Introduction:

1. It is true that God alone determines our morality and eternal destiny.

2. This phrase is used to excuse sinful behaviors and silence objectors.

3. God uses the term in different ways: some proscribed, some prescribed.

Discussion:

I. Judgment Defined

A. Biblically, it means primarily to separate or distinguish good from evil.

B. It can also mean to try, punish, or condemn a person.

II. Judgment Proscribed

A. Some kinds of judgment are clearly condemned (Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; Romans 2:1; 14:4, 10, 13; James 4:11-12).

B. Do these passages condemn every judgment at every time?

III. Judgment Prescribed

A. Many commands demand judgment, i.e., distinguishing good and evil.

1. Recognizing/exposing false prophets/teachers (Matthew 7:15-20; Romans 16:17-18; Galatians 1:6-9; Titus 1:9-14; 1 John 4:1-3).

2. Rebuking a sinning brother (Matthew 18:15-18; Luke 17:3-4).

3. Disciplining/restoring the erring (1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Galatians 6:1-2).

4. Exposing/avoiding the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

B. God cannot contradict Himself, so how do we reconcile the above?

IV. Judging Righteous Judgment

A. Jesus must have had the purpose and attitude of judgment in view.

B. Matthew 7:1-5 and John 12:48 bring great clarity to this issue.

1. Jesus’ words are the standard of judgment (John 12:48), so the judgment/measure we use must match His standard.

2. Jesus rebuked minimizing our sins while maximizing others’ sins.

3. Hypocritical judgment is the thrust of Jesus’ censure in Matthew 7.

1. The Lord truly will be the lone judge before whom we will stand (2 Corinthians 5:10).

2. We must avoid harsh, hypercritical, hypocritical judgments.

3. Nonetheless, we must judge righteous judgment (John 7:24) by the righteous standard of Christ’s words (John 12:48).

4. Though we will give an answer for how we judge others, no one will be exempted from God’s judgment because of the sins of another.