sister. You know, when your pointing one finger at them - there are three fingers pointing right back to you. Jesus says, first remove your plank, then you can remove the speck from your brothers eye. Doesn’t that require you to judge what “speck is in their eye?” How are you able to decipher if you’re “throwing your pearls to swine”, as the verse goes on to say, unless you judge them on some level?
One of the main ways that we are called to decipher if someone is truly who they say they are - followers of Christ - is to judge their fruit.
We need to be “fruit inspectors.” Jesus continues in Matthew 7: 15-20 and says that we will know false prophets “by their fruits.” A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. What are the fruits of a true Christ follower? This is worth noting - because when you see people exhibiting consistently the opposite - we need to pay attention, by being prayerful and discerning. This is how we judge righteously as “fruit inspectors” - we are looking for the following: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.
When we consistently see selfishness, vindictiveness, acting in revenge, anger outbursts, greediness, worldliness or hateful actions and behaviors we need to be aware and prayerfully ask the Lord how we should proceed. These types of people will spread a cancer in a relationship and wreak havoc in a church or Bible study. There are times when we privately, lovingly confront them to help them turn from sin. If they do not have a teachable spirit and are unable to take correction you may need to follow through as Titus 3:10 warns “for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful.”
Judging with right judgment is not only biblical and logical, but it’s also the most loving thing you can do. We have to rightesouly judge those claiming they are in the faith - this is not only to protect us and others from false teachings but also to potentially bring them that are in sin, back to the faith. James 5:19 says My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. You can only do that if you judge with love, humbleness, kindness, and grace. Obeying the commands of Christ, by righteously judging, will keep you from being tossed here and there and deceived by the world. You can only grow spiritually, if you obey all of His commands.
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