You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.  Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.  So, when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?  (Romans 2:1-3)

Paul’s epistles were not originally arranged in chapters, and ‘therefore’ links to the text in chapter 1.  Verses 18 onwards to the chapter end (v32) Paul describes the godless and lawless in the most explicit terms – and yet, he tells the reader to not sit in judgment.

This echoes Jesus’ own words from the ‘Sermon on the Mount’:

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

Of course, the real issue here is judging someone when accuser and those they accuse are equally guilty.  Hypocrisy has two elements; first is unilaterally setting one’s own moral bar on human behaviour and the second is applying this to others but not yourself.  Jesus contradicts this saying that those that dare to supply moral standards, will be applied to them.  Jesus’ illustration of hypocrisy is broadly quoted and widely understood.

‘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…’(ibid 7:3-5)

Jesus exposes the one who judges as morally bankrupt and discredits their self-appointed authority, as when a woman is brought before him accused of adultery, bidding her accusers:

‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ ….at this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.  Jesus…asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’

 ‘No one, sir,’ she said.

 ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’(John 8:7-11)

As the Holy Spirit worked upon the consciences of her accusers, not only did they come to realise they had no moral authority, but that their accusations had moved beyond accusation to denunciation and condemnation. As observant Jews, at best, they could indict within the Mosaic Law, but they went way beyond this.  By assuming the role of the judge, which is to convict and sentence; they attempted to appropriate Jesus’ judicial role:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due to us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.(2 Corinthians 5:10).

And what makes His judgment just?  In being both ‘founder’ and ‘perfecter’ of (our) faith (Hebrews 12:2 ESV). He establishes perfect morality through word and deed.

And this faith is founded on His atoning sacrifice, by which any in faith of Him are released from condemnation.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… (Romans 8:1a)

Another chapter-opening ‘therefore’ responds to all the previous seven chapters, including the long list of godless and lawless behaviour aforementioned and ‘condemnation’ translates κατάκριμα katakrima (Strong’s 2631) which properly indicates the punishment that follows condemnation, that is the penalty.

Here then is the most remarkable transaction, the guiltless one (Jesus) is condemned so the guilty are set free – with this in the forefront of one’s mind, how could any judge another?  The sinless pays the penalty and the sinful do not. In this, everyone is Barabbas.

Returning to the woman accused of adultery, it could be argued that the accusers were merely upholding God’s law on adultery:

‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’  (John 8:4-5)

referring to:

If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife – with the wife of his neighbour – both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.(Leviticus 20:10)

Verse 6 makes clear that event was staged and disingenuous (note that the man allegedly involved is not brought before Jesus, only the woman); nevertheless, it would be a mistake to interpret Jesus’ compassion and forgiveness for one of permissiveness.  His injunction to the woman is to ‘sin no more’.

Jesus was aware of her sinfulness (even if the charges of adultery were falsified, by definition she is sinful, see 1 John 1:8). And this awareness is not limited to the perfect one.

Paul says to ‘the holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi’:

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 for the day of Christ…(Philippians 1:9-10)

Or through good teaching:

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.  (Hebrews 5:14)

It is not Biblical to abjure discernment, rather all followers of Christ are required to be attuned distinguish good from evil.

In Romans and elsewhere in the New Testament (115 occurences), the word for that translated as judge or judging is κρίνω, krino (Strong’s 2919).  Originally, it meant to separate, eg in Homer’s Illiad, Ceres separates (krinei) the grain from the chaff (see footnote) the very same analogy used by John the Baptist when announcing Jesus’ advent, prefiguring His role of the Judge of the Universe:

‘His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ (Matthew 3:12)

Therefore, the Greek word krinohas its origins in discernment, the act of ‘distinguishing’, but in the Biblical context it progresses in meaning to the act of decision. Thus, making a judgment requires deciding between matters; in a spiritual context, deciding positively and negatively; that is, for or against that which is discerned.  This is critical in the context of sin, the transgression of God’s will, including violating His moral standards, His perfect righteousness.

In these instances, Jesus commands the witness to act.

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.  But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.  (Matthew 18:15-17)

As seen above, Jesus does not overlook sin and nor should his followers; he enjoins all who are in Him to confront it.  And if the subject is unrepentant, then he or she is ejected from the fellowship of believers.  Many Christians sin themselves in not following this commandment arguing that it contradicts Jesus telling his followers not to judge?

But Scripture in inviolable and always consistent; the key to understanding this is comprehending hypocrisy; distinguishing God’s standards from one’s own, which are necessarily arbitrary and uncommunicated. Also, in appreciating that discernment, while incurring the use of one’s judgement, is not condemnation.

By way of illustration, there should be no attempt to define the sinner by their sin, ie. someone that steals is not ipso facto ‘a thief’ or a person that lies should not be adjudicated ‘a liar’; none should judge another’s character.  Nor does it ascribe motive:

 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore, judge (krino) nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.  (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

Paul tells that the motivation behind any human act can only be discerned by Christ and therefore cannot be used in condemnation.

Yet, Jesus expects all his followers to be aware of their own spiritual depravity and their total reliance on his saving grace, and still to act, not from hypocrisy but from love (and note, this includes the act of expulsion from the Church, see also 1 Corinthians 5).

Paul explains this to those of the church of Galatia (Galatian 6:1-6):

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.

Adding the warning:

But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 

Amazingly, Paul also says that one can take pride in this!

 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.  Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

We can and must use the Word of God:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…’(2 Timothy 3:16)

By this a follower is ‘equipped’ and ready to serve Christ.  The foundation is that His perfect morality is written on hearts, which is the New Covenant with Israel:

 I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.  (Jeremiah 31:33)

But extended to whole world.

Also; announcing that the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus promises he will send the Holy Spirit, the ‘Paraclete’ – literally, one who stands beside another in the court room as an advocate or counsellor.

When …(The Paraclete) comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment (krisis, the noun derived from krino):  about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:8-11)

The Holy Spirit then ‘proves’ the world to in the wrong.  The word translated here is ἐλέγχω elegkho (Strong’s 1651), which means to provide solid evidence, in litigation, to convince the court and provide conviction by the production of compelling evidence, thereby exposing right and wrong.  It is upon this the follower of Christ may rely when witnessing sin, not their own fickle morality.

Therefore, in the head quotation (Romans 2:1-3), those who live by the Spirit – being convicted of one’s own sin, are clear on what constitutes God’s morality, their righteousness embodied in Jesus and anticipating Christ’s perfect judgement –  is enabled and so obligated to be the witness to other’s sinfulness; thus, equipped to render Jesus’ command to challenge sin in fellow believers.

But this does not give license to challenge the non-believer.  Christians that accuse those living outside of God’s morality, are in grave error, in that they presume to challenge His grace.

God in his mercy extends temporal freedom to disregard his morality.  If any choose so to do, it is not up to the Church to challenge their freedom.  Followers are not called to hold the world to account, only each other.

The requirement of Christ’s body of believers, the Church Militant, is to demonstrate God’s morality by exposing sin in love within the body.  This and the Gospel of Christ is only message to the unbelieving world, any moral comment on lifestyle choices is necessarily condemnatory.  Regarding injustice, civic authorities are God approved to deal with civil infractions.

The natural bent of man is punitive: however, by knowing that no follower of Christ is subject to punishment, only accountability, means none should have any part in meting out condemnation, let alone punishment.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17)

If Jesus, holy and righteous, did not condemn then neither should his followers, rather in and from selfless love, Christians by holding each other accountable, so bear witness to the world.

 

*The Illiad, verse 501: Demeter (Ceres)krinei te karpon kai achnas