Judging One Another

Okay, so I want to continue this morning before we Actually start just one announcement or kind of an agenda change a little bit. Brethren Mike and I were talking and and it appears that Trying to go through to the one another's in one Setting is a little bit much.

So what we're gonna do is we're gonna slow it down a little bit. And so when we can do two in a study we will but if not We're gonna take the whole study to just go through one. And we'll continue the same cost.

But I did want to mention that to you because again It almost seems like we're getting through the first one and then we're kind of running through the second one. Just because we're running out of time.

And so we thought I mean, it's worthy. I think it's worthy. I hope you do too, too. Because the one and others really are teaching us about practical living and and I'm not sure What else we could want but to hear from the word about the way we ought to live our lives.

Judging One Another and the Need for Careful Discernment

So with that this morning, we're gonna look at judge one another or don't judge one another. The scriptures that I'm gonna use this morning are on the board just in case you wanted to Follow. I'm gonna read them to us and then we're gonna try to look at them a little bit so If you go to book of Romans We will at least read one verse that kind of lays it out for us in Roman chapter 14 and verse 13 Where it says therefore let us not judge one another anymore.

But rather resolve this not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore. And again, I want to remind us that as we are looking at these one another's the lion's share of them are laid out by the Apostle Paul and it's interesting to me how Many of them I think if I remember right.

Ten of them are right here in the book of Romans. I could be wrong. But there's a there's a bunch of them in Romans and it's interesting that Paul would lay these out for us after he has. You remember now Romans chapter 1 through chapter 11 is just solid doctrine all the great doctrines that we we hold dear and to be true and then Paul lays out starting in chapter 12 the practical application of the doctrine and again, I just continually want to remind us that Solid practice is is or solid living practical living is always a result of understanding Sound doctrine.

You can't separate doctrine from practice. They're inseparable and as sure as Sure as faith without works is dead. So so is Trying to live practically in a way that pleases God without knowing what it is that God requires in order to please him.

He is dead alone. And again many people will try to develop Thoughts and and ways and convictions, but they're not based on the Word of God. So I think it's important for us to always keep that in mind.

So there really are seven scriptures this morning that we're gonna read. And I'm gonna read them and then I'm gonna come back and try to unpack At least some thoughts from those seven scriptures and as I said there they're on the board for you.

So, let me start by asking a question, although I would rather you didn't try to answer right away, but Let me start with this question. And the question is is it always right? Not to judge one another is it always right?

Not to judge one another. And I'm gonna ask you just hold on to that thought and let's let's give this a few minutes and then come back to that. Because you know as you think of it in your mind, is it always right not to judge.

Maybe as we look at these scriptures, it'll become either clearer to you or you might even have a different thought as we work through it. Is it always right not to judge one another? So let's look at some of these verses.

We'll come back to Romans 14 in a little bit, but I want you to go to Matthew chapter 7. And I want to read and again what I'm gonna do right now Is read these seven scriptures together and then as I said if we have time Lord Will and we're gonna go back and look at each one of them at least for a moment.

To try to get an understanding. So Matthew 7 chapter. Matthew chapter 7 verses 1 through 3. It says judge not. That you be not judged. For what judgment you judge you will be judged and with the same measure you use it will be measured back to you.

And why do you look at? The speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye. So there is very there is language right there judge not. I want to ask you to turn to chapter gospel of John Chapter 7 again, I want to read these and Then go back to them.

And I pulled out a sampling of them brothers and sisters. I didn't pull them all out, but I think they're they'll suffice for what? The thoughts that I had and maybe Will provoke us to further thoughts in John chapter 7 the Lord Jesus Christ Says this.

He says do not judge according to appearance but Judge with righteous judgment. Do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment. Okay, first Corinthians chapter 4. Again, remember the question.

Is it right always not to judge? First Corinthians chapter 4 and there's two verses in first Corinthians. I want to look at the first ones in chapter 4 and it should be Verse 5 and The Apostle says this.

Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and Reveal the counsels of the heart and then each one's praise will come from God. There's another one where it says therefore judge nothing while you're in first Corinthians go to chapter 5 and I want you to look at Verse 12 and again, I'm reading I'm not setting up context or anything.

But we'll come back to that Lord willing in first Corinthians chapter 5 in verse 12 Paul says this he says. What have I to do with judging those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

And in all these verses friends the same word is used for judgment and and as I looked at the meaning of the word has several different ways to to break out, but one of the overriding meanings of the word is to Pronounce an opinion if you will and really to pronounce an opinion as regarding right and wrong to make a to set out an opinion and make it basically an opinion that has to do with What's right and what's wrong and what someone else is doing so something to think about okay two more Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians chapter 2 and again the Apostle Paul and in verse 16 Look what he says. They have for let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath's let no one judge you and Then if you would one more in James chapter 4.

