One Thing We Do Wrong Is Judging Others Based On Outward Appearance
Biblical Tensions of Judging Others
(Video and Audio are available at the bottom of the page.)
When I hear someone say, “judge not lest you be judged” or the Bible says, we aren’t supposed to judge, I immediately think, but the Bible also says, that a spiritual man judges all things. So that has been my own personal wrestle of knowing the Bible speaks 2 seemingly opposite messages about judging. However, I had no idea how hard of a topic I had delved into when I started this biblical investigation.
In my study, I focused on only the New Testament terms translated in English as judge, judges, judged, judgest, judgeth, judging in English. Looking into the original Greek language I found these terms were used 162 times in the New Testament. I also only studied the passages that spoke of us as the one making judgments. In other words, the action of judging done by us. The two primary Greek verbs I studied were krino and anakrino.
Krino speaks of judging by separating, distinguishing, discriminating between good and evil and to form or give an opinion after considering the particulars of a case.
Anakrino means to discern, judge, examine or question in order to pass a judicial sentence; to examine accurately or carefully, to inquire or ask questions in general.
Notice that both of these verbs speak of a detailed and thorough examination, separating, and carefully considering all there is to consider. I specifically chose sixteen passages of Scripture from the New testament about us judging. The degree of biblical tension regarding this topic made my brain hurt. Out of sixteen verses that speak of us judging, nine of the sixteen direct us not to judge and the other seven affirm judging in some way.
Judge or Judge Not?
Scriptures that speak against judging – Matthew 7:1-2; Luke 6:37; John 7:24; Romans 14:3-4, 10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 10: 29; Colossians 2:16; James 4:11-12
Scriptures that speak affirming judging – Luke 12:57; 1 Corinthians 2:15; 5:12-13; 6:2-5; 10:15; 11:13, 31-32
If we were to leave our study there and not delve into the actual context we would stay very much confused. The context of these verses gives us more understanding in what we are to do with the biblical tension we see. Because of the degree of details and difficulty in studying through this topic, we won’t be completing our study today. However, we will look at the problem these passages address with us judging others.
Take a moment to read Matthew 7:1-5.
Judge or Judge Not?
Scriptures that speak against judging – Matthew 7:1-2; Luke 6:37; John 7:24; Romans 14:3-4, 10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 10: 29; Colossians 2:16; James 4:11-12
Scriptures that speak affirming judging – Luke 12:57; 1 Corinthians 2:15; 5:12-13; 6:2-5; 10:15; 11:13, 31-32
If we were to leave our study there and not delve into the actual context we would stay very much confused. The context of these verses gives us more understanding in what we are to do with the biblical tension we see. Because of the degree of details and difficulty in studying through this topic, we won’t be completing our study today. However, we will look at the problem these passages address with us judging others.
Take a moment to read Matthew 7:1-5.
Problems With Judging Others
1.) The first problem with judging is how judging others points back to us.
Have you ever had anyone address an issue with you and they were just as guilty of the issue they were making the judgment on?
Several years ago, when my youngest daughter was a pre-teen, another parent addressed me with a judgment she made about how I parented. She had her own set of problems in her own house, but obviously she wasn’t looking at those. I listened and gave her the space to say what she had to say, but honestly, I couldn’t see past what I saw in her own life.
The emphasis on the judging in Matthew 7:1-5 seems to highlight the need to first look into one’s own life and evaluate where they need transformation rather making judgments against or pointing out another person’s flaws. Matthew 7:3 paints a magnificent visual of the blindness of the one making judgments reminding us to “consider the plank in your own eye.” Jesus reminds us that before we start making judgments of another’s life and actions, we need to evaluate our own life.
Judge not, and you shall not be judged.
Luke 6:37a
2.) Another problem with us judging others is that we make wrong judgments based on outward appearance. (James 2:4; John 7:24; and John 8:15-16.)
Take a moment to read James 2:1-5
When we think about what James said about us judging based on outward appearance, our faith in Jesus should demonstrate a likeness and like-mindedness to Christ. Being that Jesus shows no partiality with men, the expectation is that we do the same. In James 2:1, James directed believers not to make wrong judgments based on a poor person wearing filthy clothes versus a rich person wearing gold jewelry and fine clothes.
One time when I was teaching on this topic of not judging others based on their outward appearance in a teen girls Sunday School class. One of the other teachers decided she was going to disguise herself as the poor person and come to class and see how everyone treated her. She wore a wig, crooked teeth, and slightly tattered, and unkempt clothes.
The girls spoke and were kind to her, but you could tell that everyone was a little uncomfortable. Once the other teacher revealed her true identity, the girls were so much more relaxed. It made us all see how uncomfortable we are with people who look different than we do.
Have you experienced the discomfort of being around someone whose differences made you uncomfortable? I wonder, if we experience relief from the discomfort to some degree by making a judgment. Just a point to consider.
Judging others based on outward appearances doesn’t necessarily appear to be a church problem as much as a world or culture problem. But we can’t fully blame culture as the cause of our struggle with overlooking the poor and elevating the rich. So much of our problem with making judgments based on outward appearance points to issues in our own human nature.
In John 8:15-16 how Jesus points out our problem with the judgments we make.
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do My judgement is true;
for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.
John 8:15-16
Elevating the rich and overlooking the poor is 100% not who Jesus was or how He lived His earthly life. Jesus didn’t elevate or overlook. Instead, He saw people and loved people. John 8:15 reminds me why we so easily see other people’s issues. Our flesh problem affects how we see others and how we see life. Often times we categorize issues and see them from our own lens rather than the lens of Scripture or God who sees all things perfectly.
These two problems with judging others that we addressed today more than saying, don’t judge others emphasizes our own need for more and more transformation. We don’t want to be blinded by the plank in our own eye and trying to get a speck out of someone else’s eye. If we focus on walking with Jesus and willingly open our hearts, minds, and lives to His transformation, we probably won’t see other people issues near as much. Our focus on walking with Jesus and allowing His transformation in us also helps us become more and more like Him. The more we become like Jesus, the less we make judgments based on what we see in the physical realm and the more we love and look like Jesus.
That dear Sister in Christ is our goal. Christ likeness.
Much Love And Blessings!
