(IS JUDGING OTHER BELIEVERS ALWAYS WRONG?)

By Cameron Paine

PART I

What we have all heard frequently: Do not judge other people-even believers We have all heard verses such as the following:

• "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:1-2)
  
  

• "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)
  
  

• "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:3-5)
  
  

• "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:12)
  
  

• "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:4)
  
  

• "Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it." (James 4:11)
  

These verses don't sound vague or ambiguous but are quite straight forward. Because the verses quoted above are in the God's word they contain a message or lesson which believers are obligated to pay attention to. If what these verses teach were not vital, God would not have put them in his word. But the above quoted verses and other similar verses are not the only verses which teach about judging other people or acting in a particular way towards others because of what those individuals say and how they behave. The second part of this meditation explains how -I believe- the verses quoted above fit in with God's other teachings on the subject of judging other people who profess to be believers in Christ and followers of Christ.

It is the aim of this meditation is to point out two things--1) There are other verses which deal with the subject of making determinations about other individuals and, 2) There are aspects of 'judging' which must be taken into consideration.

Is All Judging Wrong?

Judging is a subject or mental activity which is involved in far more aspects of the life God has given us than is indicated by the judging of particular individuals suggested in the verses quoted above.

We often think of judges such as the judges in Spelling Bees or of Beauty contests or athletic competitions or the individuals who judge whether answers on quiz shows meet the requisite standards for right or wrong answers. But evaluating how well an individual measures up to particular standards is only part of the mental activity of judging or evaluating that the Bible speaks of.

A way of bringing the far ranging functions of 'judging' into view is by considering words other than 'judging' which include the mental act of judging.

There are many words in the English language which speak of situations in which a kind of judgment must be made. The necessity of many different words being needed to cover the great range of mental activities in which a kind of judging occurs is brought out in Webster's dictionary. One of the many definitions given for 'judging' is-- 'to form an idea, opinion or estimate about (any matter)'. Some of the more obvious words or phrases that often include an element of 'judging' such as the above definition would include are 'discerning', 'distinguishing', 'differentiating', 'discriminating', 'recognizing', 'setting apart', 'evaluating', 'separating the sheep from the goats', 'weeding out the weeds' (Matthew 13:27-28), 'learning what is pleasing to the Lord'. What does the Bible say about the mental activities that these terms set forth?

Not only are there many words or phrases in the Bible that include an element of 'judging' but often where they occur the Bible is speaking of situations in which judging or evaluating is not an option but is something that must be done. As in life in general, the Bible speaks of situations in which believers are exhorted to judge between one thing or one person and another. Doing so often involves judging or evaluating the actions or words of particular individuals. In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount he tells the people (and us) to "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them." (Matthew 7:15-16) Discerning the difference between what is genuinely good and what only appears to be good is not an option for the believer. On the contrary, it is a required part of the life of every God-fearing and God-loving individual. Noting differences and acting appropriately--what is that but making judgments about the 'qualities' or realities of things or people?

In English we have a proverb: 'Not everything that glitters is gold'. Do not believe everything you hear. The Bible tells us the same thing; the Bible commands us to test the spirits, to judge whether they are genuine and correct. "Dear friends", the apostle John tells his readers, "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)    

The people of Berea are commended for testing of the message of the apostle Paul. "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined (tested the apostle's teaching against) the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11)

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus spoke about the need for discernment, the need for judging the quality or character of people. He said, "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'  Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)

In another place where the apostle Paul is speaking about teachers in the Corinthian church who were trying to undermine the apostle's credibility he speaks of them this way: "such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ." The apostle then adds a truth about the world God created--"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Satan and his 'agents' can appear as angels of light. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15; see also Matthew 7:15-16,) Judging or evaluating people is necessary on occasion.

Nor is it just the spirits that believers are commanded to test. The word of God commands believers to "test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

The Greek word translated "test" in theses verses (in the NIV translation of the Bible) is also translated in other contexts by many other words such as 'interpret', 'approve', 'think it worthwhile', etc. "Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?" (Luke 12:56; see also Romans 12:2 ; 1:28)

Sometimes it is translated as 'discern'-- "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ." (Philippians 1:9-10)

The standard believers are to live by is not to do their own thing but rather to "Find out what pleases the Lord;  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:10,17)

What does the apostle prayer for? "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ," (Philippians 1:9-10)

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: (1 Corinthians 2:14-15)

Not only does the Bible take for granted that believers are testing what they see and hear; that they are coming to conclusions and making judgments when necessary; the Bible also expects that with continual use that they are getting better at that mental activity.