James chapter 4 and In verse 11 it says this. Do not speak evil of one another brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother. Speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the Lord, but a judge.

There was one lawgiver who was able to to save and to destroy who are you? To judge another and again same word. So in all those verses that I read it's the same word. And I wanted to ask us to think about that and to try to if you will unpack it just for a moment.

Romans 14: Judging in Matters of Conscience and Liberty

So go back to Matthew now, I mean go back to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 14. The question was is it always right to judge one another? Is it always right not to judge? Anyone want to answer it at this point?

The first time and then ask us to consider If our fruit if our fruit bears us out and other people are seeing that fruit. I. Can you almost not at least form an opinion about a judgment? Okay. Yeah. We make judgments all the time if somebody wants to come in this church, and they were a Convicted child molester, but had been changed by the power of the Spirit and had repented of their sin and then forgiven.

We still ain't gonna let them work in a nursery. We made a distinction. We made a judgment Doesn't mean we've condemned that person. So we make judgments all the time. It's just what's that nuance and what's the reason?

Someone are we just making a discerning decision? So.

So if I understand what both of you are saying then Maybe one way as we're going to see this and I hope to show it to us. It is that There are times when we ought to judge. And there are times when we ought not to judge there.

Although given the fact that we all do make Opinions we form opinions in our own mind. I'm thinking of it in the sense of where not only do we form those opinions But we make known those opinions or if we don't make them known they become a conviction to us.

And I think we have to be careful because if I understand what I just read it appears in some places. It says judge not and in other places. It says judge. So we I think there's there's a piece that has to be added into that and I think that's what you were saying brother in in context and setting and a bunch of different things and that it's it's not as black and white as We would like it to be.

And certainly one of the reasons why it's not black and white as we would like it to be is because it involves people. Once we start involving each other into the mix. There's always going to be Some of the pieces that need to be edited because we've rather complicated if you think about it.

The one thing that isn't complicated Is God's Word in its purity and its truth and yet and yet if you didn't know nothing about the Bible. You just sat here this morning and I just read those seven verses to you.

You might be scratching your head say wait a minute I'm not sure now in some verses. It says I ought not to in other verses. It says I should so how do we make that? Determination, so In Romans chapter 14, let's just go back and quickly try to unpack a little bit each one of those verse each one of those that I read to you now this one I'm gonna read a little larger context setting and Surrounding verses, but the other ones will will just mention.

So let me just read it to you. Romans 14 received one another who is weak in the faith, but not to dispute over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat. Let not him who does not eat judge him who eats for God has received him. Who are you to judge another servant to his own master? He stands or falls.

Indeed, he will be made to stand for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another another esteems every day alike. Let everyone be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes it to the Lord he who does not observe the day to the Lord He does not observe it.

He who eats eats to the Lord for he gives God Thanks, he who does not eat to the Lord does not eat and gives God Thanks, but none of us lives to himself and no one dies to himself. Well, if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die unto the Lord.

Therefore whether we live or die We are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Why do you show contempt for your brother for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ for it is written as I live.

Say it the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. So then each one of us shall give account of himself therefore Let us not judge one another anymore. But rather revolve resolve this not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way now certainly can't go through that whole passage, but I want to make two points to at least two things that to me stand out in in these verses and it relates to this whole idea of judgment and one is that when it comes to the area of judgment.

That we ought to be careful to Divide between things that are essential and things that are indifferent. That that we need to be careful in our judgment when we do form these opinions that we're we're Creating these opinions and making these judgments In the right way and that the difference is that if it is something that is in in that sense indifferent or if it is something that is not as clear as Could be in the scriptures then we need to be very careful in other words If it's not something that either God has expressly commanded.

Or it's not something that God is expressly forbidden I mean you we can get in and we can talk about the the the regular principle and a normative principle and all those other things but but my point is when when I read this that's one of the things that stands out to me is that we need to Understand what we're dealing with and I think that's what you were saying.

But we have to understand the context and if you read the context here and we'll look at it again in Colossians. It appears to me that Paul is dealing with things that are Not as clear-cut that there it's an area almost of Conscience and liberty and Those are the areas where we have to be extremely careful and I would suggest those are the areas where we Seem to struggle the most.

We start forming opinions and then that opinion becomes a judgment before you know it that judgment leads us down the wrong road Concerning other people. So that's the first thing that if we're going to make judgments it has to be on things that are absolutely clear and that we need to steer away from things that are are either given to us in a you know in a thought of Liberty or of Non-essential.

