What does this bible verse mean?

Question

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven"

What does this mean "Do not judge"? How does one follow it?

Thanks so much for helping out a curious student. Peace, Love and Blessings!

Answer 1

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

I Corinthians 2 : 15, 16 But he that is spiritual judge all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him ? But we have the mind of Christ.

Isaiah 54 : 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness of of Me , saith the Lord .

I st Corinthians 6 : 1 - 3 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, to go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints ? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world ??? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters ? Know ye not that we shall judge angels ??? How much more things that pertain to this life ?!

One of the first things out of a heretic, agnostic, or atheists mouth is " you are judging ". Well , we have that authority. BUT ! Make sure the judgment is according to the WORD ! Because of what judgment you put out, you will also be judged with. All things we do, must be done in the Love of Jesus.

Answer 2

When we relate with a person we form an image about him

and we are relating with the image which is just our creation

rather than the actuality.Image about the other person is a

fabrication of thought without any substance.This image

forming tendency is the result of judging the others.

By judging the others you are relang with the past of the

person and you are missing his present status.

Answer 3

I think it is saying the same thing Rasululah sallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Tend to your own affairs."

Basically mind your own, and others will not mind yours. If you get into people's lives you give them a chance to get into yours.

So mind your own beeswax. your own business.

Answer 4

This is one of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in scripture - I would say, the *most* misinterpreted.

Understand what the role of a judge was in both ancient Rome and under Mosaic Law - the judge

1) decided the innocence or guilt of the accused

2) passed sentence on the accused

Quite a bit different than today, when the meaning of the word "judge" is to make a determination.  For example, an individual making a determination of someone else's act as "sinful" is considered by modern language to be "judging".  However, using the more ancient definition, it is not judging at all - as neither conviction or sentence has been passed by the individual making this determination!

So, what *does* this passage mean?

In a nutshell, to avoid doing has been indicated in 1 and 2 above - we Christians are not supposed to determine innocence or guilt (convict), nor are we supposed to pass sentence.

Does this mean we are not supposed to make judgment calls and to act accordingly?  Of course not!

Rather, we are not supposed to point our fingers and say, "you are a filthy sinner, you have no business being a Christian!"  *That* is an example of judging.

Another example in support (verse 16 forward)

http://www.studybibleforum.com/htm_php.p...

Now, this is not the best translation for this passage, but I'll use it because that is indicated:  note the italics used for the word "leading".  This word has been added for sectarian reasons.  The traditional rendering is "sin unto death" (KJV) or, more simply, "deadly sin".  How do we determine if someone commits a deadly sin?  Why, by making a judgment call, of course, presumably using scripture as our foundation - say, perhaps, passages such as this:

http://www.bible-reviews.com/separating....

This is a list of sins Paul gives us by which we can identify "saved" Christians from "not saved" Christians.  Logically, those participating in sins which prevent them from attaining eternal life are committing "deadly" sins.  Both Paul and Peter give us instructions (commandments, in Paul's case!) on how to react to such Christians.  How can we follow the requirements of scripture in this regard if we make no judgment with regard to the sin?  Quite the contrary, we are *required* to make a judgment if we are to follow the instructions given to us in scripture.

However, we are *not* permitted to make the type of judgment that a judge in those times made - a convicting and sentencing judgment.  Rather, our judgment - our *necessary* judgment - is to be a personal one, one based on the facts as we know them, and altering only our own behavior (in accordance with scripture) or the behavior of those whose behavior we are responsible for (e.g. our children).

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

Answer 5

To judge we have to pull ourselves out of the original unity/harmony with which we all we exist, separate from the other, stand at a distance, and evaluate. This process isolates us and invites other to take notice of us and judge us!. If we do not judge,we remain in the unity, nobody judges us either. Same thing with condemn and forgive.  

Answer 6

Police yourself; not others in this life.

