Stop Judging! and you will not be judged

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spheroid400
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
We can judge actions…like whether they are sinful or not, but we cannot judge souls.
 
It’s love the sinner but hate the sin, as among other thingsJesus said to sin no more.
 
We do not judge a person (or their soul); that’s is for God alone. We DO judge actions and correct each other.

Jesus, in Lk 6:36-38, actually emphasizes the importance of correction by underscoring the importance of doing it well and with humility and integrity. In fact, there are MANY passages in Scripture that admonish us to correct our neighbor when he/she sins. For example:

“…first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Mt 7:5)

“…If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone…But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you…if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church…”(Mt 18:15-17)

“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you…Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus …Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened….I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men…not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you”.” (1 Cor 5:1-13)

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any sin, you who are spiritual should recall him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:1-2)

“My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19)

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart: You shall in any case rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.” (Lev 19:17)

“If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thess 3:14)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.” (Col 3:16)

“And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1 Thess 5:14)

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any sin, you who are spiritual should recall him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:1-2)
 
99.999999999% of us are limited by our senses, and can’t accurately perceive other people’s souls. The few of us who can perceive others as God perceives them are too smart/experienced to try treading on God’s territory. 😛

So we can’t judge souls. But we can judge actions. We judge people every day. I judge people based on whether they feed others empty promises, on whether they take responsibility or make excuses for their mistakes, for whether they apologize when they hurt someone. We can judge someone based on their word choice and punctuation and the way they phrase their thoughts. We can judge someone based on their tone of voice and their posture. We can judge someone based on their shoes or their fingernails or the way they treat their pet.

Have you read any of the Book of Proverbs? It’s full about advice on how to judge people-- not for the sake of condemning a wrongdoer, but to see wrongdoing in other people, and be able to perceive virtue and righteousness in contrast to that wrongdoing and consequently model your own actions along a better path.
 
Good thread.

I believe that many Christians misunderstand what it means to judge. There is a right judgment and a wrong judgment. Calling out one another’s wrong actions or beliefs is an act of mercy which we are suppose to practice. It is the Holy Spirit working thru us!

Casting someone out from among us is for unrepenting sinners. Those who have been admonished and convicted, yet refuse to confess and struggle against the sin they have been admonished over.

Refusing love and forgiveness to someone who wishes to turn away from sin is horrible!
 
How about when just feel this intense anger against someone’s actions, we can’t resolve if their actions are wrong or not we just don’t like it?
Does this mean judging at some subconscious level?
Is there judging at subconscious level like memories of people who hurt you in the past and you say you forgive them but you still dream about those actions, still feel anger towards them, does this mean you are somewhat demi-judging them? Or judging them in the wrong way?
How about bad ways of judging? What constitutes a bad basis for judgement, in Catholic teaching or tradition?
 
Judging and discerning are two different thing, judging we are no one to do so only God can do it.

Discerning we can know a person by his words actions ,behavior,so we can take a decision to avoid such persons or situation in order to avoid the occasion of sin.God Bless
 
If we never personally judged actions or situations, we would end up having no sense of conviction at all - we wouldn’t be able to know when we would be in error, danger etc.
Here is how judgement is defined in Father John Hardon S.J.'s -Modern Catholic Dictionary :
JUDGMENT. In general, an act of the mind affirming or denying something. Philosophically, judgment is the mental act of combining two ideas in affirming their agreement, e.g., God is good, or separating them in denying their agreement, e.g., God is not evil. In ethics, judgment is a right decision about what is just or proper or prudent. It is also the decision of a superior in a natural society (such as the State) or a supernatural society (such as the Church), prescribing what should be done or administering justice.
 
Last edited:
What is basic reason, for the judging?
Comments on Matthew 7:1 from the NABRE:
7:1 This is not a prohibition against recognizing the faults of others, which would be hardly compatible with Mt 7:5, 6 but against passing judgment in a spirit of arrogance, forgetful of one’s own faults.
Matthew 7
1 [a]“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. 3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite,[c] remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.
 
