Judging others is a hot topic in our society. Cries of ‘you can’t judge me’ and complaints about unfair judgements are common. Christians need to be familiar with the biblical instructions on judgement.
A foundational principle of the Bible is that God is the ultimate judge.
For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. Isaiah 33:22
It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. Psalm 75:7
God’s judgement is described as perfectly just and fair. This is often shown in contrast to man’s judgement which can be unfairly influenced in many ways.
Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:25
God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. Psalm 7:11
The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice. Proverbs 17:23
The Bible points towards a future day of judgement, when Jesus will judge the living and the dead for all the deeds of their life.
Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10
But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 1 Peter 4:5
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Revelation 20:12
As Christians, we are told that we should not put ourselves in God’s place and judge others. We are to entrust righteous judgement to him.
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye Matthew 7:1-29
There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? James 4:12
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Romans 2:1-3
However, this does not mean that we are to ignore all behaviour. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that we have a role to warn and rebuke others when we see sin.
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
The events described in 1 Corinthians 5 are instructive. Paul tells the church to dissociate from a man in the church who, while claiming to be a Christian, is indulging in sexual immorality. Paul makes it clear that the church (in line with Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 18) should warn and rebuke a Christian in sin, even so far as to remove them from the church community. This is not done to try and act in God’s role of ultimate judge. It is done in the hope that the person will see the error of their ways, repent and return to the Lord.
In this way, Christians do have a role in judgement, but this is within the church, not for those outside the church. When exercising this role, we should tread carefully and ensure that we are entrusting the final judgement to God, when justice will be perfectly carried out.