JUDGE not that ye be no judged." How often these Words have been quoted when one believer has sought to reason with another about the sins of his life. Frequently they have put an end to the conversation because the child of God who was seeking to restore his brother has been at a loss to know how to answer them, though in his own soul he knew something was very wrong with the way this Scripture was used. This raises the question, "Is it scriptural for one Christian to judge another?" and this gives rise to yet another question, "If it is scriptural for one believer to judge another, in what realm may such judgment normally be exercised?"

At first thought the Scriptures pertaining to the believer's judgments seem very contradictory. Here are the chief apparent contradictions which the student meets as he begins to study this question.

At a glance it will be seen that the Scriptures on the one hand forbid the believer to judge or discourage such a practice, while the Scriptures on the other hand command him to judge or encourage him to do so.

Like all the seeming contradictions in the Bible, this apparent incongruity becomes a valuable clue to the Bible student. Believing as we do that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, we are bound to recognize that both groups of passages must be true, no matter how violently contradictory they seem on the surface. The very contradiction, therefore, suggests that there is a distinction involved which when it is clearly defined will reveal perfect harmony between these groups of Scripture. Following up this clue we are inevitably led to the conclusion that for the believer to judge in certain realms is unscriptural; but it is just as unscriptural for him to fail to judge in other realms.

Our task, therefore, resolves itself into that of finding the answer of God's Word to these questions, "Wherein is it unscriptural for the believer to judge?" "Wherein do the Scriptures teach that the believer should judge?" and "How may the believer judge righteous judgment?"

I. WHEREIN IS IT UNSCRIPTURAL FOR THE BELIEVER TO JUDGE?

THAT it is unscriptural for a believer to judge in certain realms is self-evident from many Scriptures. We will not, therefore, try to multiply proof for this, but will press on at once to consider our first question, "Wherein is it unscriptural for a believer to judge?"

Is the answer to this question not suggested m these At a glance it will be seen that the Scriptures on the words:

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own Master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand (Rom. 14:4).

In the light of the context the "Master" here is clearly seen to be the Lord, and this interpretation is born out by the fact that in the original the word "man" does not appear, the verse reading literally, "Who art thou that judgest the servant of another" (R.V.). In this verse we have the suggestion that it is unscriptural for a believer to judge when in doing so he intrudes into that realm in which God alone has the right to judge.

There are two realms in which God has the exclusive right to judge — the salvation of the sinner and the rewards of the servant.

It is unscriptural for a believer to attempt to judge another soul in the realm of salvation. This is James' contention when he says,

He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, Who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? (James 4:11-12).

One thing stands out with crystalline clearness in this verse, and that is that a man has no right to judge another in the realm to which reference is made. The realm in mind is also clearly defined by the expression, "there is one Lawgiver, Who is able to save and to destroy." This Scripture plainly prohibits our judging another in the realm of his salvation.

We need to be very careful, however, in our use of the word "judge" here. Evidently when forbidding the believer to judge another as pertains to his salvation the Spirit of God uses the word in the sense of a judicial sentence, for that one believer may judge the salvation of others in the sense of discerning their faith in Christ is apparent from many other Scriptures. For instance, the Apostle John could write to believers in Christ,

I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake (I John 2:12).

And the Apostle Paul could write to the Galatian believers:

Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26).

Such testimony was in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ to the disciples:

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained (John 20:23).

In the light of the passage from James which we considered a moment ago, it is evident that these Scriptures do not teach that one man has power to decide whether another man's sins shall be forgiven: that is God's prerogative. But God's Word having declared that in Christ the believer has redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins; and that the believing soul is born again through faith in Jesus Christ as his Saviour (Eph. 1:7; I John 5:1), the servant of God may testify His grace, saying to the soul who has declared his faith in Him, "By faith in Christ Jesus you have become a child of God and your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake."

The conclusion of this matter, therefore, is this: is not unscriptural for the believer to testify the salvation of another soul when he bases his testimony on that soul's profession of faith in Christ, coupled with the clear promises of God's Word to believers. But it is violently unscriptural for any man to claim to have power to forgive sins or to condemn a soul to punishment because of his sins. It is just as unscriptural for us to deny a soul's salvation because we can see no evidence of his faith. We naturally wonder about such an one, but God may see faith in him which we do not see. God sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.

It is also unscriptural for a believer to judge another in the sense of seeking to determine what shall be his reward for service rendered to his Lord. This is the force of Romans 14:10-14:

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For it is written, as I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

The fact of rewards is foremost in these words, for we are told that we must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, where, from other Scriptures, we know we will be judged for the deeds done in the body, and our rewards will be determined on the ground of our works (see II Cor. 5:19). Here again we are warned against intruding ourselves into that wherein God alone has the right to judge. At the same time the normal realm for the believer's judgment is suggested, "Judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." We should not try to decide what our brother's reward shall be, but so far as lies in our power, we should see to it that neither we nor any other man put anything in his way which will keep him from receiving a full reward.