In the book of Hebrews the author states this truth about Christian doctrine and teaching about righteousness: "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ... But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:12,14)

And again, the apostle exhorts the believers he is writing to-- "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

Discerning, judging, coming to the conclusion that some things or some people are good, and discerning, judging, coming to the conclusion that some things or some people are bad is a mental activity which believers are commanded to engage in.

The Most Fundamental Judgment

Perhaps the biggest or most fundamental judgment which believers are exhorted to make is distinguishing or differentiating between the people of God, the people incorporated into Christ and the people 'outside'. A hallmark of Christians, of believers, that which separates or distinguishes Christians from the people of the world, is their confession of Jesus as God come in the flesh and their behavior that is guided by God's revealed will. 

The word of God speaks about this distinction in various ways.

What does the apostle Peter say to the believers he was writing to? "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10; see also Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6)

What does the apostle Paul say about God's people? What does he say about 'us'? What does the apostle say God has done for his people? "He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." (Colossians 1:13)

Who are the people in the church? They are the 'called out' people. Even the Greek term for the church suggests the distinction. The Greek word 'ek - klesia' which we translate as 'church' means 'called out.' Something special has happened to that group of people called the church. They are the people God has delivered from the jurisdiction and control of sin, and of Satan. This deliverance has not happed to everyone. The people this has not happened to the Bible speaks of as 'outsiders' or 'unbelievers' or 'pagans'.

That there is a distinction between God's holy people who have been rescued and the people of the world who have not been rescued is fundamental.

The importance of this distinction is stated very bluntly by the apostle Paul. In his letter to the the congregation in Corinth he put it this way: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

Perhaps the greatest biblical example of the division that God brought about is that described in the 6th and 7th chapters of Genesis--the flood and the ark. Those people in the Ark were saved, the rest perished. The New Testament equivalent is those individuals effectively called out of darkness (1 Peter.2:9), those individuals whom God transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his Son. (Colossians 1:12), those people in Christ (Romans 8:1) and 'the other side of the coin' --those individuals not in Christ (John 8:24)

This fundamental distinction did not begin with the Ark; This distinction is so fundamental that it began long before the Ark; this distinction was created in eternity past. (Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22; Revelation 17:8)

Jesus himself recognized this distinction. In Jesus' own prayer to the Father God he spoke of the difference between his disciples (individuals who believed in him) and the world of unbelievers, the people not delivered out of the bondage of Satan. Jesus the Christ himself said-- "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you-[God the Father in heaven] have given me, for they are yours." (John 17:9)  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." (John 17:15-16)

Of course, Jesus who could see men's hearts knew who was a genuine believer and who was not, who was a called out one, who was a member of the household of faith. (John 2:24-25; 2 Tim 2:19). Mortal believers, on the other hand, cannot see into men's hearts and can only assume the spiritual condition of a person based on what that individual says about Jesus and his apparent behavior. While we cannot 'know' what is in the heart of another person (and sometimes even our own heart-Jeremiah 17:9) we are exhorted to make judgments of other individuals based on their overt confession of Jesus as Lord or non-confession of that truth and their 'public' behavior

Why This Distinction Is So Relevant To This Meditation

What makes this distinction so relevant to this meditation is that acting on the basis of this distinction is an obligation which holy behavior sometimes demands. Making a judgment about behavior is necessary. Obedience to many of God's commands is not possible unless this distinction is recognized, unless making a judgment about this matter is done. 

The apostle Paul addressing believers in Galatia said, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10) To the congregation of believers at Colossae the apostle said, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." (Colossians 4:5) As part of the apostle Paul's advice to Timothy he says in regard to the position of overseer- "He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap." (1 Timothy 3:7) (What is here described as an 'overseer' is perhaps what in English was later called a bishop or minister.) In his letter or epistle to the believers in Thessalonica he brought out the distinction in these words: "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12) In that same letter the apostle said, "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter (which pertains to those it was addressed to--the congregation of believers in Thessalonica}, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15)

The acknowledgment of this truth--that the people in Christ constitute a unique group of people distinct from everybody else--is the premise upon which much Christian behavior is based. Recognizing this distinction is sometimes essential to following God's exhortations.

