When is evaluating or judging people all right?

Matthew 7:1-2“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

Judging people is easy, especially when we don’t know their motives or the context of their words or actions. So we should be careful about making assumptions and judgments until we have all the facts.

Romans 14:10-13Why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

Unfortunately, believers often criticize and even condemn other believers, in a local church or in the wider Christian community. We should not do this unless the person is in obvious sin, and, even then, we should correct that person in love, knowing that God alone is the ultimate judge.

Galatians 6:1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

If a fellow believer—family member, friend, church member—is “overcome by some sin,” we have the responsibility to that person and to the church to confront that person privately first about his or her sin, but we should do this “gently and humbly.”

1 Timothy 5:20Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.

A person who has been confronted privately but who continues to sin (especially a church leader) should be disciplined by the church, which includes a public denunciation of the sin.