Today we will be starting a series on 1 Corinthians, but rather than starting with an overview of the book, I want to begin with a topic that I was recently asked to address.
Should Christians judge?
Have you been criticised as being judgemental?
It is quite common nowadays to be told off for being judgemental when you point out that some behaviour or other is wrong or sinful.
Can a Christian make judgements?
Is it wrong to be judgemental?
Do I have the right to point out to someone that their choices are wrong – or even just unwise?
We live in a time when the rights of the individual trump the rights of the many and in an absolute contradiction, at the same time, the rights of specific groups trump your rights.
This can make not just criticism of someone else’s choices, but even an insistence on adhering to norms that have been in place throughout human history - something as definitive as the difference between male and female - a costly affair.
For example, refusing to use people’s “preferred pronouns” has cost people their jobs.
Saying you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, or even just something they have said is insulting, patronising, and judgemental.
Even if your logic is sound.
People demand the right to do and live as they please while retaining for themselves the right to criticise and insult you if you disagree with them, yet they will deny you the right to hold and express your views.
What should our Christian response be?
We will be looking at several passages this morning, to draw from them some principles that should guide our behaviour.
Let us read together from:
1 Corinthians 6: When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
1. Our first principle, drawn from this passage, is: Christians are qualified to judge.
Paul says that not only are we qualified to judge, but we will judge the world and even angels, and if we are qualified to do that, then we are surely qualified to judge disputes between each other.
Notice the context here. The book of Corinthians is very useful for us because it was a church in a mess; the book contains Paul’s instructions regarding what they were to do to sort the mess out.
Therefore, we can draw many principles from it to guide us.
The Corinthians were taking each other to court. By doing so, they were bringing the church into disrepute and dishonouring God.
Christians and churches love to take each other to court nowadays, and every time they do so, they are denying these verses of Paul’s.
Sadly, we have just seen this play out in the US, where the Southern Baptist Convention contracted an overtly non-Christian organisation to investigate sexual abuse in the denomination.
They had to bring unbelieving outsiders in because the denominational leaders have been covering the abuse up for decades.
This is dishonouring to God.
If you disagree with a fellow Christian, you should be using the church to resolve the disagreement, and Matthew 18 tells us how to go about doing that.
What if there is money involved? What if you will suffer loss as a result of not taking the person for judgement in front of a court of unbelievers?
Verse 7 holds the answer to that question: To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?
If Jesus was willing to give up heaven to see us saved, we should be willing to suffer loss for the sake of the church and God’s glory.
Our goal is not our vindication. Our goal is the glory of God and the protection of the fellowship of Believers.
So, there is another principle that we can draw from this as well. An inference rather than an outright statement:
2. Will involving ourselves by participating in a debate, discussion, or legal dispute strengthen or weaken the unity of the church, and will it glorify God or dishonour Him?
Often when people are attacking God or the church, especially on Social Media, we find ourselves tempted to jump into the discussion to defend God.
We do not need to do that. God can defend Himself. He is almighty after all, with legion upon legion of angels to call on. He does not need us to defend Him.
And resorting to insults and name-calling does not honour Him.
If it is a discussion or altercation among Christians, then we have a responsibility to lay the truth before them; but not by launching personal attacks. By pointing them to scripture.
To do this, you need to know the scripture well enough that you have verses on hand to point them to.
You do not do it by insulting them, calling them heretics, or telling them they are stupid. You do not even need to tell them they are wrong. You let scripture speak for you.
And if they respond with personal attacks, you turn the other cheek.
3. If Christians hurt you, know that this is to be expected.
Have a look at verse 8: But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
How many of you know Christians who will not set foot in a church because they have been hurt so badly by people who are, or are supposed to be, Christians?
I certainly do.
This response is sinful, firstly because we are commanded not to forsake the fellowship of other believers, and secondly, as we see in verse eight, we must acknowledge that even in the church, we can expect people to be sinful.
This is not the fault of the church. It is the fault of the unsanctified individuals in the church.
Of course, there is a warning for us here: we must ensure that we do not fall into sin and wrong our brothers and sisters in Christ.
What caused Paul to write these words in chapter 6?
Chapter 6 is a continuation of a discussion Paul began in the previous chapter.
Have a look with me at chapter 5:
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
4. We must pass judgement on fellow Christians who sin.
Notice though that this is gross sin. Not minor sins.
And by that, I do not mean that some sins are less sinful. All sins are a breach of God’s law.
Notice as well what Paul considers to be gross sin: sexual immorality of any kind; greed; idolatry; a reviler – this is someone who subjects another to verbal abuse – condemning, criticising, or attacking; drunkenness; and swindlers.
