Does Christ Contradict Himself About Judging Others?
John 8:15-16, “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
“And yet if I do judge, My judgement is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.” (NKJV)
Did Christ contradict Himself in the very same verse? People are sometimes eager to try and find contradictions. Clearly, one should try to approach the Bible objectively, keeping the revelations in context and using common sense. The very important answer to this question about judging others becomes a lesson for everyone.
The first half of verse 15 speaks of humans using whatever skills or abilities they possess to judge or evaluate a person’s ultimate worth. Alternately, Jesus is saying that He did not judge “after the flesh.” Christ went on to explain that, if He did have to judge, He relied on the Father to guide Him through the power of His Spirit. God can truly judge an individual where people can’t.
1 Samuel 16:6-7, “So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, ‘Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.’
“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”
Samuel saw the tall, handsome, son of Jesse and thought God was again choosing someone like Saul who looked so appealing as a leader. But God judges the heart, not outward appearances and impressions. God can see our inside, deep down, real character. This verse is the biggest proof that God’s Spirit of discernment is the key to correctly evaluating people.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
“for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,…
“to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”
Correctly evaluating and making decisions about people or making assessment of them can only be conducted with deep accuracy by the gifts given to us by God through His Spirit. The context of the above verse makes it clear that only some people are given these gifts. Even then, our judgment maybe limited and not include the final disposition of that person. Final judgment is in the hands of Jesus Christ.
Christ Came to Save, Not Condemn, Mankind
We cannot condemn people to the lake of fire for their final destruction; only God can make this decision.
Matthew 5:22, “But I say to you that is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.”
God wants us to love all mankind, even our enemies. Jesus warns us against hatred and condemning others. He is opposed to condemning and judging by us.
Matthew 5:44-47, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
“That you may be sons of your Father in heaven…
“For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”
God wants us to learn to love others, even though they may be difficult people, instead of rendering total, judgmental condemnation. We need to be bigger and love our enemies! Jesus came to help and save weak sinners.
Matthew 9:11-13, “And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’
“When Jesus heard that, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
“‘But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’”
Christ brings all of mankind grace, help and love; not condemnation.
John 5:30, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”
Jesus’ final evaluation of us is perfect because He is working in cooperation with the Father.
What Does “Judge Not” Mean?
Another familiar verse may need further explanation because it is easy to misunderstand the context in which Christ gave it. This verse was brought to a grandmother’s attention by a small child, age 9, to rebuff any criticism of the child’s actions. What does it really mean?
Matthew 7:1-2, “Judge not, that you be not judged.
“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Jesus is saying do not be hypocrites who judge others while ignoring your own problems. Some hide and distract from their own sins by enthusiastically pointing out the sins of others!
Matthew 7:3-5, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Do these statements mean that a person must not say that any person or activity is wrong? Obviously, that is not the case.
What if someone comes to us and says, for instance, that they cheat on their spouse. Do we have no right to judge them as wrong or sinful? They may say the Bible says, “Do not judge.” We can then say, “I do not judge you, but the Bible does.” The Bible is our standard. We can know a lot of what is wrong and bad for us because it is spelled out in the word of God.
Romans 13:9 says, “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
This is a statement that no one today would disagree with but who knows about tomorrow? Really! God says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20).
All people must use some evaluation regarding who we follow and our own morals. Jesus went on to give advice for evaluating people and leaders and standards.
Matthew 7:15-20, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles?
“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
People should look at the results of those trying to sell them their religious teachings. Many doctrines and movements have clearly only led to division and sometimes dissolution of congregations. Their fruit is bad! If they do not teach the value of worshiping the true God with His Laws they are also bearers of bad fruit.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5, “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
“and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ – which you have not known – ‘and let us serve them,’
“you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
“You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
“But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God…”
How should we evaluate people and actions? If they counter The Commandments of God they are wrong. Moses is telling the people of God that if a teacher comes along that is charismatic, and seems to be correct, but he teaches one to break the First commandment, he is evil. If he teaches against the revealed God of the Bible and His Laws you can evaluate him as bad, but his final judgment is up to God.
