To Judge or Not to Judge

Judge not less ye be judged. Matthew 7:1

   What a hold this one scripture has on Christians. Because of this one scripture people are afraid to speak against any evil that may appear in the church. They are afraid to call out sin for what it is. They rationalize things. They are afraid to call a hypocrite a hypocrite. They pass the buck so to speak. They say it is the pastors job to call out evil in his church. Are we not all accountable to one another?
   Is that what Jesus called us to do? To be afraid? Are you afraid to let someone know that you don't think they are living in the right way? "Oh but its not my opinion that counts," you might say. Maybe not but aren't you supposed to know what the Bible says about something? Does the Bible say that it is ok for that person to be living that way? Are we all not suppose to know what the word says? Are we not all accountable for what we know and fail to share?
   Satan has such a hold on the Christians today. Satan is the master manipulator , the master deceiver, the master liar. He can appear to be many things, but he is false. Satan uses the scriptures to keep Christians in bondage. Satan takes this one scripture and pulls it all out of context. Don't judge because you'll be judged. If we go on down through the next verses of this scripture we find that it is basically saying don't judge someone for something that you might be judged of. For example how can you tell someone it is a sin to smoke if you are standing there with a pack in your pocket? Or how can you tell someone it is wrong to commit adultery when you are guilty of doing the same thing. Examine your heart and make sure it is clean and there are no beams in your own eyes then pull out the mote in thy brothers. Are you not accountable for your own actions?
   Do not all bear fruit? Are we not bearers of either good fruit or bad fruit? Can we not discern which is the good fruit or the bad fruit? Do you want to eat of the bad fruit? We are all accountable for the things we eat. If a pastor is feeding you bad fruit then you must either eat the bad fruit and set under him and not judge the quality of the fruit or judge the fruit and choose to go to another tree to eat the fruit of. If you are sitting under an apple tree and most of the apples fall off and they are bad with only one or two good apples are you going to judge that tree to be a bad fruit producing tree and move to another tree or are you going to stay and eat the fruit of that tree and say I'm not supposed to judge unless I am judged.
    Folks we are all going to be judged. Every single one of us will be judged. The sinners at the great white throne judgment and the Christians will be judged for their works. How are you going to feel when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ and Jesus looks at you and says why did you allow that Sunday school teacher to teach those girls when you knew she was living a life of immorality? What kind of answer are you going to be able to give him? The Bible says that to those who know to do good and doeth it not to them it is sin. What kind of an answer can you give him? "Well Lord you said we weren't supposed to judge lest we be judged", in this case, that must mean that there was immorality in your own life, since you couldn't pull the mote out of that Sunday school teachers eye it must have been because you still had that beam in your own. Hmmm, not a real good answer there is it?
   In 1 Corinthians 6:2 Paul said, " 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 matters?" 3 "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?"     If we are to judge angels someday and we are preparing for the future by the life we live here on earth then should we not be learning to judge some things for ourselves? Do we not teach a child to discern right from wrong? It is right to pay for things we want , it is wrong to take them. That is teaching a child to judge. Why should we teach that it is ok to judge some things and not others? Its ok to judge and say no to drugs they are bad but its ok to give out free condoms because it isn't something that is really bad. Are you accountable for allowing the world to get like this?
   Folks, judging goes on everyday in everyone's life. So don't take a scripture and use it when its convenient and throw it away the rest of the time. If you are never going to judge anyone or anything then you must be willing to accept that your kids can run around with dope addicts and your daughter can become a prostitute or harlot because you aren't supposed to judge. If you know that you should speak to someone who isn't living the way they ought to then get out and do it because if God has told you to and you don't then you will answer to it. You will be held accountable. The person may not repent and change but it is no longer going to be held at your hand for failing to act.
   We are instructed in Matthew 7:20 "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." We are to judge the kind of fruit that is being produced whether it be good or evil. We are also instructed in Romans 16:17 to mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them. How can we mark them and avoid them unless we judge them? Are you willing to be held accountable for failing to mark someone who goes around and tears up churches by their actions? Are you willing to stand before Jesus and say, "well Lord I didn't want to hurt their feelings by telling them they couldn't help in the ministry I was working in because they weren't right in all they believed." Imagine if Paul had that attitude, then we wouldn't have the New Testament the way we know it. We have to be willing to stand up for what's right and not compromise the word of the Lord.

Have a blessed day.