As a church, we do not excommunicate people for minor transgressions. If we did that, the church would be empty.
However, where sin leads to dishonour to God or the church, it must be addressed.
Because Paul says, 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Boasting about our church while we entertain sin in the church endangers us all, because sin acts like yeast, ultimately infecting the whole body.
So, church discipline, passing judgement on fellow Christians, is necessary for the protection of the other believers in the church, and for the restoration of the person who has fallen into sin.
Some years ago, I told you the story of my children’s nursery-school teacher, who went to a church in our city.
He husband divorced her after having an affair with someone else in the church, also married if I recall correctly.
He then married the other woman, in the same church, and they continued attending, even though his ex-wife was also a member there.
The church condoned all this and gave tacit approval, by allowing the two divorcees who were guilty of the affair to marry in the church and continue in membership.
This is a prime example of the church not doing its duty in disciplining the sinning husband and his new wife; and also failing to protect and look after the interests of the first wife, our nursery-school teacher.
Notice what Paul says in verse 11: But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
When the church does discipline someone by excommunicating them, we are to have nothing to do with them.
This does not mean that we cannot work to restore them to fellowship and faith, but it does mean that we are to cut them off from our fellowship, as a means of restoring them.
It also does not mean that if the person disciplined is a family member of yours, you cut them out of your family. They are simply cut off from fellowship with the church.
Someone who is a real Christian will quickly miss having Christian fellowship, and this will encourage them to turn away from their sin in repentance.
5. Who do we not judge? Outsiders.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
We do not judge those who are outside the church. That is God’s job, not ours.
Think of it this way: our job with fellow believers is to gently lead them to repentance and restoration – of both their relationship with God and their fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our job with unbelievers is to gently show them the truth of the Gospel and point them to the Bible so that they will repent and turn to God in faith and join the community of believers.
Passing judgement on unbelievers achieves nothing except to alienate them.
This does not mean we ignore their sin. It means that we point them to God’s Word, and we let the Word and the Holy Spirit work in their lives.
We want them to want to be like us because they see us living like Christ, not to despise us because our faith makes us harsh, unforgiving, and judgemental.
And remember that an insult or offence exists in the mind of the recipient, not in the mind of the person delivering the insult or offence.
What I mean is that you need to guard your tongue and be sensitive to the feelings and circumstances of the person you are dealing with, without compromising the truth or condoning sin, because your goal is restoration or salvation.
Your goal is not to be right.
If your goal is to be right, if you think that being blunt is ok, no matter the effect on the person you are being blunt with, then you are no different from all the mockers on social media.
That is our principle number 6.
6. Our goal is restoration for the believer and salvation for the unbeliever.
7. We will be judged as we judge others.
Read with me:
Matthew 7: 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
We will be judged according to the same standard we use when we stand in judgement of others, verse 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
In other words, if you want to face harsh judgement, judge harshly. If you want to face judgement with compassion, judge others with compassion.
And that is our principle number 8.
8. When you judge, be compassionate. Show mercy.
Judge the way you want to be judged when your turn comes, as it will.
This passage in Matthew is often understood to mean that we must not pass judgement on others, but that is not what it says.
What it says is that before we pass judgement on others, we must deal with the sin in our own lives.
When we stretch out a hand to help our fallen brother or sister, we must do so from a position of personal righteousness.
How can we help someone else, or pass judgement on them, when they can simply point out our own sins to us?
In fact, how dare we pass judgement on others when our own lives are full of sin?
9. Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with the sins of others.
This passage does not say that we must not judge.
It says we must sort our own lives out before we try to help someone else sort theirs out. Once we have sorted our lives out, we can help others.
When the brother or sister in Christ whose log has been removed shares in removing the speck in the eye of another brother or sister, their participation no longer has the character of judging.
James 4: 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbour?
10. Gossip does not constitute a biblical judgement.
Gossiping about someone does not lead to repentance, restoration, or salvation.
Time spent in gossip; well that makes you the reviler referred to in 1 Corinthians 5, doesn’t it?
11. There is only one judge – God.
Our last three passages all make this same point in different ways. We need to be very careful that we do not try to usurp God’s authority as the one, true judge.
Exercise great care when you decide to pass judgement on anyone because only God truly knows the heart of man.
And because you will be judged according to the judgement standard you use.
12. Do not be judgemental.
Romans 14: 1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honour of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honour of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honour of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
The fact that someone holds different theological views about some things than you do, does not make that person a sinner, an unbeliever, or a heretic.
