The Misconception of Judgment: What Jesus Actually Commanded

J. A. Fisch
Dec 18, 2025
2 min read

Scripture:

“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

John 7:24

Additional Reading: Matthew 7:1–5, Proverbs 31:9, Leviticus 19:15, Ephesians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 5:12–13

Intro:

Have you ever caught yourself recognizing sin—only to immediately shut the thought down with,

“Who am I to judge? That’s God’s job.”

It sounds humble.

It feels safe.

But Scripture tells a different story.

What if avoiding judgment isn’t humility at all—but disobedience disguised as compassion?

The Judgement We Are Supposed to Give

Jesus never commanded His followers to abandon judgment.

He commanded them to judge rightly.

The problem is not judgment—it is hypocrisy.

When Jesus said, “Do not judge,” He was not calling for moral silence. He was confronting self-righteous condemnation. In the very same passage, He instructs us to remove the log from our own eye so that we can see clearly to help our brother or sister. Correction is assumed. Self-examination is required.

Scripture is unmistakably clear:

“Judge fairly” (Proverbs 31:9)
“Do not show partiality” (Leviticus 19:15)
“Expose the deeds of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11)

The church is not called to ignore sin—it is called to confront it without malice and without hypocrisy.

What Jesus condemns is this: pointing out another person’s sin while protecting our own. Condemning publicly while refusing repentance privately. Wielding truth as a weapon instead of a means of restoration.

Righteous judgment begins with humility.

It proceeds with love.

And it always aims toward repentance—not humiliation.

The measure we use matters. Scripture warns that the standard we apply will be applied to us. That doesn’t mean we abandon judgment—it means we practice it carefully, honestly, and fearfully before God.

Silence does not heal.

Truth spoken in love does.

When righteous judgment is exercised correctly, sin is corrected, relationships are refined, and lives are restored.

Reflection Questions

Have I avoided speaking truth because I feared being labeled “judgmental,” even when Scripture required clarity?
Do I confront sin with humility and repentance, or with comparison and concealment?
Am I more concerned with appearing loving—or being obedient to Christ?