Sharing Examples of God's Judgment Without Being Judgmental
God's judgment is a recurring theme in scripture, often presented as a divine prerogative and a demonstration of His justice and power [1, 6, 7]. While judgment belongs to God, humans are frequently cautioned against judging others [1, 3]. The Bible distinguishes between God's ultimate judgment and human actions that might be perceived as judgmental.
The Old Testament establishes that judgment is God's domain. Deuteronomy 1:17 states, "Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God" [1]. This verse highlights that human judges should reflect divine impartiality, acknowledging that the ultimate authority rests with God. The Torrey's Topical Textbook further notes that "Judgments are from God" [6]. God executes judgment on behalf of the vulnerable, such as the fatherless, and punishes those who oppress them or fail to judge righteously [5].
In the New Testament, Jesus explicitly warns against human judgment. Luke 6:37 advises, "Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned" [3]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Luke 6:37, interprets this as God's willingness to put judgment "into our own hands as to engage himself not to enter into judgment with us, provided we do not usurp the right which belongs solely to him in reference to others" [8]. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, echoes this sentiment, noting that these are "golden sentences" that emphasize candidness in censuring others because "we need grains of allowance ourselves" [9].
Jesus himself stated, "You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one" [2]. This does not mean Jesus never spoke about sin or consequences, but rather that his primary mission was salvation, not condemnation [4]. The Apostle Paul also urges believers to "not, therefore, judge one another any more," emphasizing that such conduct is "dangerous" and "uncharitable," as "judgment belongs to the Lord" [11].
However, the call to avoid being judgmental does not negate the need for discernment or the ability to evaluate situations. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, in their commentary on 1 Corinthians 10:15, argue that believers cannot "divest ourselves of the responsibility of 'judging' for ourselves," particularly in matters of faith and practice. They clarify that "the weakness of private judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse" [10]. This suggests a distinction between condemning a person's eternal state and making discerning judgments about actions or teachings.
Sources
- Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 1:17 (BSB) — Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.””
- John “You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. -- John 8:15”
- Luke “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. -- Luke 6:37”
- John “But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. -- John 5:34”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fatherless — Find mercy in God -- Ho 14:3. God will Be a father of. -- Ps 68:5. Be a helper of. -- Ps 10:14. Hear the cry of. -- Ex 22:23. Execute the judgment of. -- De 10:18; Ps 10:18. Punish those who oppress. -- Ex 22:24; Isa 10:1-3; Mal 3:5. Punish those who judge not. -- Jer 5:28,29. Visit in affliction -- Jas 1:27. Let them share in our blessings -- De 14:29. Defend -- Ps 82:3; Isa 1:17. Wrong not, in judgment -- De 24:17. Defraud not -- Pr 23:10. Afflict not -- Ex 22:22. Oppress not -- Zec 7:10. Do no violence to -- Jer 22:3. Blessedness of taking care of -- ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Judgments — Are from God -- De 32:39; Job 12:23; Am 3:6; Mic 6:9. Different kinds of Blotting out the name. -- De 29:20. Abandonment by God. -- Ho 4:17. Cursing men's blessings. -- Mal 2:2. Pestilence. -- De 28:21,22; Am 4:10. Enemies. -- 2Sa 24:13. Famine. -- De 28:38-40; Am 4:7-9. Famine of hearing the word. -- Am 8:11. The sword. -- Ex 22:24; Jer 19:7. Captivity. -- De 28:41; Eze 39:23. Continued sorrows. -- Ps 32:10; 78:32,33; Eze 24:23. Desolation. -- Eze 33:29; Joe 3:19. Destruction. -- Job 31:3; Ps 34:16; Pr 2:22; Isa 11:4. Inflicted upon Nations. -- Ge 15:14;”
- Dead Sea Scrolls “Community Rule (Serekh ha-Yahad) (c. 100-75 BCE), section 18: and in the abode of distress and desolation. I will meditate on His power and will lean on His mercies all day long. 17. I know that judgement of all the living is in His hand, and that all His deeds are truth. I will praise Him when distress is unleashed and will magnify Him also because of His salvation. 18. I will pay to no man the reward of evil; I will pursue him with goodness. For judgement of all the living is with God and it is He who will render to man his reward. 19. I will not envy in a spirit of wickedness, my soul shall”
- Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 6:37: Judge not - See on Mat 7:1 (note). "How great is the goodness of God, in being so willing to put our judgment into our own hands as to engage himself not to enter into judgment with us, provided we do not usurp the right which belongs solely to him in reference to others!" Condemn not - "Mercy will ever incline us not to condemn those unmercifully whose faults are certain and visible; to lessen, conceal, and excuse them as much as we can without prejudice to truth and justice; and to be far from aggravating, divulging, or even desiring them to be punished." Forgive - ”
- Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 6:37: All these sayings of Christ we had before in Matthew; some of them in ch. 7, others in other places. They were sayings that Christ often used; they needed only to be mentioned, it was easy to apply them. Grotius thinks that we need not be critical here in seeking for the coherence: they are golden sentences, like Solomon's proverbs or parables. Let us observe here, I. We ought to be very candid in our censures of others, because we need grains of allowance ourselves: "Therefore judge not others, because then you yourselves shall not be judged; therefore condemn not ”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 10:15: Appeal to their own powers of judgment to weigh the force of the argument that follows: namely, that as the partaking of the Lord's Supper involves a partaking of the Lord Himself, and the partaking of the Jewish sacrificial meats involved a partaking of the altar of God, and, as the heathens sacrifice to devils, to partake of an idol feast is to have fellowship with devils. We cannot divest ourselves of the responsibility of "judging" for ourselves. The weakness of private judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse. We should t”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 14:13: Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more - Let us abandon such rash conduct; it is dangerous, it is uncharitable: judgment belongs to the Lord, and he will condemn those only who should not be acquitted. That no man put a stumbling block - Let both the converted Jew and Gentile consider that they should labor to promote each other's spiritual interests, and not be a means of hindering each other in their Christian course; or of causing them to abandon the Gospel, on which, and not on questions of rites and ceremonies, the salvation of their soul depends.”