Can Christians judge others?
On Judging Others
11 16 , 13:24 Filed in: Theology
We have been told, “Judge not and you shall not be judged,”-Luke 6:37 and rightly so, we must obey this as it was our Lord Himself that instructed us to do so. However, does Jesus mean this unilaterally in all situations for all people or was there a context that we may have missed? If we are diligent in studying the Apostolic faith, we may yet have our answer. With St. Paul, the concept of judging others was clearly within the framework of the Church and not those outside of it. As we read, “For what have I to do to judge them that are without? Do not you judge them that are within? For them that are without, God will judge. Put away the evil one from among yourselves.”- 1 Cor. 5:12-13. St. Paul is making a distinction here. In this context, he was making a righteous judgment against an incestuous adulterer and admonishes the Corinthians to purge this offender so that sin may not linger among them. Even going as far as saying, “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” but recall that St. Paul was “judging” the matter within the Church as he said those outside the Church, God will judge. In this context, we have to recognize that judgment against someone IS wrong but to make distinction and call out what is evil in the Church is necessary even at the point of naming the offenders within the Church.
But what of those that are outside of the Church that are causing terrible harm to the Church? Read More...