Judge Righteous Judgment

Occasionally unbelievers and Christians involved in sin have angrily told me that I am judging them and that I should not do that. They quote Matthew 7:1.

Matthew 7:1: Judge not, that ye be not judged.

If they are angry or if I am angry there is very little chance that the will of God can be done. If we are both angry there is probably a zero chance that God*s will can be done.

James 1:20: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Common sense tells us that if we are to help someone we must find out what they need.

John 7:24: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Finding out what they need is not condemnation, it is evaluation.

2 Timothy 4:2: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

They have often wanted me to disobey the commands in the verse above. When they want me to disobey the Bible, that would be a sin. What they have often wanted me to do was to not give them the Word of God, not reprove them and not rebuke them. What they have not wanted was exhortation or doctrine.

I want individuals to judge themselves and examine themselves and prove themselves.

1 Corinthians 11:31: For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

2 Corinthians 13:5a: Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. . . .

Often what they have not wanted to do was to judge themselves, examine themselves or prove themselves.

As early as I can in a conversation I quote the following 2 Corinthians 13:5a above.

The verse puts them on the spot. They must already decide to obey the Lord or not. One obedience often leads to more and one disobedience also often leads to more. One step in the right direction can be the first of many steps of faith. The truth that they are personally accountable to God may be a new truth to them. In many false religions the leaders try to claim responsibility for the salvation of their followers.

If individuals are unwilling to examine themselves, that is a sin. They are already disobeying the command to examine themselves.

Care to discuss Judge Righteous Judgment with Ron?

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