“Jesus Said You Shouldn’t Judge”

After being accused of judging, Stand to Reason’s Tim Barnett addresses the assertion from a biblical perspective.  He writes:

JudgingA while back, I posted the following comment on my Facebook Page:

Everyone—Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew, New Ager, Atheist—needs to answer the same question: What makes humans valuable in the first place?

Normally, I don’t take the time to rehash a Facebook post, but the response I got was extremely characteristic of our culture and deserves some careful thinking. Under the circumstances, I thought it might be instructive to take a closer look at the retort and then walk through how I would respond.

The retort I got was:

The Buddhists already know. You’d know that if you research them before blindly judging them. You Christians are good at judging, so I wasn’t surprised. I think Jesus told you not to judge, or you’d be judged yourself.

It seems like a Christian can’t say almost anything without someone chiming in, “Jesus said you shouldn’t judge!” For this reason, I think it will be very beneficial to carefully think through how one should respond to this particular challenge.

First, notice that I didn’t say that Buddhism doesn’t have an answer to the question. I simply pointed out that everyone, not just the Christian, needs to answer the question. The commenter seems to assume something about me; namely that I don’t believe Buddhism can explain human value. Moreover, he believes that I’ve come to this conclusion without doing any research, and that I’m “blindly judging them.”

If you are an astute reader, you’ve probably already picked up on the hypocrisy riddled throughout this comment. Hasn’t this person done exactly what he accused me of doing? Isn’t he blindly judging me without knowing anything about me? How does he know I haven’t done my homework on Buddhism? The truth is, it was just assumed.  

So my first more general point is that the “judgment sword” cuts both ways. He cannot escape the charge. In fact, nobody can! Here is a little helpful question that I use whenever someone accuses me of judging. The first words off my lips are, “Why are you judging me?”

In this instance, the comment was dripping with judgment. The commenter seems to think it’s fine for him to judge me, but when Christians judge, it’s wrong! Why is it only okay for him, but not for me? It seems to me that there couldn’t be a clearer example of a hypocritical judgment. This brings me to my next, more specific, point.  Continue reading

Related:

Does the Bible Really Say We’re Not to Judge? by Marsha West

HT Apologetic Report

 

 

, , , , , , ,

9 Responses to “Jesus Said You Shouldn’t Judge”

  1. Darrel July 5, 2016 at 2:14 pm #

    It would be nice if a little more “research” were done before posting some of the things that are offered here.

    Tim’s article may pass muster for kindergarten, but hardly is it more than a half-hearted attempt to get his feet wet when it comes to setting the record straight concerning Jesus’ words. Omitted was the definition of the “judge” as used in Matt. 7:1. It means to condemn and/or to pass final and eternal sentence on the offender. Such final judgment is reserved for the Lord Jesus This is crucial to understanding what was meant here and how these words in Matt. 7:1 do not conflict with those in John 7:24 (judge righteous judgment). If a person can be made to believe that he is not allowed to know right from wrong (which is the end game of all those who scream “judge not”) then he or she is ripe for the next deception which is that the Bible and Jesus Christ contradict their own words. Leaving out these two important and indispensable facts makes his article nothing but watered down milk that will turn the stomach to regurgitation. It’s pretty much worthless.

    Looking further at the website given I found that the other three writers are all Biola graduates. Biola has made itself famous for it’s own brand of ecumenism, the teaching of “another gospel” (Gal.1:6-9) and by this is responsible for making it’s students two-fold more a child of hell than their teachers (Matt. 23:15). It is a sad day indeed when people can claim to be “Christian” and by such claim exonerate themselves from scrutiny, close inspection, and especially from being called into question for their false teachings. How anyone judge them?!?!?

  2. Manny1962 July 5, 2016 at 2:26 pm #

    “Looking further at the website given I found that the other three writers are all Biola graduates. Biola has made itself famous for it’s own brand of ecumenism, the teaching of “another gospel” ”

    Amen Darrel……

    This is Biola

    http://cct.biola.edu/?_ga=1.150225141.250519474.1467746460

  3. Manny1962 July 5, 2016 at 2:35 pm #

    Oh and Biola is funded by The John Templeton Foundation:

    https://www.templeton.org/who-we-are/about-the-foundation/mission

    “Mission

    The John Templeton Foundation serves as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. We support research on subjects ranging from complexity, evolution, and infinity to creativity, forgiveness, love, and free will. We encourage civil, informed dialogue among scientists, philosophers, and theologians and between such experts and the public at large, for the purposes of definitional clarity and new insights.

    Our vision is derived from the late Sir John Templeton’s optimism about the possibility of acquiring “new spiritual information” and from his commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation’s motto, “How little we know, how eager to learn,” exemplifies our support for open-minded inquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through breakthrough discoveries.”

  4. Manny1962 July 5, 2016 at 2:36 pm #

    Red flags yet? Anyone, anyone?

    • Sola Scriptura July 5, 2016 at 8:04 pm #

      Templeton was a huge occultist and new ager, easily proved by a simple Google search.

      • Manny1962 July 6, 2016 at 10:16 pm #

        Yes he was, and occultist, was into ecumenism, mystery religions and everything described as religious harlotry! Biola is as corrupt as any seminary or so called Christian institution of higher learning! Stay away from it!

  5. Faith July 5, 2016 at 4:44 pm #

    I concur with you guys, Darrel and Manny!

    That is the vital distinction; what form of ‘judge’ is being referred to. One is condemnation, like ‘they’re just a good for nothing!’ As if already cast into hell itself. That is only for the Lord to judge. The other is the type we are TOLD to do; judge in all other ways, right from wrong, morality, sin, true doctrine from heresy, (discernment), judging those who claim to be believers or teachers, etc.

    Darrel’s analysis is perfect, exactly what I say too. They just want to suspend and turn off your discernment mechanism so that you will ’embrace all’ that they throw your way.

    We are told TO judge:
    “What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” ” 1 Corinthians 5; 12-13
    So many other examples exist exhorting us to judge.
    “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” Galatians 3; 1 They were not judging enough.

  6. Sola Scriptura July 5, 2016 at 7:49 pm #

    The opposite is true. We are supposed to judge -and to do so righteously using the scriptures, so that the previous flock rather than wicked men, are protected:
    http://followingjesuschrist3.com/2016/01/22/right-judgement/

  7. Manny1962 July 6, 2016 at 10:13 pm #

    My litmus test is so simple……if the world likes it, it’s against God. If it’s God approved, the world will hate it! It hasn’t failed me yet!

Leave a Reply