Judging/discerning

How do we judge others? What is our motive? Do we see clearly? Are we doing the same thing for which we are judging others?
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:2-4 (Luke 6:41-42)
We should be able to take the speck (little sin) out of our brother’s eye, but first we must remove the plank (big sin) out of our own eye. That will take discernment.
“So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” Luke 17:3

We are not to judge or “look down on your brother (fellow Christian)” God will judge everyone. We are to do what we can to help others to serve God:
“…You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.” Romans 14:9-13

We should be compassionate, remembering that, except for God’s grace, we could be doing the same thing we see others doing:
  “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13
“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15

It wasn’t important to the Apostle Paul how any human court judged him; he could not even trust his own judgment. Only God’s judgment mannered:
“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” 1 Corinthians 4:3-4

Yet we are to judge ourselves according to God’s Word:
“But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” 1 Corinthians 11:31

We should try to obey the Lord:
“But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” 2 Corinthians 11:31-32

His discipline shows that He loves us:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as a son.” Proverbs 3:11-12 Hebrews 12:6-7

We should not compare ourselves with others:
“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 2 Corinthians 10:12

Some people are given the authority to judge. In the Old Testament, God asked His people, the Jews, to bring punishment:
“You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.” Deuteronomy 7:16

Today, He appoints “the one in authority” to bring judgment:
“For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.” Romans 13:4-5 (1 Peter 2:13-14)

We should obey the authority God has chosen. The only time we should not is when their commands goes against God’s commands:
“Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?…” Acts 4:18-19

We should correct and rebuke one another in accordance with God’s Word:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” 1 Timothy 3:16

Especially pastors are given the authority to reprove or rebuke; Paul commands Timothy and Titus to correct and rebuke – they are even told how:
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2
“These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” Titus:2:15

We can know whether we should obey the commands of the authorities, whether we should correct or rebuke someone or if we should repent ourselves – we have the “mind of Christ”:
“for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ,” 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13

We must judge or discern correctly. We can know the mind of Christ because we can ask for wisdom from God:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be
given to you.” James 1:5

We need to protect ourselves and others against the cruelty of others, but our actions should not be vengeful:.
“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

Only God can make a correct judgment:
“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:13 Luke 14:11, 18:14
“For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” 2 Corinthians 10:18

Although we are not to judge hypocritically, we must judge or discern. We are warned not to follow “strange teaching” – we have to know God and His will so we stand for truth:
“Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings…” Hebrews 13:9

We are to know “sound doctrine” and be able to speak against the sin of lawless people:
“We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.” 1 Timothy 1:9-11

Paul urged Timothy to “command certain people not to teach false doctrines”:
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer.” 1 Timothy 1:3

We have to consistently live our lives and speak truth for our own good and the good of others:
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16

Paul tells Titus to not only “encourage others by sound doctrine” but to “refute those who oppose it”:
“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Titus 1:9

The best way to expose the false is to teach the truth:
“You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” Titus 2:1

We must discern what “the fruitless deeds of darkness” are so can “expose them”:
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

After two warnings, a “divisive person” in someone to avoid. There warnings are for their good and the god of others, giving them a chance to change:
“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.” Titus 3:10

A “divisive person” causes division, not unity:
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

A “divisive person” is often concerned with “godless myths and old wives’ tales”:
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” 1 Timothy 4:7

A “divisive person” often has the characteristics described in the following verse:
“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” 1 Timothy 6:3-5
Everyone makes the decision of how to spend their time and money. It is our duty to decide which charity to whom we give.

We must be prepared for a time when the vast majority of people will be against Jesus and His teachings:
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3

Many people we should have nothing to do with because of their characteristics:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

There are some people who we should not bother to tell about Jesus. Jesus expects us to have the wisdom to tell who those people are:
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:6

How can we know someone will not appreciate the truth unless we judge or discern? The best way is to ask Jesus. I knew a pastor’s wife who said that she always spoke to people about the Lord unless the Lord told her not to.

It is important who we choose as our friends. We do not want our character corrupted:
“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33
We do not want to be led astray:
“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 12:26
We do not want to come to ruin:
“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin…” Proverbs 18:24
We do not want to learn the ways of a hot-tempered person and get ourselves ensnared:
“Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”  Proverbs 22:24-25

We should choose friends who are discerning and be open to just criticism:
“A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.” Proverbs 17:10

Jesus wants us to know His heart and be His friends along with those who also believe:
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:7-17

We judge or discern all the time, especially ideas. We often judge people unfairly or hypocritically; our judgments are often based on our prejudices or misunderstanding. Our decisions should be based on the commands of Jesus – the Living Word:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.“ John 1-2
All men are valuable because they were created in the image of God. They were created with a free will:
“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26
Mankind chose with his free will to follow Satan (Genesis 3). In doing this mankind gave over his authority to rule the earth:
Satan is the cause of all evil – he was created with a free will and he chose to turn away from God, to worship himself, to cause others to worship him:
“You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly… I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:13-14
“You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:15
Because Adam and Eve chose to listen to Satan, their children and all mankind is born with a sin nature:
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Romans 3:23
However, Jesus who is God and sinless, died to pay the penalty for our sins – mankind can be redeemed:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18
The decision to believe in or follow Jesus is the most important decision a person can make.
Everyone is equal and valuable to Jesus. But those who believe in Him become His children and will be in heaven with Him forever:
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:10-13
Jesus wants all men to be saved from sin and its consequences:
“…he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Our goal and judgments should be based on the goal and judgments of Jesus:
“…God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:8-11
We need to treat everyone with respect, kindness and love, especially those who believe:
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10