This is the closest answer would call by me a real response.
Judging is subconscious tendency.
Makes sense.
God gave us challenges to be like him more.

I already knew
 
Hi!

This is one of those often misunderstood issues…

Jesus stated that a good tree cannot yield bad fruit nor can a bad tree yield good fruit…

Jesus also stated that a person seeking to correct another should be careful to remove the beam in his eye before attempting to remove the speck on the other person’s eye…

Jesus also Commanded that we not judge… one of the reasons He stated was because by the same measure we judge others God must then measure us…

Now, does that mean that man can act as unrighteous as he wants because he is free of judgment?

No! It is God Who is Judge; it is God Who will Judge; it is God Whom has Judged:
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. (St. John 12:48)
So that Judgment has been Done and Done!

However, as the fruits of the trees, we must judge not only ourselves but all others… I cannot have a “formed” conscience based upon the world’s principles; I cannot excuse all of my behavior or that of others on the basis of ‘don’t judge.’

You are to judge the fruits of the tree… and as St. Paul Teaches, keep what is good.

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Hi, Mary!

…there’s discrimination and then there’s racism… I discriminate on my personal preference… I will always choose not to eat certain things or drink or not drink certain things… I also choose with whom to associate myself or the type of music to listen to or the type of clothes to wear… none of it is evil/wrong… unless I do so on grounds of racism…

It is the same for judging things, animals and people… it angers me when I see people (specially women, children and the elderly) running across the street for fear of being hit by motorists who have no respect or decency and are consumed with the ethos ‘me, me, me!’) and I am angered with people who display no respect (not for others and not even for themselves)… this is a justifiable anger… it is also a justifiable judgment.

But I do not proceed to force others to do my will. Also, I do not support the wrong actions of others just to fit in or be accepted/liked. Evil is evil–it does not matter if it is me or someone else who is engaged in it. This is the correct judgment. We must pay heed to God’s Calling to Be Holy as He is HOLY!

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Jesus does use this expression…which really sets the “don’t judge” people backward: “Rebuke the sinner”
 
Exactly!

It is not about pretending to be ignorant of what is righteous and what is unrighteous… it is about not judging who is damned or saved as our finite understanding cannot see past the present millisecond…

Maran atha!

Angel
 
question still was, why the tendency to judge?
nature and people offend us? sometimes only?
 
We judge because we must. Judgments are how we live our life. We must judge actions as good or bad in order to determine what to do.

As for why we judge other people, it is because we see their actions. If I see a man beating his wife, I’m going to judge that he is doing a bad thing. Similarly, if I see someone engaged in an immoral behavior, I am going to judge that they are doing evil, and I should stay away from them., If what they’re doing is bad enough (such as the wife-beating example), I may judge that I have an obligation to try to stop them.

What we cannot do is say “That person is going to Hell because of that.” That type of judgment is left to God, because He alone knows our hearts.
 
Last edited:
If you are asking, ‘why do human discriminate/judge?’

…that’s easy: “it is our condition.”

It is in our nature to learn things… one of the things we learn is to set preferences… I would say that this is quite anthropomorphic… ever met someone that you automatically liked or disliked? …as time develops we find that there was a reason why we disliked or took that person to heart…

…if you are asking about God’s Command on passing Judgment… well that’s more difficult to understand and put into action… we are Commanded not to judge because we are clouded by emotions, preconceptions, and flaws… often, we judge by appearance, wealth and fame… God Judges from the heart… He is able to see beyond the moment and He is Able to Weigh a man’s heart/spirit and not be conned by superficialities nor fooled by ignorance or temporary limits…

Maran atha!

Angel
 
question still was, why the tendency to judge?

nature and people offend us? sometimes only?
Because the Divine Law is written on every human heart. When things are done that violate the Law, righteousness convicts us to defend the Law of God.

Because of free will. We have a choice. We have to judge for ourselves how to live according to the Law on our hearts. We navigate the world by observation. I see what another does, judge it, and come to know how I want to live.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top