Bible Study Outlines

JUDGING

I. To judge is to pass sentence on the activities of the neighbor, holding them to be good or bad, praiseworthy or condemnatory.

II. Judging which is permissible, yes, even required.

A. The judging which the government exercises over its citizens. Deuteronomy 1:16; Deuteronomy 25:1; 2 Chronicles 19:6.

B. The judging which the parents exercise over their children. Eph. 6:4. When parents keep silent concerning the sins of their children they are incurring God’s wrath. 1 Samuel 2-4. (Eli)

C. The judging of sin on the part of the pastor, the congregation, and every individual Christian. 1 Timothy 5:20. Everything which is condemned by the Word of God must also be condemned by us. 1. Corinthians 2:15.

God has already judged the unbelievers. John 3:18; John 8:24.
To minimize sin or to say that we cannot say that the unbelievers will be condemned is to contradict God.

D. Judging the teaching. If the doctrine is contrary to God’s Word it must be rejected as false doctrine. 1 John 4:1; 1 Timothy 6:3-5.

III. Judging which is forbidden. All judging which is contrary to love is forbidden. It is loveless judging—

A. When the neighbor is unjustly condemned; the good which he has done is made to appear bad, or the evil which he has done is exaggerated. Many people approve of only that which they do themselves and do nothing but criticize others.

B. To judge a matter in which both sides have not been heard.

C. To judge in uncertain things in ignorance of all the facts.

D. To judge the thoughts or the motives of the heart. God alone knows the thoughts of the heart. Jeremiah 17:9-10; Hebrews 4:12-13.

E. To judge only according to the outward appearance. James 2:1-4; John 7:24

F. To judge without mercy merely to satisfy one’s jealousy, pride, or hatred.

G. To judge the neighbor without taking into consideration one’s own faults. Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 2:1.

H. To judge in matters of Christian liberty. Romans 14:3-4.

IV. What should prompt us to avoid such loveless and sinful judging?

A. God’s command. Luke 6:37; Matthew 7:1; Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5.

Loveless judging is a sin against the 8th Commandment. Exodus 20:16.
Such uncharitable judging is already a sin when it is carried about in the heart, even though it may not be spoken.

B. Love to our neighbor.

How unjust to judge our neighbor in a different manner than we judge ourselves. 1 Corinthians 11:31; Matthew 7:12.
What untold damage is done to the neighbor when a person in the presence of others uncharitably condemns him. What harm has been done in many a congregation because of sinful judging!

C. The dreadful judgment of God. Matthew 7:2; Luke 6:38; Matthew 12:36-37.

D. The glorious promise which God has given us, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37).

E. The great undeserved mercy of God. Instead of fulfilling His righteous judgment upon us, He sent His only begotten Son to suffer and die in our stead so that we might not be condemned. John 3:17.

Oh, let me never speak what bounds of truth exceedeth;

Grant that no idle word from out my mouth proceedeth;

And then, when in my place I must and ought to speak,

My words grant power and grace lest I offend the weak.

(Hymn 395, v 3)