The second thing I want to say About that is that as I read this what I get from it. Is that Paul saying that not everyone is at the same place at the same time? There's one who's weak. There's one who's strong memory says but not the weak despise the one who's strong.

I mean not judge the one who's strong let not the one who's strong Judge the one who's weak and that when we are told not to judge one another we have to keep that in mind that every one of us are Unique and that we're all and that means all of us are not at the same place at the same time.

We're not all on the same. If you will spiritual wavelength, although that's probably not a good a good way of describing it. But nevertheless, that's what I take from from what I read in Romans chapter 14.

So that gives me a little insight into judging that if I'm going to form an opinion I have to have I really need to have a clearness of mind of The opinion that I'm forming why I'm forming it and then I have to ask myself a bunch of questions Before and that that takes some some thought.

Usually we make and I think you brought up we make Snap judgments, right? We make this I think I read one time it takes us some some some really. You talk to someone you never met before and I think it was within 30 seconds.

You've already formed a judgment about that person. Whether for whatever reason whether it be an outward. Something out what has caused you or something that that was said and we need to be careful with that.

Do Not Judge by Appearance, but Judge with Righteous Judgment

Okay, I want to kind of get through these and then kind of lead us to a little bit of discussion so Go back to Matthew chapter 7 for a minute. Matthew chapter 7 and let's think about this one for a minute.

Okay, judge not that you be not judged for what judgment you judge. You will be judged and with the same measure you use it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye now.

If I understand this Correctly, the issue is not so much the judgment as it is in in the fact that you are condemning someone else for the very thing that you yourself might be guilty of and. That that is the thing that's being told to us that we have to be careful about is that we have to realize our own frailty.

We have to realize our own weakness. We have to realize our own sin and that should be in the mix when we start to make judgments. Again, these are things that we have to think through these can't be done simply snap.

Snap judgments that we would consider. In other words, we're not to be we're not to be censorious of one another we're not to go around and just. Well, gee brother Dan, he's just too lazy to shave brother Mike hasn't shaved in 430 years.

And I almost sense them in my mind and you know again. Not it we have to be careful brothers and sisters, especially with the people of God and. Even outside of that, but especially with the people of God and again remember not everyone is at the same place at the same time and.

That we need to understand that and so to me here. It is more of an issue of that of having a if you will a censoring spirit. Than it is an issue of making a judgment because now I want you to turn quickly to John chapter 7 and.

This one is interesting and much could be said about this verse, but I do want to present this to you because this one is Can be confusing and it can be troubling in that. And The context is it plus the the Jews and the Pharisees who are always accusing Jesus or accusing him and you know.

You have a demon and who's about who's trying to kill you and and all that and then it has to do also with the Sabbath. In verse 23 if a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses should not be broken.

Are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath, but now look what he says. Do not judge according to appearance, but but judge with righteous judgment. Then it almost could could sound as if he's saying both of those don't judge and judge.

What's the difference? Well, the difference is as it's set forth here on appearance that we. It is what I took from that. Again we make hasty Opinions in our own mind and many times the hasty opinion is based on externals.

What we see what we feel the senses. And that what Jesus is saying here is that our judgment if we're going to make an adjustment. We're gonna form an opinion. It ought to be Right with the Word of God it ought to be right With the truth of God and that you and I need to use that as our post we need to we need to start there rather than just being and I we could talk about the thing in in James where he Says that the rich man comes in and he's got his suit on right and and what's the what's the judgment?

What's the opinion come sit up front? And then you got the scruffy Dude, who hasn't shaved in 430 years and he walks in and what do we say sit in the back? Why we didn't judge righteous judgment. We just judged by appearance.

We just made it we formed an opinion by externals and and and it's got to be right because we formed it, right? It's gotten right because that's that's what I think. I think we have to be careful. So Hey, it's it's not against judgment because Jesus said we ought to judge Righteous judgment.

I think we have to really be considerate When we do form these judgments and again, we all do it. Every single one of us makes multitude of judgments every single day and that we need to Really consider these things.

Judging Those Inside and Those Outside the Church

All right. I want to go to first Corinthians and again I I know I'm throwing a lot of scriptures at us and I probably should do more as far as each scripture. But I do want to kind of put them all out there and this one is particularly Interesting, we'll come back to first Corinthians 4 but first Corinthians 5 12 and you remember the situation, right?

So there's the there's the the sin of sleeping Together that a man has his father's wife. And all these things and then we come down to verse 12 and he says what do I have to do with judging? Those who are outside.

