Have you heard Christians argue about the word "judge?" I've heard it a lot ever since I was a teenager in church. Sometimes a person would say that we should not judge others and they quote Scripture to back up their view. On the other hand, another Christian would rebut and say that the Bible does affirm that we can "judge." And so the debate rages on between the two. What is really the truth about this? I find it amusing now but it was previously confusing to me. So let me share with you what I have learned.
What the Bible Says About "Judge"
The Bible does confirm that we are not to judge in Matthew 7:1 . It says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."
On the other hand, the Bible does also confirm that we can actually judge as it says in 1 Corinthians 6:2 : "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!"
So, is there a conflict here? Does the Bible contradict itself? How do we reconcile these seemingly opposing views?
A Case of Mistaken Interpretation
Well, actually this is again a case where it is really important to really understand first the context in each particular situation. In a previous article, I explained that words derive its meaning depending on how it is used in a sentence within a particular context.
In the case of Matthew 7:1 , a little bit of checking the context where the word "judge" is found will tell us that what is meant here is the attitude of condemning. Jesus is telling his audience not to condemn when he said, "Judge not." In real life, how often do we see and hear people condemn others. It's a common sin among us. Some condemn other people so easily they don't even think about it. It has become a habit. They can see easily the speck in other people's eyes but they can't see the plank in their very own eyes!
On the other hand, in 1 Corinthians 6 , we will find that the word, "judge" is used in another context. What Paul meant was that we can truly discern, consider the pros and cons, deliberate, size up the matter and be like a judge in a court. He said we will judge the world and angels and therefore we should be able to "judge trivial cases." This is clearly another context using the same word, "judge."
This is again another lesson in biblical interpretation.
Articles List 