Perhaps this distinction between God's people, insiders, and people outside the church (outside the 'ark' as it were, people not in Christ-Romans 8:1) is most emphatically set forth in the apostle's epistle to the believers at Corinth. "I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat." (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

In the verse following the one that was just quoted the apostle made it very clear who it is whose behavior believers are to judge; it only the behavior of individuals who profess to be in the church, individuals who profess to be part of the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:24), individuals who profess to believe that Jesus is God come in the flesh that believers are to judge on occasion. Individuals outside of Christ are not to be judged; that is God's responsibility. This is what the apostle said to the church at Corinth where there had been a flagrant sexual sin, a public violation of God's revealed standards: "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside." The apostle then continues saying what that church should do about the man in the midst of their church who had committed a public sin of fornication: "Expel the wicked man  from among you.'" (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)  This is strong medicine! There it is again--that fundamental distinction. Recognizing--assuming the existence of--this distinction between God's redeemed people and everybody else is often essential to following God's exhortations. (It is certainly essential to appreciating what salvation from the dominion of sin is all about.)

It is to the people that God redeemed "from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good" -Titus 2:14) that God addressed his exhortations, his standards. What standard does the word of God address to the people God has called out darkness (1 Peter 2:9), to the people he has delivered from the kingdom of Satan or darkness? (Colossians 1:12) Many times in his word God says to them, in effect, "Be holy as I am holy." (Matthew 5:48; 2 Corinthians. 7:1; Philippians 1:27; 2:15; Titus 2:12,14; 1 Peter 2:12; 3:11; Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy. 10:12-13; Ephesians. 5:1)  

• "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16)
  
  

• "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5:3-4) 
  
  

• "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." (Ephesians 4:30-31)  
  
  

• "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders  nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) 
  
  

Living in accordance with the standard of God is not irrelevant to the believer. In one short phrase the apostle Paul sums up the accomplishment of God and how the people of God (believers) should respond-- "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)

• "'Therefore come out from them and be separate', says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters', says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:16-18)
  
  

• The apostle John wrote this message to believers: "Dear friends, now we are children of God,....we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him [Jesus Christ] as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure....No one who lives in him keeps on sinning." (1 John 3:2-3,6; see also Titus 2:14)  
  
  

• The apostle Paul expressed the idea very clearly: "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." (2 Tim. 2:19)
  

If God was not concerned with how his people live he would not have packed his word full of commands and exhortations directed to his people.

What is the visible hallmark of the people God has redeemed from all wickedness? --that their behavior shows evidence of being guided by the revealed will of their God and Savior. It is their visible behavior that distinguishes them from the world. 

It is because God has created a people that are holy in contrast to the world in darkness (Colossians 1:12; 1 Peter 2:9; Titus 2:14; Ephesians 5:27) that it is a duty of God's holy people to try to manifest the distinction between the world of darkness and the people of God whose privilege and nature is to be always guided by God's revealed standards of behavior. It is a duty of God's holy people to try to manifest the visible hallmark of God's people--the people God redeemed and delivered from the dominion of Satan. When the hallmark or holy distinctives of the church, the body of Christ, are being openly or publicly mangled or defiled by individuals in the church believers need to stand up for God and his revealed standards. This requires the judging of known behavior. When the violation of God's standards are obvious, the church to show its recognition of the excellence of God's standards engages in church discipline--a sometimes necessary but always awesome and risky business. 

The word of God expresses the importance of this distinction. It also expresses the importance of keeping this distinction in public view. It does so by pointing to the heavy price of not maintaining the distinction. When this fundamental distinction between God's people and the world of unbelievers is ignored, when God's people fail to carry out their responsibility for testing and purging, there is a heavy price to be paid. For believers to allow recognized evil to remain within the body of Christ is a fatal error. Contamination and purity can't coexist. Allowing recognized evil to remain in the holy group of people is as stupid and ungodly as doctors (people who should know better) deliberately letting an infection or a colony of deadly bacteria remain in a healthy body. To the church at Corinth where a member of the congregation was a known fornicator the apostle said, "Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are." (1 Corinthians 5:6-7; see also 15:33-34; Matthew 16:11-12) How can the church expel anybody as the apostle Paul tells it to do if the members of God's church should never judge anyone? How can the church remove non-genuine or disobedient professors  of the faith if Christians aren't allowed to ever judge people? 