Do you not judge those who are inside now? To me. This scripture, there's no doubt We ought to form a judgment. See I can form a judgment right now that Mike and Sybil laughing and I have no idea why they're laughing.

And I my opinion is what are you laughing at me for? What did I do? And you're absolutely right sister. You're gonna make a judgment you're gonna go out on a limb right and isn't that the truth though.

There Is no way that we ought not to make a and that's what Paul's saying, right? You've got to make a judgment. What's the distinction? What's the distinction here from Romans 14? Right, and we know X We know expressly that God forbids that right.

Right, right according to the word so and and we don't have to be concerned about whether we've Kind of added things into it or not added things or we have prejudice so we have. It's absolutely clear.

You can't do that. You just can't do it. And therefore we must Form an opinion and we must pronounce that opinion openly, right. Again distinction being and this to me is the key thought for all this is That we need to Base all judgments on the things that are expressly given to us in God's Word.

And so see I was wrong. I thought they were just laughing at me and Yet they were talking in great scriptural principles. They will ever Thank you brother I was I was coming out of it you sent me right back into it.

But again, would you not agree that that is one of the clear principles that are given to us? And so when we come to this area of not judging one another or Judging one another the thing that is to be used in that judgment is the Word of God.

When the Word of God is absolutely clear. And as I said when you look at some of the other scriptures, um, I Think that's where we get hung up and let me show you Go to Colossians now Colossians chapter 2 and this is why I try to tie in these these all these scriptures Rather than just focusing on one because they come at it even according to what brother Mike was saying There's a different there's a different approach.

There's a different setting there's a different context and therefore there's a different meaning or a different nuance of meaning in each of them. And certainly here and this one is is similar to the one in Romans chapter 14.

And as Paul was talking and he says this therefore in verse 16 Let no one judge you in food or drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath again To me in order to really understand this scripture you really got to know God's Word.

Because you really got to know what's taught in the New Covenant. Versus what's laid out in the Old Covenant. So so this one you really got to know more than just Forming an opinion it really has to be based not only on a specific scripture but on a understanding of the Word of God as a whole and that you and I To be careful that we are not to judge one another in food or drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbath.

Which in the old under the Old Covenant, there was no exceptions. What if What did happen to the man who picked up sticks on the Lord's on the Sabbath? Right. There was no there was no sitting back and saying well, let me see.

I wonder why he picked up those sticks it was it was Expressly given to the people of Israel not to do it. But you have to understand if we're gonna understand this is we have to understand the New Covenant and where are we In time and space now in redemptive history, where are we and therefore we gotta be Well rounded in the Word of God just like I mean we could think of a thousand different examples.

Some Christians will go out to eat on a Sunday. Some Christians won't. Who are we to judge one another what would we base that judgment on? Well, I can't believe that they actually go to a restaurant on Sunday.

Or I can't believe that they they refuse to eat on a Sunday unless they go home. Some people feel like Christians ought not to have a glass of wine or a beer. Some Christians feel as if they are free to have a glass of wine or a beer and by the way with that I know of no play.

I'll just my opinion. I know no place that forbids having a glass of wine or a beer. I Know every place where it says we ought not to be drunk. Right, but I don't know you'd really have to prove to me where it says that you can't have a Glass of wine or a beer and again, I'm not trying to promote cause or Budweiser or whatever else is out there.

But my whole point is that see if we're gonna make judgments. There's a whole lot that has to enter into it again. If we were in the Old Testament days, we wouldn't be having that conversation you picked up sticks on the Sabbath you die.

We need to be careful. We need to be those who think. And this is the key to it also is that If we're gonna form judgments, we're gonna form these opinions we need to mold these opinions by the Word of God and not just by our own opinion or our own likes or dislikes.

You guys laugh at me somebody's gonna keep picking on you too this morning. I mean if brother Mike walked into another church and everybody was dressed in suits and ties. They might say You've been there, right?

Yeah, I can't believe that dude, you know that dude even stands in a pulpit with shorts on. He can't be a godly man. I'll dare him come to the house of God in a pair of shorts on. I'm only that's not what I mean.

What'd you say, baby. That's right, we do have a picture of Mike in a suit. But but again, how many times would we form an opinion? Based on something like that. And if we do what right do we have to do it?

Where would we find the scriptural evidence and the scriptural warrant to make such a judgment? We couldn't. We couldn't do that. And so again this. Maybe your opinion of what that question of is it always right not to judge?

Maybe it's a little clearer. Maybe it's a little hazier. I Think we have to really think through one of these things and yet the express command is as we looked at everyone's 14 don't judge one another in areas that you ought not to be and Make sure you judge one another in areas where you ought to right?

