Question #45: The Bible says, "Judge not." Is it right for a ... ?
The Bible says, "Judge not." Is it right for a Christian to judge others in anything?
Christians are never to judge another person's motives. This is what is meant in Matthew 7:3 by beholding "the mote that is in thy brother's eye." We are never to judge what we cannot see or know. However, we do find that it is a responsibility of Christians in a local assembly to judge those who are within—that is, those who are Christians and are therefore a part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 5). This chapter makes it very clear that when a Christian commits a sin of the type mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:11 there is a responsibility to judge the one who committed the sin. This judgment would take the form of excommunication from the fellowship of Christians. The purpose of this excommunication is to bring the sinning Christian to repentance and to confession of his sin. Of course, if there has already been true repentance, the judgment would not have to be carried out. So, there are times when it is not only right to judge, but necessary. This judgment is not of a person's motives, but of his deeds.Share by E-Mail
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