The sin of seeking to judge another in the realm of rewards for service is clearly taught in another Scripture, in which is emphasized also the fact that this is exclusively God's prerogative.

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God (I Cor. 4:1-5).

In this, as in the passages formerly considered, God's Word plainly teaches that the believer should not judge othe-'s in a realm in which God alone has the right to judge.

But there is another scriptural limitation of judgment. It is sheer hypocrisy for one man to condemn another for the sins which he is harboring in his own life. This is the point of Matthew 7:1, for having issued the warning,

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

the Lord Jesus went on to say.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or wilt thou say to thy brother, let me put out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye ; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast o 't the mote out of thy brother's eye (Matt. 7:2-5).

Of Like character is the teaching of Romans 2:1-3 which says,

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

In both cases the reason for the warning is the same. Men are inexcusable for judging others when they themselves are doing the same things for which they judge their fellowmen. Such a thing brings a rebuke from the Lord. It is especially noteworthy that both of these passages are directed primarily to the self-righteous unbeliever, and are designed to awaken him to his own sin and need of the Saviour. Nevertheless the same principle may reasonably be applied to the believer, for surely it must grieve the Spirit of God for a believer to condemn in another's life the sins which he condones in his own.

So far as scriptural limitations of the believer's judgment goes, however, we may sum it up in this one word — the believer should not assume to judge others in realms in which God alone has the right to judge.

II. WHEREIN IS IT SCRIPTURAL FOR A BELIEVER TO JUDGED

WHAT then are the scriptural realms in which the believer's judgment is to be exercised.? For that it is necessary for a believer to judge in many things it is evident in the very nature of the case.

The answer of this question is made very plain in I Cor. 6:1-5,

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matter?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

Notice particularly in this passage the expression.

Judgments of things pertaining to this life

This defines the realm in which it is scriptural for the believer to judge. It is scriptural, yea, it is absolutely necessary for the believer to judge in things which pertain to this life.

Now let us see a few of the particular matters pertaining to this life which necessitate such judgment.

First should be mentioned the need of discerning the truth and distinguishing it from false teaching. This was the force of the Saviour's admonition.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment (John 7:24).

Those to whom He was speaking were judging Him a false" teacher because He did not conform to their man-made traditions. If they would judge righteous judgment they would recognize Him as the Son of God, and His message as the Word of God. Such also was the burden of the Apostle Paul when he said to the Corinithian believers,

I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say (I Cor. 10:15).

And such was the burden for the Philippians which led him to write to them.

This I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowlege and in all discernment (judgment); in order that ye may distinguish the things that differ, that ye may be pure and without offense to the day of Christ; being filled with all the fruit of righteousness which is through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:9-11, Bible Union Version).

In days like these when wicked teaching abounds on every hand, surely it is vital that a believer judge what he is taught, to distinguish the true from the false. We shall see shortly the standard by which the believer is to be guided in judging the doctrines which he hears, so we will content ourselves here with calling attention to the fact that the Scripture teaches that the believer 'should exercise his judgment in the realm of discerning the truth.

The believer should also judge his own life that it might be purified and made holy. Having spoken to the Corinthians of sins in their midst the Apostle Paul concluded.

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world (I Cor. 11:31-32).

When the believer sins, God chastens, but punitive chastening is unnecessary if the believer will judge his own life and put out of it the things which grieve his Lord. Another admonition of similar character is found in Gal. 6:4:

But let every man prove (try, or put to the test) his own work.

Surely there is tremendous need for more exercise of judgment in this realm. If believers would judge themselves, confess their sins and lo:)k to God for strength to overcome, many lives would be completely transformed. There is no excuse for us to fail thus to judge ourselves, for as wa shall see presently God has given us an infallible standard by which to judge and to purify our lives.

And, finally, believers should judge their brethren for the purpose of exhortation and discipline. Without judging the sins of a brother's life, how could the believer obey the Scriptures which say.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted (Gal. 6:1),

But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13).

In the very nature of the case, exhortation necessitates our judging matters in the lives of those believers with whom our lot is cast. If a believer sees a brother overtaken in sin, it is not only his privilege, but also His Christian responsibility to recognize that there is sin in that life and to go to him with definite exhortation in the effort to restore him.

