The Sin of “Judging” 

Some years ago, a member of a religious group which does door to door evangelism stopped to talk to me while I was doing yard work. He proceeded to give me his spiel, but I interrupted him and informed him that his religious group was seriously in error because it failed to understand or define Christ correctly [they didn’t believe in the divinity of Christ]. He promptly claimed that I was judging him. I responded that I wasn’t judging him; I was simply stating that he and his group were mistaken.   

This conversation reflects a popular misconception that Jesus’ admonition to “judge not” means to refrain from saying “no” to anyone, or from saying that something is wrong. Thus when Christians state that certain behaviors are errant or even sinful, we are frequently met with the accusation that we are “judging” others, and many of us feel guilty and become afraid to say that there IS right and wrong.

Did Jesus mean that we were not to say “no” or “wrong” when he said “Judge not?” An examination of the Gospels reveals that he clearly did NOT have this meaning in mind. In the Gospel of Matthew, for example, there are at least twenty examples of Jesus saying ”do not” and then proceeding to describe behavior which is not acceptable. For example, he ordered us not to judge [7;1-2], to swear [5:34], to retaliate [5:38-39], to seek attention for one’s piety and good deeds [6:1-4], to worry [6:25], to fear [10:26], to commit the unforgivable sin [12:31-32], or to emulate the Pharisees’ behavior [23:3].  This only deals with his words “do not.” There are numerous other examples of him giving positive commandments, while suggesting that not doing what he says is a mistake which should be avoided. There are also his many references to those who are cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth [13:49-50, 35:30], this occurring because they made the wrong decisions in the spiritual life.  Clearly, Jesus could not have meant that “judge not” included saying “no.” 

If one believes that making definitive statements about right and wrong constitutes  passing judgment, then a few considerations  need to be posed.  If saying no is judgmentalism, then  it is “judging” to say to an employee of a church that he has no right to embezzle funds or to violate the trust of the people who have given parish responsilities into his care. Also, if passing judgment is saying no, then Jesus is the ultimate example of judgmentalism because he had the audacity to say no so many times.  Finally, if saying no is passing judgment, then it is judgmental to say that passing judgment  is wrong.  

What does “judge not” mean then? Two definitions can be applied and they both provide us with different insights. 

First, to judge means to make a statement about a person’s motives for various actions. To identify and scorn an individual’s motives without knowing for certain what motivated that person’s actions IS a form of judgmentalism. It is to state something as being definitive without knowing for certain. It is presenting assumptions as fact, and then condemning one for what the accuser has assumed. 

Secondly, to judge is to declare whether a person is going to eternal punishment for his actions. Although Jesus made it very clear that there IS a place called hell and that many will inhabit it [Mt. 7:13-14], the judgment as to who goes there is God’s call. There IS behavior which can lead one to the place we call hell, but as long as one is alive, he CAN repent and change his behavior, and that rule applies to all of us. Making a statement like “you are going to hell” is judgmentalism, in that it presumes to declare another’s fate, when the individual’s life is not complete, when such a call belongs to the mercy of God, and while the accuser is himself committing grievous sin. To consign an individual to damnation, when that is God’s decision, is a form of judgmentalism. 

These latter definitions, though they urge us to beware of assuming decisions which are not ours to make, are nonetheless telling us “no.” We are NOT to make careless assumptions or angry condemnations.  At the same time, to declare right, and to be definitive about that declaration, is not judging others; Christians who do so, should feel no guilt when someone says “you are judging me!”