Judge not that you be not judged.
Matt. 7:1
To judge means to decide whether something is right or wrong, good or bad. Jesus told us not to judge.
James also told us not to judge.
He who speaks evil of his brother and judges him, speaks evil of the law and judges the law
James 2:8
Paul told us not to judge.
Judge nothing before the time
1 Cor. 4:5
We should not judge because we cannot do so properly. We are imperfect and make mistakes. We have faulty perceptions and deductions, and our knowledge is incomplete, which is why our judgements are often wrong.
God is the judge, not us.
Even Jesus didn’t judge others.
And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
John 12:47-48
Jesus said that doesn’t judge, but his word will judge. The word of God is the eternal standard of judgement that will judge everyone.
As I hear I judge
John 5:30
Jesus heard from his Father, and on that basis he judged.
Isaiah prophesied of Jesus that he would judge not according to the ability he had as a man, but according to revelation from his Father.
He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Isa 11:3-4
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But with righteousness He shall judge
Jesus didn’t look at things from the outward appearance, but he based everything on the revelation or word of God.
All judgments must be based on the word of God. God’s word must be the standard, not our own thoughts.
God is the judge. His word is the judge.
With this background in mind, we can look at some verses which actually command us to judge.
But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?
1 Cor. 5:11-12
Here it says that we are to judge our fellow believers. We must recognize if they are in bondage to sin, and then separate them from the fellowship of believers so they do not corrupt the church.
Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
1 Cor. 6:3
We are going to judge angels. This means that we are much more able to judge the things pertaining to this life.
We must not judge based on our own fleshly abilities or thoughts, but we must judge based on the word of God. We are able to judge correctly when we are guided by the word and Spirit of God, not by our own minds.
Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 7:24
We are commanded to not judge according to how things seem to be to us, but according to the eternal word of God.
So yes, we do need to judge, but we must do so according to the word of God.
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