One of the most well-known passages in the New Testament is this one (Jesus is speaking):  Matthew 7:1

People often misapply this verse, claiming that Christians ought to never judge anyone or anything.  But you have to take all the teachings, and reconcile them.  You can’t just take one verse out of context.  Here’s the context:

1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

It is clear from that teaching that hypocrisy is condemned, and we both agree, there is plenty of that in church circles.  It is specifically a sin.  The woman who was taken in adultery was brought before Jesus, and he did not condemn her – instead he convicted every one of her accusers, with, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”  It would appear (we don’t know for sure) that many of these men were guilt of the same sin.  He is clearly not defending adultery in this case, but was condemning hypocrisy.

Let me show you some verses that tell Christians that they should judge!

The Apostle Paul, writing to Believers in Corinth, wrote that they have no business trying to judge those outside their congregations, but that they should judge those who are within:  1 Corinthians 5:9-13

9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people–
10 by no means referring to this world’s immoral people, or to the greedy and swindlers, or to idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.
11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a reviler, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.
12 For what is it to me to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are inside?
13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves.

Paul then goes on to say that Believers must judge disputes amongst themselves, and it is a sin for them take their brother into the world’s court system, when there are plenty of good men in their midst who can perform this function:

1 Does any of you who has a complaint against someone dare go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases?
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels–not to speak of things pertaining to this life?
4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge?
5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one person among you who will be able to arbitrate between his brothers?
6 Instead, brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
7 Therefore, it is already a total defeat for you that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated?
8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat–and this to brothers!

In a follow-up letter to these same people, Paul went further:

13 Now in like response–I speak as to children–you also should be open to us. 14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does God’s sanctuary have with idols? For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said: I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 17 Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. 18 I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.

What does it mean to “be mismatched with unbelievers”?  (The King James Version says, “Be ye not unequally yoked….”

Well, Believers are not to enter into business partnerships, nor into marriage, nor into any intimate or very close friendship with those who are unbelievers.  And that requires JUDGMENT – also called “discernment”.  They are also to JUDGE those who are hypocrites and liars, and kick them out of their churches!!!

Next, in Luke’s recording of the Acts of the Apostles, he quotes the Apostle Peter in a big pow-wow they had in Jerusalem, on what to expect of all those non-Jews who wanted to become Christians.  He said that they should not be expected to know the Jewish rules and regulations, but…:

Acts 15:17 so that those who are left of mankind may seek the Lord– even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things, 18 which have been known from long ago. 19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those who turn to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood.

Now, how on earth can you order the newcomers to abstain from anything without judging – discerning – and teaching them?  The duty within the Church is clear – be very strict in forbidding sexual immorality.  (Then there’s the blood thing.)  In other words, “If y’all behave yo’sefs, that’s about all we ask, but we do insist on that.”  — New’s Texas Translation

Now, look at Matthew 18 – THE passage that rules when a Christian is guilty of sinning, and in the process, giving Jesus a bad name.  The three step program here involves judging the behavior of a fellow-Christian, and calling him on his sin:

What we have here is a process for judging sinful behavior, and rooting it out.  This is a Religious Court.  At this point, the entire church is to JUDGE his sin and boot him out, and treat him like a tax collector!!!  (That was the lowest of the low in those days.  They were a pretty corrupt lot.)   But understand, the primary goal of this judgment is not simply to exclude someone, but to bring them to repentance and back in to fellowship.

In other words, the Church is ordered to not be judging the World – that is God’s job, and He is up to it.  But in-house, they are commanded to judge sin, and handle it very strictly.  To keep their own skirts clean, so to speak.

And that’s the problem with so many churches.  They have it backwards.  They condemn/judge the world, and yet allow immorality to continue amongst their own, in direct violation of scripture.  No wonder so many people are disgusted with them.  I once knew of a Southern Baptist church in Texas where they would not fire the Music Director because he was so popular, afraid they lose members – even though they knew he was carrying on a homosexual affair with the Youth Minister!!!!!

A lot of people just might be pretty surprised when (if) they get to Heaven, and look around.  (1) At the people who made it; (2) at the people who didn’t.

It is my personal opinion (not to be judging) that an awful lot of people who hardly ever go to church will be spending Eternity with their Lord, and a whole bunch of regular attendees just may be shoveling coal for a long, long time.  But then, that ain’t my job, to make that judgment, now is it?

I’ve only scratched the surface, but really don’t have time to write a book.  If you want more, just ask.  It’s always good to brush up on a topic that I long ago settled, and I know how I believe, but I’ve kinda forgotten why.