There's the distinction on what what's the what's the point? Reference God's Word. But it's not just an express command. It's the whole tenor if you will again. As I said, we're on the New Covenant and therefore we live in a day When our judgments have to be based on the day in which we live as the Word of God lays it out and again, otherwise you could fall into an area of Legalism can't you right or you could fall into an area of antinomianism.

The two opposites right one being Bound up by by outward things and legalistic thoughts. The other one just running hog-wild. And again, I'll just continue to say because I know my own self we usually air on the extremes.

Because it's come our extremes are comfortable to us because there are convictions and so we'll defend that flag. To the death, all right, I want to just try to get through the other two. So go to James chapter 4 and this one is interesting too, right.

James chapter 4 and this is why again me and brother Mike Wanted to kind of slow us down a little bit because I think We're able to get a little further into this as we look at these Individually rather than two at a time, okay in James chapter 4.

This one is just the way it's laid out and the way it's worded to me. It is is very Good and clear do not speak evil of one another brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother. Speaks evil of the Lord judges the law.

But if you judge the law you are not a doer of the Lord. But a judge there is one lawgiver who is able to save and destroy and who you. To judge another and that's the area. The issue here to me is that not only are you forming an opinion?

You've become the jury. You become the judge you become the sentencer the executioner you become in the place of God. And that is the very thing that we cannot do we've got to be careful that the opinions that we form and The judgments that we make are based on God's Word or I would suggest if there if you and I can't get a conviction from the Word of God that we ought to just Shut up.

And I think that's where many of us fall into the hole is that we've got to voice our ourselves and again in areas of like. You know, whether it be as I said, whether it be someone who who feels comfortable Eating meat versus a vegetarian.

And then there's a hold that whole other area which we will cover again and over and over again that even that in and of itself. Even the one who's not condemned because he eats he's still got to be what he'll be mindful of the one who doesn't.

We said like a further judgment. Mm-hmm. He's not gonna allow the weak one to judge him. But then he's got to judge him in that sense judge himself about what is he doing to the weak one? Even though his conscience is clear.

So again another another area In which it was interesting. So in James chapter 4 verse 11 where he says that pulled out an Alfred Barnes is one of the commentaries. I look at it says the evil here referred to is that of talking against others?

Against their actions their motives their manner of living their families. Few things are more common in the world. Nothing is more decidedly against the true spirit of religion. That's what it is. Is where we start making judgments on one another that we have no right.

Nor do we have the ability to do that? We don't know what's going on these behind the scenes, do we? We don't know where God has a certain person at a certain time for God's ultimate purpose. Again, if it's outwards if it's clear sin first Corinthians chapter 5, there's no doubt.

But as far as other things Things that are in different things that are Not laid out for us. We need to be very careful. Especially with the people of God and the reason we need to be Especially careful with the people of God.

It's because they're the people of God. Right, that's that's the the they're the ones that Christ died for. If we were going to be careful with anybody you better be the ones that Christ died for his sheep so Again I'm not saying we ought not to make judgments.

We better if I went outside on my way to the car and there's a guy and he's comes up To me and he looks like he's gonna attack me. I'm gonna make a snap snap judgment and I'm sure many of us would right and Maybe I'll be sorry after making that snap judgment, but I'm gonna make it if I think he's gonna harm me or how my wife or You know touch brother Mike's car.

I'm gonna stop him but again Just in the area of It takes a lot of diligence brothers just not as easy and let me close with first Corinthians 4 go back to that now for a minute so I think this is In a sense would help summarize What I've been trying to try it when I'm attempting to set forth.

And it's first Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 5 and and certainly within the whole concept of of the Apostle Paul and his and his ministry and his service to God and any he Comes down in verse 5 judge nothing before the time and I don't think nothing means absolutely nothing.

I think it's in the context of what we just said. Because we go to the next chapter and he's already making the judgments. He says I'm not even there I've already judged this man. He says judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness.

Reveal the counsels of the heart and then each one's praise will come from God. And so a couple things we don't know it we don't know it all. So we need to be careful. We don't know what God's ultimate purpose is in any situation.

We don't know fully. Well our own Areas where we need to judge ourselves before again take the beam out of our own eyes before we try to take the speck out of our brother's eyes and that This thought There's coming a day when there'll be nothing but light and in that day There won't be any misjudgments will live.

There won't be any wrong conceptions. There won't even be any wrong opinions. Why? Because Christ himself being the light will expose everything and in that day in that day We will understand and I'll leave you with this.