Judging and Casting
Part 1 of 3 (Judging rightly or Righteously)
by Dahni
© 2014, all rights reserved
Time and time again I have heard or heard of many misquoting Matthew. 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." and John 8:7b about casting. Today, we will look at Matthew and hopefully put an end for once and all, to the damage this inaccuracy has done about judging.
Before we begin, remember last time or re-read from I Peter 1:20.
Yes, I wrote the word "idiot," above in reference to "idiot Christians," and I meant that, but the same goes for anyone that would use any or all of scripture incorrectly to argue their points of criticism. Idiots biblically and from its Greek idios, from which the word idiot is derived, basically means, "one's own." This is singularly important in our twin issues here of Judging and Casting and particularly, in I Peter 1:20
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."
I Peter 1:20 King James Version, (KJV)
If this is the truth? If God means what He says and says what He meant and He said what he meant and meant what he said in the verse we just read then there are OBLY two possible conclusions! If no prophecy(ies) of the scripture(s) is of any private interpretation (not yours, mine, pastor, priest or pope then the entire Bible is just another work of literature OR - The Bible must interpret itself! That's exactly what it does!
Remember also, I Peter 1:21
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (spirit)."
I Peter 1:21, KJV
So, what about this judging we are not to be doing or we will be judged?
The guilt-verse, word for word it reads as follows:
"Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Matthew 7:1 KJV
Well, does it get any plainer or anymore simple than this? But is this verse talking about judging or something else? Without stopping the mouths of those that try and guilt others into never judging them for their behaviors by never reading the next verses (the context), who would ever know?
This verse is misused to throw the uninformed off from the true issues, one's allowed behavior. Yes, this verse is used to justify, pretty much anything you want to allow in your life, even if it is contrary to God's Word. Well it does a lousy job of justification, but it does seem to stop any further conversation. And why not, doesn't it say not to judge? Isn't this what we Christians are to do, not judge others?
There are 7 different administrations (periods of time) in the Bible. Different things apply for different times and for different people. Yes, the whole Bible is the Word and Will of God. And yes, there are certain things like immutable laws like believing for example, which apply for any and all time and for any and all people. Besides these 7 administrations or periods of time, the Bible classifies all people as follows:
"Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:"
I Corinthians 10:32 KJV
So, according to the Bible, one is a Jew, a Gentile or part of the church of God. The "church of God" technically began on the Day of Pentecost around 1 A.D. This also is called the administration of or time of "Grace." This is the time we still live in, today. I am sorry to inform anyone reading this, but the four gospels (which include the modern-day 'red-letter' editions of all the supposed word of Jesus, written in red ink) were written for the Christ administration (which began with him the day he was baptized and ended one the day of his resurrection), were written to the Jewish people! Much of what is written can certainly be for the learning of others, but Mathew, Mark, Luke and John were written for the Jewish people, to fulfill the old testament prophecies about the then, coming messiah. So judge not lest ye be judge of Matthew 7:1 was specifically written to the Jews and technically speaking to the Jews of that day and time, the time of Christ or the Christ administration. Now if you would like to make this judging thing non-exclusive and all-inclusive, Matthew 7:1 is not about not judging, but HOW that judgment is made. Why don't the accuser or shame-rs never read the next verses? Read the next verses. In fact, let's look at the whole context (immediate and remote) of this whole judging thing.
7 "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
2 "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
3 "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
4 "Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?"
5 "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
Matthew 7: 1-5 KJV
The first word in Matthew 7:2 is "For." It connects the thoughts of verse 1 with those which follow. What is the word "for," for? Think of it as reason or the reason "for" something. The reason those that Matthew 7:1 should not judge or they would be judge id "for" (the reason) for whatever judgment used to judge others is the same criteria or standard by which they themselves will be judged.
