Righteous Judgment and Unrighteous Judgment

One of the most important facets of Biblical truth revealed by the Scripture is God is the Judge of all - in time and in eternity.

Here are some Scripture references:

"Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25, NKJV).

"May the Lord, the judge, render judgment this day" (Judg. 11:27).

"Surely He is God who judges in the earth" (Ps. 58:11).

The psalmist said to God, "Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render punishment to the proud" (Ps. 94:2).

The writer of Hebrews wrote:

"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, ..." (Hebrews 12:22 and 23, NKJV, emphasis added).

In other words, God is also the judge of all Christians. The phrase, "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God" means, "You are His people (Christians) in the Church of Jesus Christ, the temple of the living God". In Scripture the word "Zion" always refers to the New Testament Church.

What Judgment to Judge?

The Scripture reveals two types of judgment everyone (believer or unbeliever) is judging while living on earth - The righteous judgment and the unrighteous judgment. Even though God is the Judge of all, He has vested righteous judgment for His people to judge.

Our previous study concerning the spirit, soul, and body of a man and how are they related to form the whole personality of a man helps us a great deal in understanding this topic.

Jesus said to the people during a Jewish feast:

"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24, NKJV).

In the context, it is obvious that "judge according to appearance" means "judge with unrighteous judgment". Hence, God's people are encouraged to judge with righteous judgment but forbidden to judge with unrighteous judgment.

Judgment According to the Flesh

Later on Jesus said to the Pharisees:

"You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me" (John 8:15 and 16, NKJV).

The Amplified Bible says:

"You (set yourselves up to) judge according to the flesh - by what you see; you condemn by external, human standards. I do not (set Myself up to) judge or condemn or sentence anyone. Yet even if I do judge, My judgement is true - My decision is right; for I am not alone (in making it), but (there are two of Us), I and the Father Who sent Me" (Emphasis added).

Here are a few points worth noting:

1. There is a contrast between the judgment of the Pharisees and the Judgment of Jesus. Pharisees condemn others by judging with external human standards. Jesus does not condemn and His Judgment is true.

2. "Judgment according to appearance" is the same as "judgment according to the flesh". As we have seen before in my many earlier postings, the flesh comes from our unredeemed soul and the five senses of our earthly soulish bodies.

The Bible tells us how to deal with the body and soul - man's carnal, fleshly nature. In Ephesians 4:22 - 24 Paul said Christians are to "put off" the old man with his fleshly lusts and to "put on" the new man in Christ. For Paul's list of "the work of flesh" read Galations 5:17, 19 and 20.

3. Judging according to the flesh is forbidden because this type of judgment comes from our carnal nature and might ends up condemning (or sentencing) others. When a person judges by external human standards he is likely to be prejudice and judges with preconceived opinions.

4. Jesus does not judge or condemn or sentence anyone. But if He does judge, His judgment is worthy to be regarded as true because He is never alone - The Father and Him are One. The next verse (John 8:17) says the testimony of two persons is true.

Unrighteous Judgment

1. An example of unrighteous judgment is the type of judgment Jesus spoke about in His "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 7).

"Judge not, that you be not judge" (Matt. 7:1, NKJV).

The Amplified Bible is more vivid:

"Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves" (Emphasis added).

For those who do not use the Amplified Bible, the Words of Jesus recorded by Luke confirmed this type of Judgment as unrighteous:

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37, NIV, emphasis added).

2. Another example of unrighteous judgment is, when a person who judges another person but practices the same things himself:

Paul wrote to the Roman Christians, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" (Romans 2:1, NKJV).

Righteous Judgment

Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians:

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside" (1 Cor. 5:12 and 13, NIV).

Paul's instruction is clear - It is God's business to judge unbelievers but it is a Christian's business to judge other Christians. In other words, if a Christian judges an unbeliever, then, according to the basis of the Scripture, he judges with unrighteous judgment. On the other hand, if he judges another Christian then he judges with righteous judgment.

Paul gave an example on how a righteous judgment should be carried out in the Church:

It was reported that there was a serious case of sexual immorality in the Corinthian Church. Paul was not present but in spirit he had already passed judgment after hearing the news.

Paul said, "Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present" (1 Cor. 5:3 and 4, emphasis added).

The punishment following the judgment was excommunication of "the one who did this" with the intention of future restoration (1 Cor. 5:5).

Personally, I have not come across this form of judgment in the contemporary local Church. When we face a similar situation, it is very likely for the leadership of the Church to "leave the judgment to God". Leaders would probably say, "We cannot judge him or we would be judged. None of us is infallible. If God wants to punish him something bad would happen to him and he would leave the Church. In the meantime let us pray for him and love him. The Bible says, love covers a multitude of sins. Jesus did say, 'He who is without sin among you let him throw the first stone!'"

Major differences between Unrighteous Judgment and Righteous Judgment

From our study above, it is clear that unrighteous judgment is the product of our unredeemed soul. It is entirely based on subjective personal opinion. On the other hand, righteous judgment is the product of the recreated spirit man. The recreated spirit gives the believer the ability to discern and to assess a situation in the spirit realm. In other words, righteous judgment is entirely based on the truth of a situation revealed by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul always judged with this type of righteous judgment.

Unrighteous judgment brings condemnation to the one who judges others. A person who judges with unrighteous judgment and with wicked intentions will be condemned:

"A good man obtain favor from the Lord, but a man of wicked intentions He will condemned" (Proverbs 12:2, NKJV, emphasis added).

Righteous judgment usually brings conviction and restoration to the one being judged. As in the case of the sexually immoral person, Paul, in his next epistle instructed the Corinthian Church to forgive this person after he was excommunicated for a season. Paul said such punishment was sufficient for that person (2 Cor. 2:6 - 8).

The Consequence of failing to Judge with Righteous Judgment

There are many Church people out there who are under deep deception. Pastors and preachers of "successful" mega local Churches who practice the "love formula" have the notion that all Christians need is love and forgiveness - after all we are never perfect. We are all capable of falling from grace. We are sinners forgiven!

The contemporary Church has forsaken the responsibiliy to judge sin. Leaders are unable to discern between good and evil, truth and error, right Biblical doctrine and doctrines of demons. The Church needs discernment because discernment entails righteous judgment.

The Church has forgotten that Christians are capable of being deceived. Paul reminded Timothy, a young pastor to be watchful in the last days:

"But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:13).

Jesus says to the Church of Ephesus:

"You have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars" (Revelation 2:2, emphasis added).

False teachers and preachers are not only "deceiving" others, but are "being deceived" themselves.

Self-deception is a real danger among believers today.