Reference: Judging
Hastings
The subject of ethical judging meets us frequently in the NT. 1. It is the right and duty of a moral being to judge of the goodness or badness of actions and qualities; and Christianity, by exalting the moral standard and quickening the conscience, makes ethical judgments more obligatory than before. In cases where our judgments are impersonal there is no difficulty as to the exercise of this right. As possessed of a conscience, a man is called upon to view the world in the discriminating light of the moral law (Ro 2:14 ff., 2Co 4:2). As possessed of a Christian conscience, a Christian man must test everything by the law of Christ (Php 1:10 Revised Version margin, 1Th 5:21). 'He that is spiritual judgeth all things' (1Co 2:15).
2. So far all is clear. But when we pass to the sphere of judgments regarding persons, the case is not so simple. It might seem at first almost as if in the NT all judgment of persons were forbidden. There is our Lord's emphatic 'Judge not' (Mt 7:1). There is St. Paul's demand, 'Why dost thou judge thy brother?' (Ro 14:10), his injunction, 'Let us not therefore judge one another' (Ro 14:13), his bold claim that he that is spiritual is judged of no man (1Co 2:15). There is the assertion of St. James that the man who judges his brother is making himself a judge of the law (Jas 4:11), i.e. the royal law of love (cf. Jas 2:8). But it is impossible to judge of actions and qualities without passing on to judge the persons who perform them or in whom they inhere. If an action is sinful, the person who commits it is sinful; indeed, the moral quality of an action springs from its association with a moral personality. In condemning anything as wrong, we necessarily condemn the person who has been guilty of it. And when we look more closely at the teaching of the NT, we find that it is not judgment of others that is forbidden, but unfair judgment
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Criticise not, that you may not be criticised.
But why do you see the mote which is in the eye of your brother, and do not recognize the beam which is in your own eye?
And turning He said to Peter, Get behind me, adversary: thou art my stumbling-block; because thou art not thinking about the things of God, but those of men.
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the kingdom of the heavens against the people: for you do not go in, neither do you permit those coming in to enter.
Jesus looking on him loved him, and said to him, One thing is wanting to thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
And He said to them, Having gone, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perfect healings to-day and to-morrow, and on the third day I am made perfect.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and says concerning him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
Jesus responded to them, Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is devilish?
Judge not according to sight, but judge righteous judgment.
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, every one judging. For in whatsoever thou art judging another, thou art condemning thyself; for thou judging art doing the same things.
For when the Gentiles, not having the law, may by nature do the things of the law, they, not having the law, are a law unto themselves:
But why do you judge your neighbor, or indeed why do you discount your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.
But why do you judge your neighbor, or indeed why do you discount your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.
Then let us no longer judge one another: but rather judge this, not to place before a brother an offence for a stumblingblock.
But the spiritual man discerns all things, and is himself discerned by no one.
But the spiritual man discerns all things, and is himself discerned by no one.
So judge nothing before the time, until the Lord may come, who will also bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then praise shall be to each one from God.
But I say the conscience not of himself, but of the other one. For why is my liberty judged by the conscience of another?
but we lay aside the hidden things of disgrace, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but in the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men, before God.
in order that you may distinguish those things which differ; that you may be pure and without offence in the day of Christ;
but prove all things; and hold fast to the beautiful;
If indeed you keep the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor with divine love as thyself, you do well.
Do not calumniate one another, brethren: the one speaking against his brother, and judging his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law: if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Do not calumniate one another, brethren: the one speaking against his brother, and judging his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law: if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.