Not only is the hallmark of the church a desire to live in accordance God's revealed standards of behavior (both mental and physical) (1 John 3:3) but in this life every member of God's church is to be growing ever more holy and manifesting more 'influence' of God and his holy standards in his or her life. (Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:5-8,10-11) To accomplish this movement towards increased conformity to the will of God also requires judgment. Believers are exhorted to help or encourage other believers to grow in this direction, to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29). What the apostle Paul did is a model for believers. "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (Colossians 1:28-29)

This activity in which believers are to engage in order to help other believers advance in their walk with God involves making judgments about the known behavior of believers. According to Webster's dictionary one of the definitions of 'admonish' is to "reprove gently, to caution or warn, to point out something forgotten or disregarded." Thus the whole matter that this meditation has been dealing with: is judging others always wrong? is involved. Part II of this meditation goes into this activity in detail and discusses how (as I see it) the verses quoted at the beginning of this meditation such as "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:1-2) fit in with the necessity of discerning differences and making certain judgments about people as part I of this meditation has been pointing out.

============== PART II ==============

Admonishment

Admonishment is something believers are called upon to do. But as we have seen from the dictionary definition there is clearly an element of judging included in it.. Like the discerning and judging or evaluating which was set forth in the first part of this meditation admonishment also includes and element of judging or evaluating. The word of God surrounds the activity of admonishing with many, many cautions and warnings. Why is that? Because when done on a person-to-person basis admonishment is an activity which passes very close to dangerous waters, to 'thin ice', to great temptation. The verses quoted at the beginning of this meditation are certainly warnings about consequences and therefore they contain the message to be careful when 'judging' others. How the teachings of those verses fit in with the other teachings of the Bible on the subject of judging other believers needs to be looked at carefully.

The Purpose And Function Of Admonishment.

It is a means by which believers are stimulated, urged, encouraged to become more godly, more Christ-like. Because the church, that is, the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:24) is something different from all society that is in the bondage of sin (Galatians 3:22) it is supposed to look different. The end product, the finished product, that each believer has been chosen and designed to be is different from the unbelievers of the world. God purposed that each of his people would be blameless, would be like Christ. (Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22; Romans 8:29) And God is as concerned in the present as in eternity that that purpose of his  for each of his people be accomplished. (1 Thessalonians 3:13; 5:23; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 5:27; 1 Corinthians 1:8; Jude 24-25; Romans 14:4)

God's people in this world are to be advancing in that direction. (The Bible calls this process sanctification.) The purpose of admonishment is just that--to encourage believers to make progress in that direction. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18) "Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more." (1 Thessalonians 4:1); The apostle Peter in his 2nd letter exhorts believers to increase in all the godly virtues the apostle had already listed. (2 Peter 1:8; see also Colossians 1:10) "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

A primary means by which progress along the path of increasing holiness (sanctification) is promoted consists of believers putting the teachings of the Lord before other individuals in the church.

Exhortations To Admonish.

Exhorting other believers to do more is something believers are exhorted to do. We are exhorted to admonish other believers. Although admonishing clearly includes an element of judging it is still an activity believers are exhorted to engage in. "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment." (1 Corinthians 2:15)  The apostle Paul writing to the entire church at Rome, not just to a leader or group of leaders in the congregation, told them: "I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another." (Romans 15:14; See also 1 John 2:27)

Conditions or Qualifications that 'Surround' The Activity Of Admonishing

The conditions or qualifications that surround the activity of admonishing include instructions about the significance of the underlying motivation of being godly, instructions about the danger that is involved with it, instruction about the best way to do it

The Motivation

The motivation that undergirds our judgments is a vital element in determining the godliness of the activity of the 'admonisher'. Admonishing should be for a godly purpose, to further God's objective for his people--that they should be blameless (Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22; Romans 14:4; Jude 24-25) that they should conformed to the image of Jesus Christ Romans 8:29 And what is the role of the believer in promoting this objective of God?--to help believers grow in the faith, to help edify--strengthen--build up members of God's family so that their mental and physical behavior will increasingly reflect the influence of God's revealed will.

"We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (Colossians 1:28-29)

Look at the example of the apostle Paul himself. In his letter to the church in Corinth he states what the motif of his ministry has been: "Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening." (2 Corinthians 12:19; see also 10:8)

What instruction does the apostle Paul give to the believers in Ephesus? "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29) And again, "Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." (Romans 15:2) And again, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." (Romans 14:19)

If the motivation which moves a believer to admonish another person is not an expression of love as God has for each of his people, we are not doing God's will. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, the apostle Paul tells the believers in Philippi, "but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) What fact does the word of God bring to our attention? "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Corinthians 8.1) God's purposes as set forth in his revealed will is the only standard for the believer. (1 Peter 4:2) "So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church." (1 Corinthians 14:12) A little later the apostle says, "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." (1 Corinthians 14:26) How does the church function? "From him [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:16) For what reason does the apostle say God provided apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers? "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." (Ephesians 4:12) Are  your motivations godly?

