JUDGING AND JUDGMENT


In the New Testament, Yeshua (Jesus) says, "Judge not lest you be judged". (Matthew 7:1 ff.) Yet again He said, "Judge Righteous Judgment" (John 7:24). What do we do with these two verses that seem to totally disagree? Can they be reconciled? Is it wrong to judge? Then why would Yeshua tell us to judge?


ARE WE TO JUDGE?


There is no question that we are to know our "right hand from our left". This involves "judging" which hand is which!

But what about Spiritual issues?


SCRIPTURE IS THE JUDGE


The Holy Scriptures were Given to us for a reason. Within both the Old AND the New Testament Scriptures there are Commands. Yeshua said, "Keep My Commandments." Which Commandments?


THE COMMAND TO "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF"


We are told this is one of the Commandments that "Fulfills the whole Law (Torah)", but what does it mean? Does it mean as long as we just "love everyone" they or we can do WHATEVER WE FEEL LIKE DOING? as some are taught? because we are "all sinners anyway"? NO!


WE ARE COMMANDED TO JUDGE SIN AND DEPART FROM LUST


If we do not judge sin in ourselves therefore, we are not truly "Loving ourselves", but bringing ourselves into condemnation.

"They that forsake the Law praise the wicked." Proverbs 28:4

"If we would judge ourselves we would not be judged". I Corinthians 11:31

"And all the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand..." Daniel 12:10


THEN HOW DO WE JUDGE OURSELVES?


Scripture says that we are to use "the Schoolmaster" (Galatians 3:24) to judge sin, and bring us into a lifestyle of Fellowship with Yeshua. The Law does not Justify or make Righteous, its job is to reveal sin.

"All sin is a transgression of the Law." I John 3:4 [1]

The Law is to be used to steer away from sin and guide us toward True Faith and what Yeshua wants us to do. At the point of Salvation, we enter His Kingdom by Faith, and are to remain growing in His Kingdom Planted within us. If we remain in or go back to a lifestyle of sin (adultery, fornication, lust or any other sin)[2] we simply do not grow. Instead, we may come under Divine Discipline. There is no sin Permitted in His Kingdom.


HOW SHOULD WE JUDGE?


There are many verses of Scripture that specifically gives Believers just that Right. The Word of G-d is the Final Authority. In fact, it is the very means whereby we Discern true from false! Not only in life situations, but also individuals and actions.

Simply stated:

To the Law and to the Testimony! If they speak not According to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them. Isaiah 8:20

"Sola Scriptura"

If the Bible declares someone is a "Fool" because they do not Believe in G-d, then we can use that Scripture to tell them just that.We can say, The Bible says, "The FOOL has said in his heart, 'There is no G-d'". If the Bible says they are "wicked" we can tell then that also. It should be clearly understood that we do not personally judge anyone, but only Judge a situation on the basis of what the Scripture says. We do not "Judge", the Bible Judges and we are Commanded to use it for just such purposes. We don't Judge, G-d Judges through His Word. This is not "us judging" or "our judgments"; we did not write the Bible or its Judgments.


THE EXAMPLE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST


REACTION TO A PROPHET IN TIME OF GREAT APOSTASY


"For Herod had laid hold on John and bound him, and put [him] in prison for the sake of Herodius, his brother Philips' wife. Because John had said to him, 'It is not Lawful for you to have her.' And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a Prophet." Matthew 14:3-5.

We see here that John the Baptist Judged Herod using the Scripture. This is the plain meaning.

Because John Judged by Scripture he was immediately counted the enemy of Herod. John was beheaded (on Herods' birthday) at the prompting of Herodius, his wife, by means of her daughter who "pleased" Herod by performing a dance before him. Johns' head was brought to the daughter on a silver platter, and she brought it to her mother; Herodius.


THE ORDER IN THE ASSEMBLIES


The Order that we are Commanded to Observe is in Matthew Chapter 18:15-20 :

1. If a person trespass against you, go to them ALONE and attempt to win thy Brother. IF they will not hear you...

2. Take a Witness or two or three, "that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established". If they will not repent...

3. Go before the Elders of the Church and have them Witness it. If the person will still not repent...

4. Take it before the whole Church.

5. Only after that point let the unrepentant person, "be unto thee as a heathen and a publican". NOT BEFORE!


HOW DO PEOPLE GET SO CONFUSED?


This can take several forms. There are some who just want to follow the desires of their fleshly nature instead of what G-d has Commanded. This involves a "choice" for them, and they choose disobedience in avoiding being judged by the Word. They instead twist the Scripture to say they cannot be judged at all! Nothing could be further from the truth! The first thing we are Required to Judge is ourselves (op.cit.).

