“Don’t judge!” is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. How many of us started a conversation, “I don’t mean to judge….,” and felt guilty for doing so? But do we know that it wasn’t an absolute command? 

“Do not judge, or you too will be judge.” Matt 7:1. What Jesus was commanding was not that we shouldn’t determine any matter at all as good or bad, but rather don’t do so with a preconceived mind without having all the facts. In other words, Jesus is telling us to judge rightly and lovingly rather than self-righteously.

Proof: Jesus also said, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment,” in John 7:24

The pharisees were “judging” Jesus to be a sinner based on the “appearance” of breaking the Mosaic law. (He was healing on the Sabbath). Obviously, their judgement was out of jealousy and self-righteousness. And Jesus tells them to get their facts straight, do more research and judge rightly.

For me to be witnessing my friend’s sin and saying, “I can’t judge because the Bible says not to” is misunderstanding the Bible. Actually, we are commanded to correct, rebuke and encourage one another (2 Tim 4:2) when we fall into sin. And for us to do that, we must judge rightly and lovingly in order to restore our brother.

Didn’t God judge us to be sinners? Yet, He came to save us and not to condemn us. So, we also ought to judge rightly and lovingly in order to save them and not to condemn them.

May He get the glory for being the righteous Judge!

PH