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First off my friend we need to look at
the actual meanings of the following words
before we continue, judge, judgment and
condemn and rebuke. Please read the
teaching for detailed explanations before a
judgment. This way we can get more
understanding on the subject of Judging,
even though Jesus meant it differently as
according to the Christian Faith.
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MSN
Dictionary Definitions;
1) Judge - : somebody who can give an informed
opinion on something.
a good judge of character
(My Comment >>)
In other words, stating our opinion.
Who of us never has an opinion about
someone or
something? Is that what Jesus
meant about do not judge? Of
course not!
2) Judgment - : in logic, the
mental act of making or understanding a
positive or negative
proposition about something,
(My
Comment >>) So with this
dictionary term, did Jesus mean that we
are
not allowed to call good, good?
Or call evil, evil? Wouldn't that be
making a judgment? Of course not!
3) Condemn -
say somebody or something
is bad: to
state that somebody or something is in
some way wrong
or unacceptable.
(My
Comment >>) So with that
definition, then are we not allowed to
think or say
something
to
or about
abortion doctors, politicians, Hitler,
Murders, Thieves, Rapist or Homosexuals
etc?
If we did, wouldn't we be
judging and condemning them? Of
course not! The scriptures teaches
us
to stand up against evil.
4)
Rebuke -
tell somebody off:
to criticize or
reprimand somebody, usually sharply
(My Comment >>)
See 2Timothy 4:2-4,
About using scripture for convincing,
rebuking and teaching.
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What Jesus
Really Meant -
When Jesus said; "Do not Judge," what
did he exactly mean when he said that?
Did he mean that we are to go around
with out a thought in our heads?
Are we to be like Christian Zombies, and
just smile with out any thoughts at all?
Of course not! When others tell us
not to judge, then we shouldn't say
anything good about them either, cause
that would also be judging according to
their definitions of the word, "Judge."
There are Judging some one to be bad or
judging some one to be good according
"mans definition" of the word Judge,
or
Judging.
Many people will look at abortion
doctors, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears
etc and make statements about them.
So are they judging them? Those
stars are hurting people from hurting
past. But they are bent on evil
because they love their sins, like I
and you use to love our sins too. We MUST remember to
where we came from our selves! Its
a fact that hurting people, HURT people.
Now lets look at
the first part of the scripture (Judge
not, that you be not judged).
Matt 7:1-5
"Judge
not, that you be not judged.
2For
with what
judgment
you
judge,
you
will
be judged; and with the
measure
you use, it
will
be measured back to you.
3And
why do you look at the
speck
in your
brother's
eye,
but do not consider the
plank
in your own
eye?
4Or
how can you say to your
brother,
'Let me remove the
speck
from your
eye';
and look,
a plank
is
in your own
eye?
5Hypocrite!
First remove the
plank
from your own
eye,
and then you
will
see clearly to remove the
speck
from your
brother's
eye.
NKJV
Jesus here is referring to believers in
him that are judging each other when he
use the word "Brother". He was
saying what ever harshness we use when
we judge, that same harshness will be
returned to us. And then he was
saying how can we look at others sins
without first looking at our own sins,
and remove our sins, then we will be
able to see clear enough to help our
brothers with their sins.
- Out of
Love and Concern -
As
the Geneva Notes
explains this verse well about (Matthew
7:1); We
ought (Shouldn't) to find fault
with one another, but we must beware we
do not do it without cause, or to seem
holier than others or because of hatred
of others.
(Our Hearts Must
be in the Right Place My Friend)!
For example; As Paul said;
Rom 2:1.... for in whatever you
judge
another you condemn yourself; for you
who
judge
practice the same things.
NKJV Lets say one brother practices
drinking alcohol and he says either to
him self or directly to the other
brother, look at him drinking like
that, oh he is just sinful ... etc.
Then that brother that made the
statement condemned himself with his own
words. And he became a hypocrite.
First that brother should stop drinking
alcohol then he can encourage his other
brother to stop drinking out of love
and concern for him.
As
Paul Stated; God's Righteous
Judgment Romans
2:1-2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O
man, whoever you are who judge, for in
whatever you judge another you
condemn yourself; for you who
judge practice the same things.