Some immature Believers have been incorrectly taught, or do mis-apply Scripture (they believe they cannot judge anything) and so naively find themselves at the mercy of whatever comes their way. Giving those ones Scripture such as Hebrews 5:14 hopefully puts them on the right track!

Some also who appear to be Believers cannot do anything except lawlessness; even their "good deeds" are "human righteousness" and not Divine Righteousness. Matthew 7:21-23. These ones seem very "religious", but still remain unsaved.


WHY WOULD PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE OUR RIGHT AWAY?


There is a great self-interest in depriving us of our Right to judge using the Scripture. Because sinners are entwined and overcome in their sins, they very actively teach and preach "not to judge". They themselves seek avoidance of judging themselves, and because of their sinfulness, and caught in their own inability or obstinancy in deliberately refusing to judge their own sins. THEY THEREFORE DEMAND THAT WE ALSO DO THE SAME! [3]

They often like to cite Scripture such as "do not cast the first stone." concerning the woman taken in adultery. They always fail to mention that the woman was unsaved at the time and TOTALLY REPENTED FROM ALL HER ADULTERY however, and so was Forgiven directly by Yeshua. Yeshua then said, "Go and sin no more". That is, after her Salvation, she was to commit adultery no longer.

By placing some other interpretation on this verse, they conveniently ignore these facts, and so use Holy Scripture to JUSTIFY LUSTS AND STRENGTHEN THEMSELVES IN THEIR SINS? In other words, some take a verse that shows TOTAL REPENTANCE and then twist that verse to justify their own NON-REPENTANCE? Yes, this is exactly what some do.

As mentioned earlier, they sometimes also cite Matthew 7:5 for us to "cast the beam out of our own eye" (which they strenuously insist can never be done!), neglecting Yeshuas' Command to "FIRST cast the beam out..." which they deny can ever even be done in this life! As if Yeshua Gave us a Command that He knew we could never do?!

THESE ONES PRACTICE PLAIN TRICKERY

They also may insist that:

"G-d did not send His Son into the world to 'Judge' (?) the world but that the world through Him might be Saved." John 3:17

The word here used is not "Judge" but "Condemn". The word "world" used here is kosmos in Greek which denotes a specific "system"; in this case, the Elect. (Ephesians 1:4, John 1:13) It never means that Yeshua set aside all Judging while He was here. His actions toward the moneychangers in the Temple should plainly tell us that!

They also may say that "no human is qualified" to judge them in religious matters, but only Yeshua Himself. This is true on a personal subjective level, and what Yeshua meant when He said "Judge not" means from ones' own personal standards or likes and dislikes. We are taught here to not judge subjectively but objectively using Scripture to do the Judging. Scripture does the Judging, NOT US. We did not write it.[4]


SO WHAT IS IT?


What certain ones who essentially "refuse to be judged" are doing is simply known as "Christian Humanism" or "religious liberalism". This is man seeking to establish his OWN "system" based on HIS OWN likes and dislikes. By doing so don't they actually become their own self-appointed, arbitrary authorities OVER The Word of G-d and Its Authority? Yes. Humanistic man always seeks to become autonomous; therefore, anyone that uses Scripture by which to Judge their actions and being Judged by Scripture both stand in their way.

To remove this obstacle, some may even go so far as to say, "G-d told them" to do this or that, or they were "led of the L-rd". That these decisions might run counter to G-ds Word is deemed unimportant. "Their will be done"! [5] They may even boast themselves in false "gifts" to accomplish their unscriptural ends.

Go here to further see HUMANISM EXPOSED.


WE ARE NOT TO BE CARNAL, BUT SPIRITUAL


They then insist that since we are "all sinners anyway" what's the difference? One sin is just as good as another? So who cares? G-d however, does have some sins that He calls an "abomination". There are some sins that are worse than others. (Proverbs 6) Their preaching causes "discord among brethren" and is a serious sin. These are "carnal Christians" seeking to avoid the judgments of "the Schoolmaster". We are to be no longer "category sinner" as carnal, but Commanded to be Spiritual.

"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against G-d; for it is not subject to the Law of G-d, neither indeed can be. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please G-d." Romans 8:6-8

As mentioned earlier, some say "remove the beam out of your own eye." They hope this will convince people that they cannot be judged by others at all! The Word of G-d, however, has no "beams" in its' Eye! The verse, once again, is speaking of "personal" or "subjective" judging, which comes about by inserting self as judge and not objectively Applying the Word to the circumstance.

Do they then say that we do not understand the Scripture well enough to interpret it? The Scripture itself says otherwise however, and what they are unable to do themselves (as evidenced by their sinful lifestyle and bad fruit), the Holy Spirit does Reveal to His people.