Failing through exhortation to restore his brother, the believer should take with him others who shall judge between him and his brother and blend their voices with his in the endeavor to restore the drifted believer. And failing by this means to gain the brother, the church should judge his sin and discipline him. This is the course prescribed in Matthew 18:15-17. Such was the occasion for the judgment spoken of in I Corinthians 6:1-5, and such was the' occasion for the Apostle Paul's testimony in I Corinthians 5:3-5,

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Surely in the light of such clear Scriptures as these, one cannot conscientiously maintain that the believer should never judge his fellow believer. On the contrary we are plainly told that we are to "JUDGE THINGS WHICH PERTAIN TO THIS LIFE." In doctrine, we are to discern the truth that we may turn away from false teachers, and that we may submit ourselves to the Word of God. In our personal lives we are to distinguish the works of the flesh from the fruit of the Spirit that we may put off the old man and put on the new. And in our association with our brethren we are to judge weaknesses and sins in their' lives that we may minister to the weak and that we may restore the straying. Without judging things pertaining to this life the believer could not possibly fulfil many other admonitions with which the Scripture abounds, such as for example, I Thes. 5:14-15,

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man: but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

III. HOW CAN THE BELIEVER JUDGE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

AND now we must consider the question, how ma' the believer judge righteous judgment? Happily God's Word gives us just as clear an answer to this as to the other questions which we have considered.

The first condition of judging righteously is that the believer must be walking in the Spirit. In other words he must be yielded to the will of God and occupied with the Lord Jesus Christ. This necessity appears in the testimony,

He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man (I Cor. 2:15).

"He that is spiritual" is he who is walking in the Spirit. According to the foregoing verses in this Scripture.

The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The natural man, of course, is the man under control of the old nature. It is in contrast to this that the statement is made, "He that is spiritual judgeth all things." The word "discerned" in verse 14 in the original is identical with the word "judgeth" in verse 15. This judgment, therefore, is primarily a judgment or a discernment of truth, but it is unreasonable and unscriptural to conclude that a man is to discern what is true in the realm of doctrine and not to be able to judge in the application of that doctrine to the practical life. This verse, therefore, teaches that he that is spiritual may both discern the truth and judge things pertaining to this life in the light of the truth which he so clearly perceives.

Another promise which supplements this is found in Psalm 25:9,

The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way.

This is simply another way of stating the same truth as that which we have seen in I Corinthians 2:14, anc: when we turn to Galatians 5:22-23, we read,

The fruit of the Spirit is . . . meekness.

The promise in Psalm 25:9, therefore, is for the man who is walking in the spirit, or, as the other Scripture puts it, for him that is spiritual. In this connection it is exceedingly interesting to remind ourselves once more that it is the one who is "spiritual" who is to seek to restore a sinning brother, and he is to do it "in the spirit of meekness." By such clear and unmistakable testimony does God's Word teach that righteous and balanced judgment can be exercised only by the soul that is walking in the Spirit, which means that we will be yielding ourselves in submission to the will of God and permitting the Spirit to fill our minds with the things of Christ, for,

They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5).

According to the clear promise of God's own Word, he that is spiritual has the Spirit of God Himself for his preceptor in judgment.

To judge righteous judgment the believer must also judge according to the Word of God. This is the infallible standard by which we must measure all of our judgments.

This is apparent in our discerning the truth.

To the law and to the testimony.

Said the prophet Isaiah,

If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them (Isa. 8:20).

And to this the Apostle Paul adds,

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words ; whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain' is godliness: from such withdraw thyself (I Tim. 6:3-5).

It was because of the necessity of judgment in this realm and because God's Word was the only safe standard for such judgment, that the Lord Jesus Christ voiced the admonition,

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me (John 5:39).

And it was for this reason that the Berean believers were commended because.

They received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11).

It by no means detracts from the force of this last Scripture to realize that the word "searched" in the Greek is the same word which elsewhere is translated by the word "judged."

That God's Word is the standard for our judgment is also made plain in the matter of judging and purifying our personal lives. It is as much because the Word is the standard by which we are to judge as because it is a means whereby the soul is strengthened to put sinful things out of the life, that the Psalmist said,

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word (Ps. 119:9).

And,

Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee (Ps. 119:11).

And the necessity for judging according to Gods Word is also apparent in matters pertaining to the lives of other believers. This was the standard which the Apostle Paul indicated when he said,

If any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother (II Thes. 3:14-15).

The place of God's Word in the judgment of the believer, as well as its power in his testimony, is indicated in the Apostle Paul's insistence that one of the essential qualifications of a bishop is

Holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doc trine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers (Titus 1 :9).

And of like force was his solemn charge to Timothy,

Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine (II Tim. 4:2).

Human opinion is valueless. It is just as liable to err as to be true. But that man whose will is submitted to the will of his Lord and who makes God's Word his constant meditation, as he will if he is "spiritual" in the scriptural sense of the word, has an infallible guide, and an infallible standard of judgment. In his life will be manifest that righteous and balanced judgment of which the Scripture says,

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:15-16)