Question 1

What does God think of our judging others?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 4:5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.God wants us to be very slow to judge others because he alone is capable of judging perfectly every time. Changing an opinion about someone can be difficult. If we have incorrectly formed a bad opinion about someone, we may think negatively about that person for years, damaging the possibility of a healthy relationship.Romans 2:1You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.When we condemn others for their sin without first carefully considering our own sins, God sees our hypocrisy and condemns it.1 Samuel 16:7The Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”God doesn’t want us to judge people based on their outward appearance.Leviticus 19:15“Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.”When we have to make a judgment, we must do so with fairness and integrity.

Question 2

What are the consequences of judging others?

Accepted Answer

2 Samuel 12:5-7David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.”A consequence of being quick to judge others is that we may be hypocrites, guilty of the actions we have so vigorously condemned.Matthew 7:2“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”Luke 6:37“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”A consequence of judging others is that we will be judged by the same standard that we use. Thus, being merciful and forgiving is better than being harsh and critical.

Question 3

What’s the difference between judging others and giving constructive criticism?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 7:1-3“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. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?”Colossians 3:13Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.James 4:11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.While no one likes criticism—even when it is constructive—we sometimes need it. But receiving criticism is much easier when it is offered gently and in love rather than harshly and to humiliate. To simply judge someone is to criticize with no effort to see that person succeed or improve. To offer constructive criticism is to invest in another for the purpose of building a relationship and helping that person become the person God created him or her to be. Before approaching someone about an issue, we must prayerfully inspect our own motives and think through how best to express our love and care for that person, as well as how to encourage rather than discourage him or her.

Question 4

What guidelines should I follow when I’m tempted to judge others?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:9-10Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.1 Corinthians 13:4-7Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.We should act according to the law of love.John 18:23Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?”We should be very careful not to accuse, judge, or cast doubt on someone unless we know that what we will say is true and we can prove it.

Judging Others