Do not Judge others, or do we Judge others?

Question

I hear so much about "Do not judge others, lest you be judged." I know that there's more scripture out there that gives us a better insight into our responsibilities.

Can you please answer this question. Are we allowed to judge others? Are we called to Judge others? Are there certain groups of people that we can and cannot judge? Are there prerequisites to judging others?

Please start off with a simple Yes or No to the title question and then follow up by explaining the ins and outs of this confusing topic.

Answer 1

Yes, you can judge others... once you're perfect. There's more to that passage than just that.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. -- Matthew 7:1-2

The idea here is that we're going to be held accountable to keep the same standard as we measure others against. When you think about being judged by the standard you hold for others, it makes you want to put that standard very, very low, just in case you mess up for a while.

The rest of the passage goes on:

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. -- Matthew 7:3-5

Meaning that before you even begin to look at someone else's life, you need to make sure you're ALREADY measuring up to the standard you're holding for others. Since we can never attain perfection here on earth, I think it's pretty safe to say that we won't ever be able to say, "I've taken care of everything in my life now, and so I'm ready to start pointing out the flaws in yours."

Answer 2

Yes, we can judge others. Christ said so.

John 7:24

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

The phrase "righteous judgement" is usually used in the Bible to describe God (See here and here). God's judgments are righteous. So if we are to judge righteously, perhaps we should judge as God would. That's a big responsibility. I think Nathan Wheeler's answer sheds a lot of light in this area.

Another thought, if you are looking for a babysitter for your kids, certainly you're going to judge who's a good babysitter. You're not going to let a bum man off the street take care of them.

Answer 3

Yes, we are expected to judge the actions of those inside the church:

1 Corinthians 6:1

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?

and:

Matthew 18:16-17

But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

No, we are not expected to judge the actions of those outside the church:

1 Corinthians 5:12-13a

What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.

No, we are not expected to judge the character of those inside or outside the church, only the actions:

Matthew 7:1-2

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

In other words, we can accuse a Christian of (e.g.) lying if we have evidence, but we can't say, "You lied, therefore you're a bad person". This is what Paul implies when he writes (in Romans 14:4a): "Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?" The context (the weak and strong) clearly implies he is talking about character.

And we should always first look at our own conduct. Perhaps the reason we so easily spot a particular sin in other people is that it also exists in ourselves:

Matthew 7:3-5

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? 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? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Answer 4

The "Do not judge" I believe is for someone's motivations. We should not judge one's actions based on his past, as only God knows the real conditions of ones heart.