Judging Others 

   “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” (Matt 7: 1) 

   One of the hardest things to do is separate the sin from the sinner.  Though we must never condemn the sinner, we must stand against the sins committed.

   Jesus often judged the sinfulness and the evil committed by some, but His judgement did not include the condemnation of the person, even when it was a woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8: 1 – 11)  We, however, are always ready to be the jury, and executioner of those we judge to be deserving of condemnation.

   When we judge others we do no harm to those we judge, but we do great harm to ourselves.  The judgement we use against others will be used against us if we believe the words of Christ.  If we condemn, we condemn ourselves.  If we judge others to be fools, we become fools ourselves.

   We must never hesitate to speak out against sin and the evil that seems to be growing stronger and stronger in the world, but we must never assume the authority of God by judging the sinner.