Is it Ever Right to Judge Someone?

I know, I know, you think the answer to this question is obvious.  Surely you've heard all the comebacks.
Don't judge me.
Only God can judge me.
Don't judge or you'll be judged.
Even the Bible says not to judge other people.
Let the one who has never sinned cast the first stone.

We've heard them all.  But are they true? When one of these arguments is made what is usually going on?  Someone is being told that what they are doing is wrong.  This tends to make people angry.  And don't think it just happens between some left wing activist and a right wing big brother.  This kind of argument crops up in the church among people of faith all the time.

But I want to know if it is an appropriate argument?  Are we really supposed to just let anybody do anything because we are told NOT to judge?  Can we take no moral stand against anything?

Let me just be really straight-forward.  I am convinced that 99% of the time this arguments is used there is some sort of sin at the heart of it.  And the person saying, "don't judge me" is really saying, "don't tell me what to do."  Or, "I know I shouldn't be doing this but I don't want to stop."  The "don't judge me" card is just the easiest way to get out of the conversation.

So here's the low-down, nitty-gritty about judging others, straight from God's Word.
Paul said, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters.  In that case you would have to leave this world.  But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people" (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

Paul then says, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?  Are we not to judge those inside?"  He then commands the church in Corinth to, "expel the wicked person from among you" (1 Corinthians 5:12,13).

So here's the answer to the question, is it ever right to judge someone?  Yes ... and, No .
Yes.  If the person IS a believer in Jesus Christ we are OBLIGATED to judge their behaviors and take corrective action when necessary.  Not based on our own judgment but on the judgement of God's Holy Word.
No.  If the person is NOT a believer in Jesus Christ we are not working from the same play book and therefore have no right to judge them.  Paul says we must leave the judging in that situation to God.

As a pastor this issue irritates me to no end.  When Christians complain about having their actions judged or get angry with other believers for "judging" them I start to get upset.  If you are actively involved in sin it is every other Christians right and duty to call you out.  And the Bible says that the desired response is one of repentance and restoration (see Matthew 18:15-17).

Look at it this way.  Let's say that I'm the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.  Would I have any right to got to a Giants training camp and start telling their receivers they were running the wrong routes?  Zagging when they should have zigged?  NO!  We're not on the same team!  We don't use the same play book or listen to the same coach.  They would have every right to kick me out of their camp.  But with my own team, if someone turns left when they were supposed to go right, now I can stop them and correct the issue, both for their benefit, my benefit and the benefit of the whole team.

No Christian (an individual who claims Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior) should EVER use the, don't judge me, argument.  It is unbiblical to pretend to be autonomous when you are so closely connected to other believers through the Holy Spirit.

Now, before you start throwing stones at me, there is something else we need to look at.  It is true that, "with the measure you use it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:2). So we must be careful not to be overly critical in judgement.  No one is perfect - but that doesn't give someone else a get-out-of-jail-free card.  My sin does not nullify God's Word for your life.  Yes I sin, but that doesn't mean I can't point out your sin.  It just means I should be as loving and merciful in dealing with your sin as I would hope you would be in dealing with mine.

Being a judgmental person is no fun for you or for anyone else.  But for the sake of holiness among us we MUST judge those who are fellow Christians so that we might keep Satan at bay.  Tolerance is Satan's joy ride and, "don't judge me" is the ticket.

If we love God we will address sin when it is obvious.  If we love others will we address that sin with as much grace and mercy as Jesus Christ showed to us on the cross, seeking repentance and restoration, not condemnation.  If we keep our mouths closed I guess that means we don't love God or others...

Now, if you're going to get angry with me about this post remember, don't judge me if you don't want to be judged.