What if God actually expects you to judge, but forbids you to condemn? That tension has confused believers from the beginning. Are we supposed to judge? The answer to this question is yes, we are to judge, but only in limited ways. Some scriptures instruct us to judge, while others explicitly command us not to. The consequences of passing judgment when commanded not to judge are severe, so knowing when and where to judge is essential.
The scriptures repeatedly encourage us to judge righteously. “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.”[1] The prophet Mormon gave insight into how we judge righteously. “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.”[2]
WHAT OR WHO DO WE JUDGE?
We are to judge between good and evil. We are not to judge people. Elder Dieter Uchtdorf emphasized the latter when he said, “The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said that those who pass judgment on others are ‘inexcusable.’ The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin.”[3]
The scriptures and latter-day teachings are filled with strong, definitive statements that instruct us not to judge anyone. Unfortunately, many of us misuse the command to discern between good and evil as an excuse to judge individuals or groups. Judging groups can be just as damaging and problematic as judging individuals. Anyone belonging to the group being judged feels just as misunderstood as if they were directly targeted as an individual. We are called to love all people, whether individuals or groups, and to forgive everyone.
How do we judge between good and evil without passing judgment on individuals or groups? We focus inward instead of outward.
Nowhere is this taught more directly than in the Sermon on the Mount. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”[4]
I have enough “beams” in my eye to last my lifetime. With an inward focus, I don’t believe I will ever get to focus on another’s “mote.” Said differently, I have enough of my own behaviors I need to correct and address. I don’t have the time or energy to focus on what others are doing or not doing.
MORAL RELATIVISM AND JUDGMENT
Judging between good and evil, even with an inward focus, does not mean we get to decide what is good and evil. It means we are discerning between good and evil. When we believe that each person decides what is good and evil, we subscribe to the philosophy of moral relativism. Think of moral relativism as each individual defining what is right or wrong for themselves instead of having a source of truth for right and wrong.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson described it this way. “Relativism means each person is his or her own highest authority. Of course, it is not just those who deny God that subscribe to this philosophy. Some who believe in God still believe that they themselves, individually, decide what is right and wrong.”[5]
Equally challenging is using moral rigidity to judge others. Each person is born into unique circumstances, taught different morals, and held accountable to God for their knowledge. Allowing others room to grow and some grace without judging them is not moral relativism. It is consistent with Mormon’s counsel. “And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.”[6]
SELF-RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT
In my opinion, self-righteous judgment is the most detrimental type of judging. It creates a perception that we believe we are better or holier than another. We perceive our righteousness as a separator from those of lesser righteousness. We seek to justify our judgmental behavior by debasing others.
Some of the Savior’s sharpest rebukes came to the Pharisees because of self-righteous judgment. Here is one example: “And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.”[7] Notice that the Pharisee was focused on the Savior’s behavior.
“And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”[8]
Notice how the Savior focuses on the inward, the heart, and specifically calls out the judgment of the heart. We cannot see another person’s heart or understand their circumstances sufficiently to judge. We have to leave that to God. Believing we are more righteous or pure than another because of our outward behaviors is self-righteous.
BY THEIR FRUITS
“Ye shall know them by their fruits”[9] is the most nuanced guidance we are given about judgment, but we can still clearly see its limitations in the context of the other teachings. Mormon expands on this teaching and reminds us “all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil.”[10] Looking at other’s fruits, especially those who are trying to exert influence over us, is within our responsibility to judge. But it is limited to helping us discern if we should listen to them or do the same behaviors. It does not give us rights to declare the person good or evil. We cannot see their hearts and make such a judgment. “Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.”[11]
STRIKING THE BALANCE
Righteous judgment is simple to understand, but hard to do. In its simplest form, righteous judgment is never of people. It is the judgment of teachings, ideologies, and philosophies, and whether they are good or evil. We are given the light of Christ to judge between good and evil, but that responsibility does not extend to judging God’s children. Judging God’s children is left to God.
[1] Doctrine and Covenants 11:12, churchofjesuschrist.org
[2] Moroni 7:16, Book of Mormon, churchofjesuschrist.org
[3] Uctdorf, Dieter F., The Merciful Obtain Mercy, churchofjesuschrist.org
[4] Matthew 7:1-5, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[5] Christofferson, D. Todd, Free Forever, to Act for Themselves, churchofjesuschrist.org
[6] Moroni 7:18, Book of Mormon, churchofjesuschrist.org
[7]Luke 11:37-38, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[8]Luke 11:39-42, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[9] Matthew 7:16, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[10] Moroni 7:12, Book of Mormon, churchofjesuschrist.org
[11] Moroni 7:14, Book of Mormon, churchofjesuschrist.org
Image: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/collection/new-testament-all-gospel-art-images?lang=eng
Thanks! Very insightful.
It's really good as is. It does being to mind that what helps me to not judge the individual/group and still discern between good and evi is 1) look inward, as you said. Realize that I have plenty of things to work on myself to worry about someone else. 2) Love, I think everything comes back to love and learning to see everyone as God sees them. God loves all his children-- exactly as we are right now, and when I think about that desire to judge somebody goes away and see them just as I am, imperfect, trying their best to do what they think is right, and ultimately trying to get back to a living Heavenly Father (whether they know that or not.:-) )