How Is Admonishment To Be Done?

How is admonishment to be done? Carefully. Very Carefully. Why does such care need to be taken? Because of the harm it may do to many people but especially to the 'admonisher'.  Whenever transgressions of God's standards are observed (or thought to be observed) in other believers the person observing the deviation from God's standards may correctly think 'I do not sin like that!' But what difference does that make? That is the trap-to think that it does make a difference whether or not an individual (me in particular) commits particular kinds of sins.  

To think that I am more worthy in God's eyes and less of a sinner because I have not committed every kind of sin or any particular sin that I see of hear other people are committing is ridiculous --and very sinful. The Bible teaches every kind of sin is worthy of death. There is no such thing as a 'little' sin or an insignificant sin. Any sin however small in our eyes is a violation of God's will, a contamination of his purity and holiness. Every sin is an affront to God. Every sin amounts to a mutiny and insurrection against God's majesty. To even think I am less of a sinner, less of lawbreaker because I have not committed every sin or any particular sin is itself an 'enormous' sin. The Bible says whoever commits any sin is a lawbreaker. (James 2:10-11) We all sin--believers included (1 John 1:8) We all fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) None of us can keep the law perfectly. As the bible says so bluntly, "There is none righteous, no not one." (Romans 3:9) There are no exceptions. So, thinking I see transgressions of God's standards in other people that I do not see in myself puts a great temptation before me. What temptation is that? To think 'I am not a sinner deserving the death penalty because I do not commit that sin'. Because this is a trap that is so easy to walk into the word of God warns the 'admonisher'  over and over again of the danger that he or she is in whether or not the admonishment is justified.

Thinking 'I am not a terrible sinner like that! is not only an ever-present likelihood and danger, it is a great sin.  It amounts to a denial of God's word. How easy it is to forget what God's word says about the subtlety sin, to forget what God's word says--that everybody on earth sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:9-12;1 John 1:8), to forget that most of the sins the Bible warns against are internal or mental (such as idolatry, hatred, selfish ambitions, coveting, envy, malice, etc. Galatians 5:20; Romans 7:7,8; Matthew 15:19) and are therefore 'invisible' to human beings, to forget that God's word says every kind of sin whether committed in the past, in the present or in the future is deserving of the death penalty. Because the danger of falling victim to the mental temptation of thinking or believing 'I' am better than the individual I admonish' is so great when a believer 'judges' another believer the Bible surrounds the act of judging other professing believers with many conditions, with many warnings.  

• "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. " (Galatians 6:1-2)  
  
  

• In the apostle Paul's letter to the congregation of believers at Corinth he tells them--"if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12; see also Proverbs 16:18; 11:2)  
  
  

• Add the teaching of James to the other warnings: "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (James 3:1; see also 3:2,13). 
  
  

• What fact of life does the Bible remind every believer of? "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Corinthians 8.1)  
  

Because Jesus knew how men think the word of God speaks about this situation, this exact temptation. "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like..." (Luke 18:9-11)  (This parable becomes more pointed when we remember that in Jewish culture of that day Pharisees were the most looked up to category of individuals in society and tax collectors were one of the most looked down upon category of individuals)

Warnings, cautions, and more warnings. What are the verses with which this meditation began but warnings?

How should believers admonish one another? With extreme gentleness or meekness. In the book of Hebrews the God-appointed writer gives us this instruction: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)

The other places in Scripture where the Greek word that is translated in this passage as 'encourage' bring out the meek manner that the usage of the word suggests. Most often the Greek word is translated as 'urge' (20 times); as 'begged' or 'begging' (15 times), as 'plead' or 'pleaded with' (10 times). These terms --encourage, urge, beg, plead--do not bring to mind an overbearing individual.

The method of admonishment that the Bible illustrates in another way the word of God sets forth a caution or safeguard for 'admonishers'. Admonishment in general, or admonishment 'broadcast' to a larger audience is the method the Bible illustrates for us. What this means is admonishment is not directed at single individuals. This is the usual way in which it was carried on. In order to avoid the likelihood of the 'admonisher' getting a bloated ego from admonishing specific individuals in the church the Bible illustrates the practice of putting the word of God before many other believers (and oneself) at one time. Often this takes the form of presenting portions of God's word to the whole congregation when the people of God gather for worship and mutual edification. 

