Scriptural Guidelines for Judging Others
The word of God gives scriptural guidelines for judging others. Jesus said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Judging can only be done as the Lord has instructed:
A-Judge by the scriptures: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). The standard of judgement is God’s word, not feelings, traditions, or opinions.
B-Don’t judge when God’s Word is silent: If God’s word is silent about a specific subject, then don’t give your own judgement on this subject. Let God be the judge.
C-Pray for good judgment: When Solomon received his kingdom, he asked God, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people” (I Kings 3:9). And the Lord promises, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).
D-Don’t show favoritism to some persons: “These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment” (Proverbs 24:23). A truly fair judge is blind and deaf to any outer influence (Isaiah 42:1, 19-21).
E-Judge in truth: “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it” (Jeremiah 5:1). Do not judge another when you do not have all the facts.
F-Judge with love and mercy: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:2). Remember that a person will reap what he sows whether it is good or evil (Galatians 6:7-8).
G-Judge yourself first before judging others: “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? 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 7:4-5).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