Not unless those beliefs are actually sinful or heretical, and not just a difference in theological interpretation.
You may actually be the one who is interpreting scripture incorrectly, so a better path would be to study the scripture together and learn from each other so that you can see whether there can be a meeting of the minds.
We all have freedom of conscience and are all accountable to our Lord, God.
This is not a licence to sin, nor is it a licence to overlook the sin of others.
Is the person adding to the Gospel, or taking away from the Gospel? If they are, then that is a sin and heresy.
Is the person doing things that the Bible expressly forbids? That is a sin.
Is the person celebrating Christmas or Easter with gifts and easter eggs?
They have the freedom to do so, whether you celebrate the same way or not, as long as they do it without their consciences condemning them.
Me personally? I believe chocolate is a gift from God and is to be enjoyed as such whether in the shape of an egg or the shape of a slab; and I like giving Christmas gifts, whether I receive any or not.
If you read on in chapter 12, you will see that Paul says our goal is not judgement or holding people to the requirements of our consciences.
That is being judgemental.
Our goal is to keep others from stumbling and falling into sin so that they live with a clear conscience, while we also live with a clear conscience.
Our goal is not to expect others to do exactly as we do in every respect because in our view anything else is sinful.
What about the unbeliever? Remember that they are not Christians, nor do they regard themselves as being bound by biblical norms and standards.
If you condemn them, they are going to have one of two responses – they will laugh at you, or they will take offence.
You should tell them that God does not condone their behaviour, but you should not expect them to adhere to His norms and standards.
They don’t believe! They don’t acknowledge biblical standards because they are in a state of rebellion towards God, so they are not going to adhere to them.
Your goal should not be condemnation or criticism. Your goal must be to point them to Christ.
Let us briefly recap our twelve principles:
PRINCIPLES FOR JUDGING
- Christians are qualified to judge.
- Will our judging strengthen or weaken the unity of the church, and will it glorify God or dishonour Him?
- If Christians hurt you, know that this is to be expected.
- We must pass judgement on fellow Christians who sin.
- We do not judge outsiders.
- Our goal is restoration for the believer and salvation for the unbeliever.
- We will be judged as we judge others.
- When you judge, be compassionate. Show mercy.
- Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with the sins of others.
- Gossip does not constitute a biblical judgement.
- There is only one judge – God.
- Do not be judgemental.
How do we apply this in practice?
In practice, we do not run around harshly pointing out our sins to each other and demanding repentance.
We deal with the sin in our own lives first.
We build relationships with each other and once the relationship is in place and intimate enough, we can lovingly and gently speak truth into each other’s lives.
As we do so, we grow together in faith, in our love for God, and our love for each other.
We are never judgemental – either with fellow believers or with unbelievers.
Our goal is restoration for the person who has fallen away and salvation for the unbeliever.
God is the judge.
We do not allow sin to infect the church. We deal with it, even if it means expelling the unrepentant fellow believer from our body.
This does not mean we do not allow unbelievers in. If we don’t, how will they hear the gospel?
We distinguish between the Body of Believers, who are the Church, and those we are called to evangelise.
We avoid judgementalism by pointing both the fallen fellow believer - and the unbelieving person we are trying to reach for Christ - to God and Scripture.
We pray for them, that God will convict them by His Holy Spirit.
Scripture does the speaking, the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, Jesus does the saving, and God does the judging.
We neither overlook sin nor condone it. We always hold to the truth, speak the truth, and teach the truth.
But we do this taking each person’s place in their spiritual journey into account.
We do it without expecting the unbeliever to live according to our norms and standards. We do it lovingly and kindly.
How do I know whether I am being judgemental?
This can often be quite nuanced because there is a degree to which it depends on the subjective response of the other person involved. Some people will choose to be offended, whether they know you are speaking the truth or not.
Am I attacking the person, or addressing the sin? Am I doing it kindly, earnestly seeking not to offend while still speaking the truth?
Am I letting myself speak, or am I letting scripture speak?
Am I glorifying God, or is my goal my own glory?
Am I setting myself up as judge, instead of acknowledging that God is the Judge of all?
Is my response calculated to prevent a brother or sister in Christ from stumbling, or is it going to cause them to stumble?
Will my response drive the unbeliever further from God or draw them nearer to Him?
Am I loving them?
Am I holding people accountable to a standard because it offends my conscience or my sensibilities, or because it is actually wrong?
May God enable us always, when dealing with both believers and unbelievers, to seek His glory and His glory alone, to seek the restoration of those who have fallen, to seek to strengthen those who are weaker in the faith than we are, and to reach the lost for God.