Scripture forbids hypocritical judgment, judging by appearances, and judging in disputes of conscience, as well as taking God’s place as Judge (Matt. 7:1–5; Rom. 14; Jas. 4:11–12). At the same time, Jesus commands us to judge with righteous judgment, not by appearances (John 7:24); Paul requires the church to address the serious, publicly known conduct of a person who calls himself a brother (1 Cor. 5:9–13); and those who are spiritual are instructed to restore the one who has sinned in a spirit of gentleness (Gal. 6:1).
What Does the Bible Say About This?
- Jesus says not to judge, so that we will not be judged, because with the judgment we use, we will be judged; He calls the one who sees the speck in his brother’s eye while failing to notice the log in his own eye a hypocrite, and commands him first to remove the log from his own eye, and then he will see clearly how to remove the speck from his brother’s eye (Matt. 7:1–5).
- Jesus says to judge not by appearances but with righteous judgment (John 7:24). This is a call to judge rightly, not permission to condemn.
- Paul urges believers to accept the one who is weak in faith without quarrels over opinions and not to judge one another over whether one person eats and another does not: each stands before his own Lord, all will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and each will give an account to God (Rom. 14:1–4, 10–13).
- James writes not to speak evil of one another: whoever judges a brother sets himself up as judge instead of the Lawgiver, and there is one Lawgiver and Judge (Jas. 4:11–12).
- In 1 Cor. 5:9–13, Paul tells the church not to associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but remains sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, verbally abusive, a drunkard, or a swindler; God judges those outside, while the church itself judges those inside. In Gal. 6:1, those who are spiritual are instructed to restore the one who has sinned in a spirit of gentleness, keeping watch over themselves.
- Conclusion: These passages show that hypocritical judgment, taking God’s place as Judge, and quarrels over opinions must be distinguished, on the one hand, from discerning good and evil, addressing a serious public case within the church, and gently restoring a brother, on the other. 1 Cor. 5 addresses a specific case in the church and does not cancel the other passages.
This brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the verse texts are from the “Father’s Blessing” Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
7 Scripture Passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Matthew 7:1–5
1 Do not judge, so that you will not be judged, 2 for with the judgment you judge, with that same judgment you will be judged; and with the measure you use, the same measure will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not 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,” while there is a log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see how to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
John 7:24
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with righteous judgment.
Romans 14:1–4
1 Accept the one who is weak in faith without arguing over disputable matters. 2 For one person believes that he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats must not despise the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat must not judge the one who eats, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.
Romans 14:10–13
10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me, and every tongue will confess to God.” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another, but rather decide not to put a stumbling block or cause for offense in our brother’s way. or cause him to stumble
James 4:11–12
11 Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. Whoever speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of 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 one Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?
1 Corinthians 5:9–13
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral people of this world, or the greedy, or swindlers, or idolaters, since otherwise you would have to leave the world itself. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother but remains sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a person. 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. Therefore, purge the evil person from among you.
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
