MG: 11.15.14 // Three Areas of Worldliness in the Church – Part 2, Judging

This series is not about looking under every rock for worldliness as if it was some kind of witch hunt. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look very far; it’s out in the open in every church. The dangling fruits of judge not, forgive freely, and love without expectations are ripe for the picking! One area of worldliness having made an entrance into church life is through embracing the world’s interpretation of judging others – don’t! It’s the J-word in our culture. The passage usually cited is Mt 7:1. Now what I think is funny about that is the world doesn’t recognize the authority of the Scriptures, but they use it “authoritatively” against – “the judgers,” those people who do not necessarily agree with their lifestyles. There is a greater discussion on judging in the series, “You Be the Judge”b.

It is amazing that if you ask believers if we are to judge, they will say unhesitatingly, “No,” and look at you with a “duh” expression with hands on the hip, a tilted head, and tapping their foot! If you ask them why do you say “no?” They will say, “Judge not, lest you be judged!” I would respond, “So, I take it that you don’t think we should judge other people?” Again, the answer is an emphatic, “No.” I get that with all of the hypocritical judging floating around, but do we have to throw the baby out with the bathwater, too?

We would expect this answer from the world that wants the Christians off their backs about their “sins” or an acceptance of their ungodly lifestyle, but not surprisingly, believers are siding with the world’s view that judging should be prohibited or limited to only the lost. It is almost as if judging is a universal taboo, crossing spiritual lines, Christian and non-Christian, a kind of a respect thing (stemming from a belief that all peoples of the earth are going to heaven unless you are an atheist whose heavenly thoughts are no God after death in non-existence).

Beneath the surface, I think it has more to do with not wanting to be held accountable for a lifestyle that is less than biblical. An absence of judging provides an environment where there is some wiggle room to sin than being hauled on the carpet to give an account. My question is does God’s view on judging count? Oh, that’s right; He already said to “judge not.” Well, if God said it that settles it whether we believe it or not, right? The last I read, Jesus did say those very words in Mt 7:1. But can we use this text to prohibit all judging or limit it in some way to refer it only to the lost? 

Many believers are siding with the world’s interpretation that Jesus was advocating a wholesale prohibition on judging. It is if they have taken the “judge not” clause and turned it into some kind of emancipation from being judged believing they have “biblical” support for their lifestyles! This dovetails nicely with the love doctrine where “God just loves everybody, and everybody is going to heaven regardless of what they believe or how they live; so what need of it to judge anyone? Jesus said to ‘Judge not!’” So out comes the J-card in our faces because we disagree with their lifestyles, or they simply leave the church because of all the “hatemongering!” If it wasn’t such a serious problem, it would be laughable.

In the clause “[You] judge not” (Gk, mē krinete) in Mt 7:1, the verb “judge” is in the present (tense) active (voice) imperative (mood) with the negative word “not” attached. The tense here denotes continuous action; the voice indicates the subject [You] is doing the action; and the mood is commanded; what Jesus was saying about judging from the Mount was/is not optional. The emphasis is on the particle, “not.” This prohibition with a present active imperative literally means to judge no longer or no longer go on judging. They are to stop judging and quit judging, period! The question remains, judging what or judging how? The context will reveal that judging refers to the quality of judging, not the object of judging.

Now the Greek word translated as “judge” here is krinō. We get our English word “critic” from it. Again, this could be interpreted literally as “Criticize not” or no longer go on criticizing. But are all criticisms bad, of course not? A critique can be positive or negative or a combination. We delineate these polar opposites by the phrase positive (lit., constructive) criticism/s and negative (lit., destructive) criticism/s because not all criticisms are harmful or hurtful. Many are beneficial to the hearer even in a negative light! 

Sometimes they are merged together (neg/pos) to bring about a positive outcome. Think of it as taking some medicine that is hard to swallow, but it will make us better if we take it. You do know that a major pharmacy offers a variety of flavors for liquid medicine now! I know because I had to wait twenty minutes on a woman who couldn’t decide which flavor she thought her child might like! I wish we had those options during my boyhood.