The apostle Paul said this to the body of believers at Corinth: "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." (1 Corinthians 14:26)  

(The Greek word translated as 'strengthening' in the last biblical quote above in many places in the New Testament is translated as 'building up' or 'edification' --Romans 14:19;15:2; 1 Corinthians 12,26; Ephesians 4:12,29) --a limitation of purpose on the activity of admonishment.

The practice of putting the word of God before members of God's redeemed people to remind them of what God says in order to help them grow, in order to encourage them to become more like Christ, is a never-ending obligation and privilege of all believers. Along with the obligation to help, to encourage, other believers come the limitations, the restrictions, the cautions, the warnings and safeguards that 'surround' this never-ending obligation.

In the apostle's letter to the believers in Colossae he said, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)  

Even when the hallmark of God's people--a high degree of visible conformity to God's standards of behavior--is being openly or publicly mangled by a professing 'member' of God's church God says it is important to keep the godly perspective--the spiritual welfare of the individual being disciplined--at heart. This concern for the eternal welfare of the professing believer is not supposed to cease even when the individual judged to be in open defiance of God's standards is removed from membership in God's church. (1 Corinthians 5:5, 12-13; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8) 

A Frequent Objection to Admonishment Considered 

The admonishment of other believers does not make the admonisher a judge. Putting the word of God before believers is not wrong. Putting the word of God before believers does not turn the carrier of God's word (a messenger) into a judge; the messenger is still nothing more than a messenger. Putting the word of God before believers does not change the messenger into God any more than the person who brings you the medicine you need becomes the medicine. It is God that is the judge. As James puts it, "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy." (James 4:12). It is not the messenger, but the message that judges those who hear it. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) Putting scripture before believers is what believers are to do. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Summing  Up

Believers are exhorted to discern, that is, to make a judgment of what or who is good=is on God's side and, what or who is bad=is not on God's side.

If there is no judging between behavior that God approves of and the behavior God does not approve of then the church ceases to have any identity--it ceases to stand for anything definite--especially God. The effect of total non-judging is 'anything goes'. The effect of total non-judging is 'everything is acceptable'. But that is not true. If it were true God's word would not be jam-packed with commandments and exhortations specifying the standards by which Christians (believers) should live! What a difference there is between the standard of God and the non-standard 'anything goes'.

Because believers are a special group of people, a people who have been delivered from the bondage to sin and transferred to the kingdom of the Son he loves (Colossians 1:13; see also Philippians 3:20) they are to live differently from unbelievers. The apostle Paul exhorts them (and us), saying, "let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (2 Corinthians 7:1). Believers are to behave in a holy manner. (Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 1 Peter 1:15-17) Whether this is occurring requires judgment. Because believers are a special group of people--God's people who are guided by God's standards believers are concerned that the behavior of each and every believer reflects those standards. They cannot be indifferent to visible failure to live according to God's standards. But since many of the most defiant and sneaky sins against the majesty and holiness of God are mental or internal those transgressions of God's revealed will cannot be seen and therefore cannot be judged by human beings.

Although admonishment contains an element of judging yet Christians are specifically exhorted to engage in this activity. But this activity of admonishing one another is surrounded by biblical warnings, cautions, and safeguards.
1. Admonishment, judging of believers is to be directed only to professing believers, only to people in the church, not to the individuals outside the body of Christ. 
2. Most admonishment should be impersonal, should be addressed to a 'large' audience; not to a specific professing believer. 
3. Admonishment to be godly, to be doing what God commanded, must be under girded by the motivation to build up other believers.
4. Admonishment that is directed at specific people cannot include 'invisible' sins, sins of the heart and mind that do not have any apparent behavioral manifestations. 
5. Admonishment is dangerous to your health. To whose health? The 'admonisher's' health. Be watchful of yourself lest you fall when the temptation to feel good about yourself is closer than you think. (Galatians 6:1-2).

Judging other individuals who profess to be believers and followers of Christ is not always wrong. While it is true that not one of us who is still in this world is actually blameless, without blemish, and with perfect motivations (1 John 1:8) believers are nevertheless exhorted to judge other believer's public behavior. Believers must make judgments about when, how and if they should be so bold as to admonish any individual in a one-on-one situation. While there are occasions when Christians should judge one another the verses quoted at the beginning of this meditation are also in God's word. They warn of the extreme danger of falling into terrible sin when judgments of specific individuals are made. When you admonish be careful that your real motivation, your real purpose is the other believers' spiritual welfare. Watch yourself. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2) Watch yourself. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:5-8)

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