Christian Living

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Taking Christianity Out Of Context For Evil
© 2008

by

Stephen A. Peterson


One would have to be cut off from contact with the outside world not to have been quoted: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged”. It is now so frequently quoted by Christians and non-Christians alike that it ranks as one of the top twenty statements in the United States. The non judgmental quote has and continues to be a method non-Christians and some Christians utilize in their attempts to cease or neutralize anyone from addressing evil and bad behavior on the part of those who choose to engage in them. What is interesting is that some Biblically knowledgeable Christians have allowed the Biblically ignorant non-Christians and Christians the high ground with this discussion. They are seldom, if ever, challenged with respect to their regular and consistent taking this quote out of Biblical context to suppress the acknowledgement and challenge of evil and bad behavior. It is shocking when the one quoting cannot tell you who said the “Do not judge…” statement or where it may be found in the Bible. (NOTE: It is a statement by Jesus Christ and is found in the Gospel of Matthew 7:1).

Why do many Christians are easily manipulated by non-Christians and by those who hate Christianity remains a mystery? It equally amazing that so many Christians will not challenge errant thinking and seem unable to discern it when they are confronted. The reasons for this lack of challenge and discernment may be said to occur because: (1). a lack of knowledge; (2). fear of being ostracize; (3). agreement with errant thought or thinking; or (4). they just don’t care.

Yet throughout the Bible, judgment takes place of those high and lowly. One of the most dramatic passages in the entire Bible, an event of such high drama that the account of it still shouts out to humanity after more than 3000 years!

The great King of Israel, David—the psalmist; slayer of Goliath; and he who defeated the enemies of Israel, took another man’s wife—Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite. Worse still David arranged for Uriah, a brave and loyal soldier in his army to be killed in battle so that he could bring Bathsheba openly into his house.

In the ancient world, anyone who would question the actions of a king or emperor faced immediate death for treason or any other high crime nothing could be done unless the king could be convinced to bring JUDGMENT upon himself.

A poor man, Nathan, a prophet, came before David with a story of injustice. “A certain poor man,” Nathan said, “had a single lamb that was more of a household pet than livestock to be sold or slaughtered and was his only animal. A certain wealthy man with many sheep and lambs appeared in the house of the poor man. Rather than take a lamb from his flocks, he took the poor man’s only lamb and companion and killed it.”

After hearing the story, David was enraged. He demanded the guilty person be found and punished. David, in fact, stated that such an evil person should be put to death. In his anger, David demanded Nathan disclose the name of the evildoer.

Nathan stood before the royal court of Israel, raised his arm and pointed his finger at David, the king of all Israel, then said in a loud enough voice for everyone there to hear: “You are the man!”

David’s behavior had been judged in accordance to the letter and spirit of the law of God. As Nathan the prophet, we are expected, even compelled, to judge evil behavior when it occurs using the measure established by God and not those established by humankind or ourselves outside God’s framework. The part of Matthew’s Gospel that many people leave out in Christ’s judgment statement is the rest of His discourse:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

In the fullness of His statement, Jesus tells us to make judgments but to do so with care, with unconditional love, compassion, mercy, patience and in a spirit of forgiveness in both the letter and spirit of His law. If one reviews carefully the public life of Jesus, He consistently made these attributes the basis of His judgment as well to exhort a sinner to sin no more. We can do no less. To do otherwise, is to condone evil and evil doing as acceptable, good, right and proper. When one allows evil to persist is sinful as well. Godly judgment requires prayer and careful consideration of that which is sinful or evil. As no one is sinless and above God or His law.

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