Obviously, Jesus wasn’t being mean-spirited here. He is giving us some very good spiritual medicine. We see this in Mt 7:1, “Judge not [a negative criticism], that you be not judged” [a positive outcome]. Many times we must tear down in order to rebuild, right? It’s part of the process of renewing the mind (Rom 12:2).

Now, we can prove anything by Scripture if we want to intentionally lift a verse out of its context which would be intellectually dishonest. In order for Constitutional lawyers to understand the words of the framers of our Constitution they must consider the historical, cultural, social, economic, geopolitical, and grammatical contexts. We must be reminded that what we are dealing with here are “living” words; all of Scripture are organic, interconnected, and interrelated, a “body” of living truth (2 Tim 3:16), spiritually speaking. 

So we must look carefully and not ignore words, phrases, or clauses within the context of the immediate passage, chapter, book, and the Book of books. When we compare spiritual things with spiritual things, with Genesis to Revelation in mind, we not only preserve the unity and wholeness of special revelation (the Bible), we promote it and bring glory to God as wise handlers of God’s eternal Word (Mk 13:31). Woe to the twisters of the truth (Psa 56:5; 2 Pet 3:16).

You will see a clearer picture of this present active imperative with a negative particle in John’s Gospel when Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “sin no more” or sin no longer or no longer go on sinning (Jn 8:11b). So Mt 7:1 is not about ending all judging but rather judging no longer or no longer go on judging. There are alternate ways of saying it. What kind of judging is this? The context reveals Jesus is prohibiting the bad kind: hypocritical, unrighteous, and unjust (Mt 7:2-5). 

Incidentally, this text in John chapter 8 does not prove we can achieve sinless perfection on this side of eternity. This woman was commanded not to make a practice of sin (remember the tense is continuous). Barring the rapture, we all will die physically because we are saved sinners but sinners no less (Rom 5:12; Gn 5:5; 1 Jn 1:10). The idea of sinless perfection on this side of eternity is from the dark one (Jn 8:44), cutting against the teachings of Scripture.

John gives us another illustration of the present active imperative with a negative particle (not electrons!). I do apologize for all the unfamiliar grammar, but I am trying to make it as painless as possible and be crystal clear here. I am not sure I achieved that in my series “You Be the Judge.” Maybe I did; you be the judge of that! When some believers see all of these funny-looking italicized words that you can’t pronounce much less know what it means, they cop a grammadical attitude on me.

When they read about tense, voice, and mood, some think I am talking about their wives or husbands! I can assure you; I don’t know the disposition of your wife or husband! But come, let us reason together. You will have to admit that Mt 7:1 has been heavily abused and lifted from its context to mean something it doesn’t. Goodness, even good men have carelessly made flippant statements from pulpits and podiums, stages and floors, “We are not to judge,” as if that was some kind of sage advice from heaven! No, it is advice from an opinion unsubstantiated in the Scriptures! No one states everything perfectly whether verbally or written, including yours truly. 

The historical and grammatical context declares another meaning, the way the Holy Spirit intended. We see this grammatical construction used of the man who had an infirmity for 38 years and would make his way to the Sheep gate in Jerusalem at a certain time where there was a pool known as Bethesda (house of mercy). According to John through inspiration at a certain time (unknown) an angel came down and stirred or agitated the waters. The first to step into the pool would be healed (Jn 5:4). The problem was that there was in John’s words, “A great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water” (Jn 5:3). Only one would leave from there healed.

Jesus was in Jerusalem because of a feast. Some believe it was the Passover, but it is unclear. This feast may have been the general sign that the angel’s visit to the pool was near; the precise time was unknown so there would be a large gathering around Bethesda. Jesus saw this invalid lying there knowing this pitiful man had this terrible medical condition before even He was born (Jn 5:6). Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be made well?” I love that question. That poor soul couldn’t help his own self, and no man could help him. In all reality, he would die in that condition never reaching the pool for healing until, Jesus, lover of this man’s soul. Jesus simply spoke the words to the broken in spirit and body, “Rise, take up your bed and walk” (Jn 5:8)!

