This is the second in a four-part series on judging. The abiding principle drawn last week was Let truth be the judge rather than ourselves. We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) To judge correctly, we must first take the log out of our own eye before attempting to take the speck out of someone else’s eye. (Matt 7:5)
The term judge (v. krino, n. krisis) is translated in the KJV by eight different terms in Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words: call, condemn, determine, esteem, judge, law, ordain, sentence. The various connotations of judging form a continuum from discerning to condemning. The combined total occurrences of both the verbs and nouns are one hundred and sixty-one. I am choosing to consider four contexts referring to judging. The reason each has been chosen will become evident. This second article focuses on 1 Corinthians chapter 4.
This letter was written because believers at Corinth were judging incorrectly about many issues affecting the church and surrounding fellowships in Achaia. One of these issues was his own ministry. The initial matter of concern mentioned in chapter 1 was that individuals were choosing sides regarding church leadership. This is reminiscent of the disciples at the last supper wanting to know who was the greatest.
Whenever a group of individuals seeks to accomplish something, the likelihood that this sin will creep in is great. Consider Turning Point USA. Now that their leader, Charlie Kirk, is gone and his wife has become CEO, there is a danger that this sin will occur in this movement among the leaders and among individual groups around the world. In Corinth, this occurred while their founding leader, the apostle Paul, was still alive.
This poison can appear in any organization, especially the church. This is why Paul, in this Epistle to Corinth and the churches of Asia Minor, wrote:
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Eph 4:1-7)
The length of the continuum between discerning and condemning can be short. We are called upon every day to be discerning in the decisions we make. We must ensure discernment does not become condemnation too quickly before we know the truth.
Jesus taught
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. (John 3:16-18)
Later, He said:
Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you. (John 20:21)
The distance between discerning and condemning is measured by time and information. We need to take the time to be informed. It is also measured by integrity. We need to judge ourselves first. The final judgment will be in our Lord’s time.