Answer 7

The atmosphere of selfish and narrow criticism stifles the noble and generous emotions, and causes men to become self-centered judges and petty spies. The Pharisees were of this class. They came forth from their religious services, not humbled with a sense of their own weakness, not grateful for the great privileges that God had given them. They came forth filled with spiritual pride, and their theme was, "Myself, my feelings, my knowledge, my ways." Their own attainments became the standard by which they judged others. Putting on the robes of self-dignity, they mounted the judgment seat to criticize and condemn.  The people partook largely of the same spirit, intruding upon the province of conscience and judging one another in matters that lay between the soul and God. It was in reference to this spirit and practice that Jesus said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." That is, do not set yourself up as a standard. Do not make your opinions, your views of duty, your interpretations of Scripture, a criterion for others and in your heart condemn them if they do not come up to your ideal. Do not criticize others, conjecturing as to their motives and passing judgment upon them.  "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." 1 Corinthians 4:5. We cannot read the heart. Ourselves faulty, we are not qualified to sit in judgment upon others. Finite men can judge only from outward appearance. To Him alone who knows the secret springs of action, and who deals tenderly and compassionately, is it given to decide the case of every soul. "Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things." Romans 2:1. Thus those who condemn or criticize others, proclaim themselves guilty, for they do the same things. In condemning others, they are passing sentence upon themselves, and God declares that this sentence is just. He accepts their own verdict against themselves.  

Answer 8

This verse speaks of unity and our connection profoundly to all things.  We cannot really ever be separate.  All giving is simultaneously received.    Our thumb cannot forgive our toe.  Our nose cannot judge our face.  Oneness just is.

Answer 9

Hi Sufi!  :D

I see this in modern terms, as speaking of discrimination.

Those who are quick to criticize, judge and condemn another, can expect no better, when it comes back to them.  

"What goes around, comes around"!

For example, there is so much hate being spewed out in this category on a daily basis.  I cannot see their faces, but I can 'feel' their vibes!  I feel sadness for them, for they truly have pain.  I thank God that I am more fortunate, but not by any means "better"!   I know that God loves"all" of us equally.    I feel this pain, so I pray that this person may be healed., regardless what he has said to hurt me.  I must remember, I have God and I can forgive, I can love and I can be compassionate.  He cannot.  He does not understand .

When you can forgive others, you are releasing 'all the anger and all the hurt.  You learn from it and put it behind you.

Others that cannot or will not, carry this like dead weight.  And it attracts more of the same.  Soon you have such a burden to bear, you become bitter and hate the world and blame everyone else for this.

Misery loves company, but no one wants to be around someone who is bent on being this way.  But, when we are able to show them love and forgiveness, just maybe they will see, by our actions, their own reflection.  You never know how your good actions could truly change another persons life .  God is oh, so Good!

Answer 10

Dear Friend,

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

In this verse, Jesus is not teaching that we should not be undiscerning Christians. He never intended that we abandon our critical faculty or discernment.  The New Testament had many illustrations of legitimate judgment of condition, conduct, or teaching of others.  In addition, there are several areas in which the Christians are commanded to make a decision, to discriminate between good and bad, or between good and best.

Some of these include:

1.  When disputes arise between believers, they should be settled in the church before members who can decided the matter. See 1 Corinthians 6:1-8)

2.  The local church is to judge serious sins of its members and take appropriate action. See Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

3.  Believers are to judge the doctrinal teaching of teachers and preachers by the Word of God.  See Matthew 7:15-20; 1 Corinthians 14:29; and 1 John 4:1)

4.  Christians have to discern if others are believers in order to obey Paul's command in 2 Corinthians 6:14.

5.  Those in the church must judge which men have the qualifications necessary for elders and deacons.  See 1 Timothy 3:1-13)

6.  We have to discern which people are unruly, fainthearted, weak, etc. and treat them according to the instructions in the Bible.  See 1 Thessalonians 5:14

This word judge in this context means that we are not qualified nor ever will be to have the authority to "sentence" someone as to whether they are going to Heaven or h**l.  We are finite humans.  God is infinite and He is the ultimate...Judge.