"the Elect has Obtained it, and the rest were blinded." Romans 11:7

Because unsaved or carnal individuals either cannot or will not extricate themselves from sinful lifestyles, they may seek out "more tolerant denominations" or even other religions that "do not judge" in order to ignore or conceal their wretched condition. Let us take a look at DISCIPLINE IN THE ASSEMBLIES.

Beware of these types of people, their "preaching" and their so-called "religious" organizations or denominations.

Our answer is:

"Come out from among them and be ye separate..." II Corinthians 6:17



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FOOTNOTES


[1]When sinful man comes into contact with the Judgments and terrors of Law of G-d, he can go one of two directions. He can choose to not fully regard the Law as authoritative because it is too frightening to seriously consider, so substituting his own "good works", OR he can realize the depth of his sins and transgressions, the failure of all of his "good works", and agree with G-ds' Righteousness that he is a total condemned sinner, become convicted in his heart, and experience deep G-dly sorrow which leads to Genuine Full and Total Repentance. (II Corinthians 7:10). The Judgments of the Moral Law drive the True Believer to complete despair, but by agreeing with G-d, and crying out for Mercy with his whole heart, the L-RD sends His Salvation and Deliverance.

Those that seek "smooth things" or "climbing up some other way" never truly Repent with their whole hearts, but believe their own "good works" will be sufficient.

The works of Believers and the works of the unsaved appear very similar at first. Later, many openly reveal their unjudged wickedness by direct violations of Scripture with lifestyles of sin; they then either attempt to ignore, twist or openly rage against the Moral Law.

[2]When Yeshua said to NOT judge out of "personal bias", ("whatsoever judgement YOU judge") actually means that those who REJECT Biblical Standards for Judging are VIOLATING Yeshuas' Commands! They are the ones in disobedience, by using other substituted standards by which they judge, and by so doing attempt to make it appear that WE are the ones that are wrong and in disobedience to Scripture! That which they have substituted for G-ds Moral Law will Judge them on that Day, because they have used THEIR OWN humanly invented judgments which Yeshua said in Matthew 7:1 ff. would condemn them.

Let us take a closer look at what Yeshua said to understand:

"Judge not that you be not Judged. For with what standard YOU judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure YOU give, IT shall be measured to you AGAIN." (Emphasis added.)

In other words, their judgments come from THEIR OWN standards of right and wrong (based on whatever they feel is "good") and NOT truly from His Word. They twist Scripture to agree with their own devices; giving themselves "permission" to remain in their sins while taking comfort in their decisions, and "appearing" outwardly righteous. Many times they actively seek numbers of others to also agree with what they are doing.

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished." Proverbs 11:21

So these ones judge others (using whatever system they use) and forgive themselves, while they would do better judging themselves and forgiving all others. Persons who have personally offended you are to be forgiven, but if the Scripture is violated, this is not against YOU but against Scripture and against His Assemblies. The Assemblies are to be kept as Pure as necessary to focus upon attaining His Kingdom NOW.

Go Here for HIS KINGDOM!

[3]Gentiles, for instance are sometimes taught they are "free from the Law". They were never under the Mosaic Law to begin with however, and their Laws are listed in Acts 21:25 including the Command to depart from fornication, which also includes Adultery and Lust.

"Wolves in sheeps' clothing" are especially concerned about "not being judged" in Spiritual matters. Since they are not truly Believers, but merely "religious", they have not been delivered from their sins and so must attempt to convince others not to judge them. Unregenerate man can see it no other way than to reject being judged, and many times carnal Christians are caught up in this.

The fact remains, there are ones that CANNOT ESCAPE FROM THEIR SINS because they were never Truly Saved in the first place, no matter how many "gifts" they may claim, how much Scripture they can recite, or how "outwardly religious" or "nice" they may appear. Because they cannot escape, and open judgment of their sins would expose that they are still unregenerate (unsaved), they cloak themselves in false teaching to hide themselves and their unsaved condition and failure to correctly judge sin.

[4]"Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my Path." Psalm 119:105

Believers who find it necessary should personally seek such judgments from the Moral Law to the point of G-dly sorrow and True Repentance. Confession to G-d comes next. (I John 1:9) This brings them back into Fellowship with G-d. The Joy of the L-RDs' Forgiveness and Love then places them back on the Grace road with His Blessing once more.

The works of the Law cannot Save, of course. They are very useful in judging sins, returning us to True Faith that expresses Holiness, Righteousness, Purity and Honor.

[5] There is strong evidence to suggest that the same standard they have personally used to judge with (be it whatever "system" they have devised) will be used to judge them on Judgment Day over against G-ds' Word and Moral Law. See (See Matthew 7:1 ff.) What they had trusted in and hoped was the "system" that would be their deliverance, their righteousness and their "salvation" instead becomes their judge. Perfect Justice.


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