NKJV
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Prejudging
We
should never predetermine a persons
character, situation or who they are,
when we first meet them without any
factual & visual evidence about them.
What ever we think or say MUST be out of
love and concern for others! And
it must be for the Glory of God in
accordance with Gods will as well!
We must never think of our selves better
than anyone else either. We
deserve Gods judgment and wrath as well
as anyone else. The Pharisees and
religious people often thought
of them selves better than others, and they
forget that they are not good either. They
are like us, wretched people that only
deserve Gods wrath. We are not good by
any means (Romans
3:9-18)! Jesus often rebuked
(told off) the Pharisees because of their
self righteous hearts.
To
help us to understand more about the intent
that Jesus had when he said; Do not Judge,
we need to use the Geneva Notes for this
again.
And it explains it very well.
Geneva Notes on
Luke 6:37: (6) Brotherly
judgments must not proceed from
curiosity
nor rudeness nor malice, but
they must be just, moderate and loving.
Look at the following
MSN Definitions
that will help us with the Geneva Notes;
Curiosity:
tendency to pry:
an excessive interest
in other people's affairs
Malice:
deliberately harmful:
motivated by
or resulting from a desire to cause harm
or pain to another.
So
according to the Geneva Notes, that when
we deal with others or have thoughts
about others we are not to have evil
intent, or to be busy bodies and nosey.
And we should be humble, not thinking or
acting like we are better than others,
but do it all out of Justice, Love and
in moderation and in accordance to sound
doctrine.
By Their Fruit;
Matthew 7:16
You will know them
by their fruits....................
NKJV This scripture is
mainly talking about false teachers of
the word of God. But the point is,
are we judging false teachers by
noticing their fruits if their fruits
are bad or good? Of course not!
Then this shows misunderstandings of
when Christians says do not judge.
Our thoughts MUST line up in accordance
to Gods words, but in love, truth and in
justice as well.
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Righteous Judgment - (Make a Righteous Judgment
John 7:24)
As it
is written: John 7:24Do
not
judge
according to appearance, but
judge
with
righteous judgment
."
You
heard, "judge not"
and now you are hearing, "judge
with a righteous judgment". This at
first may seem confusing to you unless you
completely understood what Jesus meant when
he said Judge not.
In (John 7:24)
Jesus said that
because the Jews were judging Jesus because
he healed a man on the Sabbath.
There are two types of
judging that Jesus
talked about through the 4 gospels.
One of them is an
unrighteous
Judgment, like telling others
for example;
not to swear when we swear. And the
other type of judgment is a
righteous
Judgment. That deals in the truth of
things according to Gods words with a loving
and caring heart towards others. The
Geneva Notes Puts it well;
Special Note;
Geneva Bible is the first Bible
that was translated into the English
Language from the original Hebrew and Greek
Language.
Geneva Notes:
9 Judge
not
g according to the appearance, but
judge righteous judgment.
(9)
We
must
judge
according to the
truth
of
things, lest men turn us from the truth
and carry us away.
(g) By
the show that I
make: for I seem to be a
despicable person from among the rabble of
Galilee,
and a carpenter's
son,
whom no man
considers to be very important: but
mark
the
matter itself well,
and
judge
the
tree by
the
fruit.
Didn't Jesus suggest that we Judge by
looking at other peoples fruits?
Especially teachers of the word, to
which
would be Pastors,
Ministry Leaders, Prophets, Evangeslist,
and Teachers? As it
is written;
Matt 7:16-17
16You
will
know them
by
their
fruits
. Do men gather
grapes
from thorn bushes or
figs
from
thistles?
NKJV
How can we know
anyone by their fruits if we do not have an
opinion (judge) them?
BUT WE MUST PRACTICE
WHAT WE PREACH
(Romans
2:3)
OR BE QUIET! We should not
condemn them though. God himself has
already condemned those who do not
believe in Jesus Christ!
As
Written; Mark
16:16 He
who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will
be condemned .NKJV
We are allowed to
convince, rebuke, exhort, and teach them (2Timothy
4:2-3). God has already made
the decisions on condemning people with his
predestination and election choices.
Let God deal with that, and HE WILL deal
with them and their hypocrisies.
MORE
COMING SOON.........................
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Judging Non-Believers
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Judging
Our Selves
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Judging Inside the Church
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Judging
Angels
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