Christians, will you explain the whole "thou shalt not judge thing" a little more?

[askandyoumightreceive]

I'll read a post or something with someone talking about another person and then someone else will say, "you're judging them, not supposed to do that" or something like that and then someone else will say "well you're judging them for judging". I'm a little unclear on where the line for "judging someone" becomes harmful and is crossed I guess is what I mean to say.

I mean, I make judgements all the time about people; like whether I want to be around them, trust them, think they're a threat. I'm pretty sure there is no way aound this. In my opinion, the only way I could avoid judging someone is to take extreme measures and completely disconnect myself from all human interactions. So, I'm just curious as to how this works.

 

[thundercatt9]

When the subject of judging comes up among believers, the first place most Christians go to is Matthew 7:1.

Matthew 7:1.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Most people will stop right there, and conclude, "Jesus said don't judge." But we've got to read on to see this in context, so that we can determine what he was really saying.

Matthew 7:2.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with the measure which ye measure with, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thy own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thy eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in thy own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thy own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Now it becomes clear. Jesus wasn't saying, "Don't judge." He was saying, "Don't judge your brother without first judging yourself." His exhortation was to remove the plank or beam from your brother's eye first, so that you can see clearly to remove the speck of sawdust from your brother's eye.

Part of the problem we have with judging is that when people say "judge" they usually mean or imply "condemn," but that is not what is talked about here. "To judge" means "to make a distinction" or "to separate." You judge every day, in every aspect of life. You had to make a judgment in order to decide what clothes to wear today, or what to eat. We are also responsible for judging between truth and error. What are we not supposed to judge right now? Men's hearts! God has not authorized us to judge other people's hearts and minds.