The word "hypocrite" in verse 5 is very interesting. Jesus called many of those that were supposed to be spiritual leaders in Israel, "hypocrites." They outwardly appeared to be religious, but inside, (their innermost thoughts, beliefs their hearts, so to speak) they were corrupt. To better understand the word hypocrite, think of: a actor, a stage player, a dissembler, pretender.
So, the whole context of Matthew 7:1 is not about not judging at all, but HOW judgment is to be made! And truly, there is only one way to judge, God, by way of His Word is the only true judge, the only one that can execute true and just judgment. Now please don't allow others to speak or yourselves to think, well, God is not here and until He is, "judge not." B.S.! The word of God is God word. It is just as much Him speaking as if He were speaking. And we who speak it, speak it as if He were speaking!
All of us are capable of judgment. Judgment is a faculty of the normal human mind. We all judge. That is not the problem or the question that should be asked. It is not, do not judge, but the manner in which, the standard in which, the criteria in which, we judge that is of paramount importance! Let us judge by God's word!
"My son, [daughters too] let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:"
"So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck."
Proverbs 3:21,22 KJV
Sound wisdom and discretion (sound judgment) will be "life" and "grace," not only to those that apply it, but to those that hear (heed it) regardless of if they are a Jew Gentile or Church of God!
"Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place."
Jeremiah 22:3 KJV
The old testament believers (Jews and Gentiles ONLY) were to execute judgment (right or correct judgment). In order to do that (execute judgment and righteousness), they obviously had to have right (correct) judgment. Whose judgment would you suppose is ALWAYS "right?"
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart"
Hebrews 4:12
It's God's Word that is always the right judge (a discerner) of the thought and intentions of the heart. Well. those thoughts and intents will show up in the actions. Let God's Word be the judge, and anyone that speaks for God (speaks His word), their judgment will always be right.
" Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
John 7:24 KJV
If no one was ever capable of or no one was ever supposed to judge, how would we answer the next verse?
"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?"
"Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?"
1Cor. 6:2-3 KJV
The word "saints" means heaven's holiest. Contrary to what religion teaches, saints are everyone of God's children, NOT necessarily those that are dead, but they could already be alive right now as well. And being a saint is NOT according to the will of man or decision made by some pastor, priest or pope, but what God did in Christ in each of God's children!
Not only will His saints judge the world, they will judge angels too. Angels are created beings. Well, they were created as perfect spiritual beings. But the angel of light, Lucifer, the bright ad morning star, corrupted himself and drew a third of those created perfect beings away from God and by their own free will. The other two-thirds under the archangels Gabriel (the messenger) and Michael (the warrior) warred against Lucifer and theses now referred to as devil spirits. No place was found for them and they fell to earth. Our forefather and mother Adam & Eve that once had dominion over the earth, under the act of treason, transferred rulership of the world to Lucifer that is now called the devil and the "god of this world," among other names. It is these devil spirits, which caused the great flood and have so infected the world, that the saints will judge.
We always have a choice. We will always juge. The question is HOW we judge; by what standard.
"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more
in knowledge and in all judgment;"
Phil. 1:9 KJV
Each of us should first place our lives under the magnifying glass of God's Word - his judgment and the discerner of our every thought and intentions. Then we will clearly see HOW and with what standard we are to judge others.
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."
I Corinthians 11:31 KJV
We are not called to necessarily get along with the world, to be politically correct, to be liberal in our thinking which is really just, to do whatever we want. We are not called to criticize and condemn others. We are called to live and speak His Word. We are not to argue for Him or His Word, but simply to witness it and be witnesses of it. We are not responsible for HOW His Word is received by anyone, only that it is delivered accurately!
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
John 12:48 KJV
"God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
Romans 3:4 KJV
So the next time anyone tells you or anyone in your earshot, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged," You can loudly tell them to shut up. You can boldly inform them that they do not know what they are talking about. And you can certainly judge them by not your words, but God's. And by the way, if you are God's and He is yours His Word can be your word too and your judgment then will always be, right, accurate and righteous!
Next time, we will conclude this series - Part III (Casting Stones)