Judging and Discerning
The Bible is very specific about judging and discerning. We are not to be judgmental toward others, but we are to be discerning about others. Since that is the case, we better know the difference, or we could be in trouble with God.
Judging is the practice of being critical of another person. In being judgmental we are putting the other person down because of something they have said or done. Judging is not done in love, but mostly in disdain for the other person. Most of the time being judgmental involves making assumptions about things we can't know, but only God knows. God condemns judging, and He promises to judge us in the same way we judge others.
Discernment is much different. It is done in an objective way based on the clear facts of what a person has said or done. It is done in a loving way, because we want to know God's will for us or the other person. Discernment is never to put the other person down, but to help them. We must be discerning if we are to be able to hold our Christian brothers and sisters accountable, which is what the Bible commands us to do.
We must not simply tolerate everything done by other people under the guise of not being judgmental. If we do that, we can't be the salt and the light. We must discern what people need by observing their lives, so we can speak the truth in love. Then, God can lead us to be a blessing to them. We should care enough to warn them about the broad road that leads to destruction and to point them to the narrow road that leads to life eternal.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Romans 8-10.
Judging is the practice of being critical of another person. In being judgmental we are putting the other person down because of something they have said or done. Judging is not done in love, but mostly in disdain for the other person. Most of the time being judgmental involves making assumptions about things we can't know, but only God knows. God condemns judging, and He promises to judge us in the same way we judge others.
Discernment is much different. It is done in an objective way based on the clear facts of what a person has said or done. It is done in a loving way, because we want to know God's will for us or the other person. Discernment is never to put the other person down, but to help them. We must be discerning if we are to be able to hold our Christian brothers and sisters accountable, which is what the Bible commands us to do.
We must not simply tolerate everything done by other people under the guise of not being judgmental. If we do that, we can't be the salt and the light. We must discern what people need by observing their lives, so we can speak the truth in love. Then, God can lead us to be a blessing to them. We should care enough to warn them about the broad road that leads to destruction and to point them to the narrow road that leads to life eternal.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Romans 8-10.