Righteous judgment or evil judgment – help or destruction

Righteous judgment or evil judgment – help or destruction

There is judgment that is a help, and there is a judgment that is corrupt and harmful. One is light and one is dark. Read more here!

31/01/20223 min

By ActiveChristianity

Righteous judgment or evil judgment – help or destruction

3 min

Stop judging only by what you see. Judge correctly.” John 7:24 (NIRV). In another Bible translation, it says, “…but judge with righteous judgment.”

You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.” John 8:15. “For judgment I have come into this world …” John 9:39. “And this is the judgment, that light has come into the world …” John 3:19. “I do not judge him … the word that I have spoken will judge him …” John 12:47-48.

Evil judgment - accusation

There are two different kinds of action that are called “judging”. The one is the usual kind, which is to accuse others for something that you wish or think they should have done differently. Then you maybe act shocked that someone could have done something so evil. When you do this, you actually show that you think that you would have done it much better yourself.

This judgment is often connected to backbiting or gossiping; it is judging “according to the flesh”, which is judging according to your sinful human nature; it lets people feel guilty and it goes together with hatred, jealousy, and having no mercy.

Righteous judgment – godly judgment

The other kind of judgment is godly judgment. This judgment speaks the truth for the benefit of those who hear it. In this case the truth itself is the judge, whereas with evil judgment it is my evil, corrupt, sinful human nature who is the judge.

The one is an evil judgment. The other is a good, righteous judgment; it is God’s judgment.

The one wants to destroy. The other wants to save people from sin.

Those who love God, who love light, truth, righteousness, purity, they love judgment. God’s judgments are a help for them. (Psalm 119:43; Psalm 119:52; Psalm 119:120; Psalm 119:156; Psalm 119:175.)

Those who love to do unrighteousness and love the lie, they hate judgment because it shows them that their thoughts and what they do are evil.

Those who don’t love judgment have an ungodly way of thinking.

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This article is based on an article by Elias Aslaksen which first appeared under the title “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” in BCC’s periodical "Skjulte Skatter" (Hidden Treasures) in May 1914. It has been translated from the Norwegian and is adapted with permission for use on this website. © Copyright Stiftelsen Skjulte Skatters Forlag