Luke 6:36-42

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Jesus’ words, “Judge not,” might currently be the most quoted portion of Scripture. I don’t have any data or statistics to back up that statement. It’s just an observation. The reason it’s so popular is that every person who has ever existed has a conscience that is judging them. Everyone’s conscience recognizes that things they have done and said and thought are wrong—whether they are bad, hurtful, or just plain evil. Everyone has a conscience that makes an argument and a case against them. Everyone’s conscience testifies against them that they are guilty. This is true for me. That is true for you. That is true for everyone you meet.

The only way to silence that guilt is by the blood of Jesus. Sadly, that doesn’t stop anyone from trying to silence that guilt in other ways. Ripping this statement of Jesus out of context is one of those ways. Often, when someone demands that you, “Judge not,” that is their own futile attempt to tell their own conscience to stop condemning them. That person probably recognizes their guilt but is trying to silence it.

Everyone is constantly making judgments of other people. (Ironically, when someone throws these words of Jesus in your face, “Judge not,” they are making a judgment.) Now, in some instances, our judgments do go against what Jesus is commanding us not to do. In other instances, judging is what God calls individuals to do. Today, I want to examine the Scriptures to see when we can—and even must—make judgments and when we must not make judgments. The difference between the two has eternal consequences.

Let’s start with situations where Scripture teaches that God commands you to make judgments. I’ve included a table of Scripture passages in the bulletin in case you want to look them up later.

The first one is in your vocations (e.g. Eph. 6:4; Ro. 13:3-4; Pr. 31:9). If you’re in law enforcement, God has given you the task of making constant judgments—both for and against people. When you get pulled over by a police officer, you can’t fight a ticket by saying, “Jesus says, ‘Judge not.’ So, you can’t give me that ticket.” That officer is doing a good work by giving you that ticket. The same goes for judges. When they render judgments and prison sentences and rulings, they are doing good works that God has placed them in those positions to do. Parents, you need to make judgments all the time. When your kids get into an argument, you need to judge who needs to be punished. You need to make judgments if it’s ok for your child to go to that friend’s house based on what you know about the character of their parents. You need to make judgments on what is and isn’t good to feed your kids, what time they need to go to bed, how much screen time they have or don’t have. If you own a business, you need to make judgments on how much that employee should be paid, what products and services you provide, who to hire and fire. In any of those vocations, you can’t neglect that responsibility. God put you there to make those judgments. If you neglect that responsibility because Jesus says, “Judge not,” know that is not the way a Christian should act. Make those judgments with the wisdom God has given you, and know that those judgments are good and pleasing in God’s sight.

The second place you are to make judgments is in areas of doctrine. You need to be judging if you are hearing and reading true teaching that aligns with God’s Word or if it is false teaching that contradicts God’s Word. In Matthew 7:15-20 (a text you’ll hear in just a few weeks), Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” You have to do that. For the good of your soul, you must do it. And the only way you can do that is to make judgments. 1 John 4:1 and a whole slew of other passages call believers to make these judgments of doctrine. As a believer, you have this responsibility from Jesus Himself.

Third, Christians are given the duty to judge fellow Christians. Every Christian congregation is designed by God to be a place where believers hold each other accountable. A congregation isn’t just a country club where we all support each other no matter what. Hopefully, you are finding kindness, support, generosity, and whatnot. But believers are also called to hold each other accountable. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers,” so it’s talking to Christians, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him,” and here’s the important part, “restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

Dear saints, you are your brother and sister’s keeper. You need to be on the lookout. If one of your fellow Christians is flirting with a spiritually dangerous position, you are to warn them. And if a fellow believer warns you, take it seriously. Don’t just lash back, “Well, you’re being judgmental, and Jesus says, ‘Judge not.’” No! That’s his responsibility. At the end of 1 Corinthians 5, Paul says, “What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?” And Paul there uses the same word Jesus uses here. Jesus says, “Judge not,”and Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit says, “You’re supposed to judge believers.”

So far, this is what Jesus is not forbidding when He says, “Judge not.” It’s important for us to remember what He isn’t saying so we aren’t ashamed to do the good works He has given us to do. Jesus has put you in certain places—certain courtrooms—where you are to make judgments. In your vocations, in areas of doctrine, and holding other believers accountable. In those places, make those judgments because Scripture has given you that calling.

Now, to what Jesus is forbidding. He is warning us against our futile attempts to remove Him from the judgment seat.

Imagine the heavenly courtroom. There, we belong in the defendant’s chair. In that divine courtroom, we stand guilty. Our conscience knows it. Anyone else in there knows it. The Judge knows it most of all. We are guilty. We have no possible defense. Our mouths are silenced (Ro. 3:19). But the Holy Spirit reveals God’s mercy in the Scriptures. We know the character of our Judge. He is merciful. That’s why Jesus says, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

The Judge who sits on the bench is your own Father in heaven. He desires to forgive you—and He does. He declares that you are not guilty for the sake of Jesus. Christ made the full payment for your all sins on the cross. When Jesus talks about the good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, He is not talking about grain. He is talking about the forgiveness He pours out on you. He gives you so much forgiveness that you can’t contain it all.

This mercy is for you and for the other defendants in that courtroom. Your neighbors—your spouse, your child, your parents, your fellow Christian, all who believe in Christ—receive the same verdict, the same abundant mercy. The cross paid for their sins too. That’s how it is in God’s courtroom. In your heart, you might think that you are able to sit on the judgment seat. But you are wrong. You don’t belong there. And all your efforts to take that seat are futile.

The order in God’s courtroom is clear: God sits on the judgment seat full of abundant, divine mercy (Ro. 2:16, 14:10; Jn. 5:22). We remain in the defendant’s chair, receiving it. And because Jesus’ sacrifice was for the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29; 1 Jn 2:2), our neighbor is forgiven too. But here is our problem: We are tempted to change that order. We gladly receive the mercy for ourselves, but when God forgives our neighbor—especially the one who has sinned against us—we object. Our hurt runs deep. The betrayal stings. So, in our hearts we rise from the defendant’s chair, push the merciful Judge aside, and try to take the bench ourselves.

There are many ways we try to do this. We make people feel bad for things that Scripture doesn’t condemn. We treat others harshly and pepper our conversations with condescending or belligerent words. We plot ways to make them feel the same pain they have caused us. We give them the silent treatment and cut them out of our lives. We act as though they aren’t our neighbor anymore. These are just some of the ways we try to seize the judge’s seat.

Dear saints, that is wrong. Repent. That is not how we are to treat a person for whom Christ has died. You are commanded to love that neighbor and be merciful as your Father is merciful. Reach out. Do what you can to reconnect. Call them. If you don’t think you can talk to them without yelling, write them an email. If even that is hard, at least act as though you aren’t angry—not only when you are around that person, but even when you think of that person. You might be surprised that your heart will start to follow your actions.

And let me just say that love might need to look different in different situations. Depending on how that person has sinned against you, you might need help in figuring out how to love that neighbor. As your pastor, I’m here to help. If we can’t figure it out together, I can help connect you with someone who can. Please know that I’m here for that.

Dear saints, you cannot remove Jesus from His judgment seat any more than you can remove Him from the cross. It is finished. The sins of the world—yours and your neighbor’s—are paid for. That will not change. It is done. The cross is complete. Thanks be to God for His mercy to us. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.