Watch closely, “And immediately the man was made well [emphasis mine], took up his bed, and walked” (Jn 5:9a)! When Jesus found me, I was broken, crippled by sin, and on my way to hell. I was as helpless as that man at the pool. I gave my heart to Jesus on 1.19.76. Immediately, I was a new creation in Christ, no longer crippled by sin, free from the penalty of sin, walking in His will, and on my way to glory. And here I am writing to you of my precious Redeemer! If I could point to only one thing that I did right in my life, it was receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Is it well with your soul?

When Jesus healed that helpless man that day, it was on the Sabbath (Jn 5:9b). What flagged this miracle was that he was seen by the Jews carrying his bed on the Sabbath (forbidden because it was deemed as work) because he was told to (Jn 5:8). But he didn’t know the name of Him who healed him and told him to take up his bed and walk. Afterward, when Jesus found the man in the temple, He commanded him, See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you" (Jn 5:14).

The clause, “[You] sin no more” (Gk, mēketi hamartane), is the present active imperative with a prohibition meaning, no longer sin or no longer go on sinning. With the negative criticism comes the positive, “lest a worse thing come upon you.” The warning is constructive. By not sinning against knowledge he will avoid something worst than his 38 years of affliction. Jesus doesn’t say what that might be. We should not deceive ourselves; we reap what we have sown.

“The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well” (Jn 5:15). After this disclosure of a name, the Jews started becoming more openly hostile toward Jesus from that day onward (Jn 5:16). The Jews not only sought to kill Him because he “worked” on the Sabbath, but He claimed equality with the Father (Jn 5:18). The die was cast; He was and would become the payment for the penalty of man’s sin (Mk 10:45). Do not be tough on this man or think him as ungrateful. Remember Jesus “found” (searching with a purpose) him in the temple. Things were being set in motion. If I was physically healed by Jesus; I would want to herald that I was healed, and it was Jesus who did it to give Him all the glory and gratitude.

Naturally, we all possess a tendency to be critical of one another, but Mt 7:1 is not the verse you are looking for to call judging a sin. There is no prohibition on judging rightly. The writers under inspiration indicate we are to evaluate one another spiritually (Mt 7:5-6, 15; 1Cor 5:1-12; 1Jn 4:1-6). Remember the Prophet Nathan addressing David’s affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:1-9)? If we are being like Christ we are not to judge hypocritically, but we are never prohibited from making righteous judgments as Christ did. Matter of fact judging rightly is Christlike! Therefore, it is an untenable position to claim that we are not to judge rightly (cf. Jn 7:24). In fact as right thinking produces right behavior, a right attitude, and motives play a major factor in judging rightly (Gal 6:1; Rom 2:1-11; 14:1-23; Jas 4:11-12).

Interesting to note is that the Greek noun (hupokritēs, krites = judge) translated “hypocrite” in Mt 7:5 is rooted in the Greek verb (hupokrinomai, krino = judge) translated “pretended” in Lk 20:20. Well, the Greek verb krinō is translated “judge” in Mt 7:1 is of the same family tree as “hypocrite” in Mt 7:5 as you can see above in bold letters. Now, that is rich. In our family tree we got some good branches and not-so-good branches, but “we kinfolk” is just the same as the words judge and hypocrite are family, being etymologically related, that is, being in the same family tree.

A hypocrite is a person wearing another face, like an actor portraying someone else, pretending to be another; some are very convincing in the pretense. That’s the okay side as long as it stays on stage. When it goes off stage is where the negative lies. This hypocrisy Jesus was referring to on the Mount was a judgment that was coming from a spirit that was critical, in the bad sense of the word, judgmental, and self-righteous, like the Pharisees; go figure. This hypocritical judging was accusing more severely than it does itself or excusing one’s own faults or sins but not another. It carries a double standard. No wonder Jesus commanded not to do away with judging but to put a halt to unrighteous criticism and not to continue judging in a hypocritical manner like the Pharisees. <><

To Part 3