One of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in the Bible is Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged".

Webster’s Dictionary defines judge as 1. The presiding official in a court having power 1. To decide 2. To determine; (Webster’s Dictionary p.330)

While we as Christians are NOT definition ONE — 1. The presiding official in a court having power. That authority belongs only to God.

"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."
Romans 14:12

But – we as Christians are commanded to "1. To decide 2. To determine" what is "right" and "wrong" according to the word of God.

A lot of Christians read Matthew 7:1 and say, "See, we’re not supposed to judge between right and wrong". And any sense of declaring someone, especially other Christians, to be wrong, is "judging" that person.

For instance, if you keep reading Matthew 7, you’ll soon read in verse 15:

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15

Notice these false prophets "come to you in sheep's clothing"-- in other words they are "masquerading" as Christians! And yet, according to the Lord Jesus Christ – "they are ravening wolves." According to the Lord Jesus Christ – Beware: some "so-called" Christians – are "ravening wolves"!

Are we to not "judge" their "conversation", and "testimony"? Because someone professes to be a Christian should we accept whatever they say and do as "right" and "pleasing to God"?

"If we continue on this path, respectable, industrious and honest, if we fulfill our duty faithfully, it is my conviction, the Lord God will continually help us in the future. He will not leave respectable people in the lurch indefinitely. He may test them, but in the end He lets His sun shine upon them and gives them His blessing."

Billy Graham? Jack Van Impee? Billy Sunday? Dwight Moody?

Most people don’t know, but Hitler claimed to be a Christian. In fact, Hitler’s campaign was "Positive Christianity". Because Hitler professed to be a Christian, should we just "ignore" the terrible acts he did? Should we read Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" and say "What gives you the right to judge Hitler?" Nonsense. We as Christians are to expose and "judge" ERROR by the word of God.

The Bible over and over COMMANDS us to "judge".

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment"
John 7:24

"But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man."
1 Corinthians 2:15

"I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say" (1 Corinthians 10:15).

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:. . ."
1 Peter 4:17

The Lord Jesus Christ commanded "judging":

"Judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24)

"Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? "(Luke 12:57).

The Lord Jesus Christ commended Simon in Luke 7:43 for "judging" and Jesus Christ said Simon was "right" for judging:

"And he said unto him, Thou hast RIGHTLY judged" (Luke 7:43).

To illustrate the complete "spiritual insanity" and "perversion" of the "judge not" philosphy, here's an incident with Michael Sweet formerly of the "Christian" rock group Stryper:

During one of Stryper's "Christian" concert tours, they hired the "secular" group White Lion as the opening act. During some of the concerts White Lion openly used filthy, vulgar profanity from the stage. At one concert White Lion even threw out filthy pornographic magazines into the "Christian" audience.

In an interview Michael Sweet was asked, how "did you guys deal with those things when it happened" - Sweet unbelievably replied:

"We felt that we couldn't judge any other group. If we told them hey, you can't do this you can't do that, we would be judging them." (On-Line Interview at https://www.michaelsweet.com/interview.html)

Incredible!

Here's a "ton" of Christian young people that came to hear "Christian" rockers, Stryper — and White Lion is using filthy, vulgar language and throwing pornography into the young Christian audience and Stryper doesn't have enough conviction and backbone to even tell them to stop because — that would be judging them!

What a wicked, ungodly, filthy mess! Hey, try reading the Bible for a change!

"Them that sin REBUKE BEFORE ALL, that others also may fear." 1 Timothy 5:20

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather REPROVE them." Ephesians 5:11

You parents better beware when you send your Christian young people to that "Christian Rock" concert!

And people ask me — would you rather "Christian" young people go hear Stryper or Marilyn Manson — well, there's not much difference!

In 1 Corinthians 5, the Apostle Paul is addressing the church at Corinth, "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you,". Paul did NOT write back and say remember Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged". No. Paul does not hesitate to "judge" this "brother in the Lord":

"For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,"
1 Corinthians 5:3

And Paul goes so far as to deliver him unto Satan to kill him! And the man is a Christian (. . . that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus)!

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."
1 Corinthians 5:5

Paul even "rebukes" the Corinthian church for NOT "judging"!

12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not YE JUDGE them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints SHALL JUDGE the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that WE SHALL JUDGE angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
(1 Corinthians 5:12 - 6:3)

The Bible CLEARLY, over and over commands the Christian to "judge" or "determine" what is right and wrong – with the light of the word of God. God gave us a book – the word of God – and we are to JUDGE anything and everything by the word of God – and that includes Christian rock and Christian rockers!

"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."
(1 Timothy 5:20)

"This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;" [Notice this is aimed towards Christians.]
(Titus 1:13)

The Bible says there are some who "profess to know God" (so-called Christians) but "in works they deny him, being abominable" and God says they are "disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate". How can we possibly obey our Lord without "judging" their "works"?

"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
(Titus 1:16)

How can we "prove" something without "judging" or "discerning" it with the word of God?

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
(1 Thess. 5:21)

The Bible commands us to "withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly". Again, how can we know who "walks disorderly" except we "judge" or "discern" from the word of God?

"Now we COMMAND you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."
(2 Thess. 3:6)

Jesus Christ writes to the church at Ephesus:

2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast TRIED THEM which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Revelation 2:1-2)

The act of "TRIED THEM" is "JUDGING" them! When someone goes to court they are "TRIED" or "JUDGED"! And the Lord Jesus commends them for "JUDGING" them! And again, these were so-called Christians, even claiming to be apostles!

Paul writes in Romans 16:17, and again notice the application is to "judge" or "mark" other so-called Christians.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, MARK THEM which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
(Romans 16:17)

In Philippians 3, Paul again admonishes us to "mark" or "judge" so-called Christians:

". . . MARK THEM which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:"
(Philippians 3:17-18)

These are just a few verses that command the "child of God" to "determine" or "judge" between "right" and "wrong".

The immediate response is – How do we "judge" what is "right" and "wrong"? How can we "judge" what is "right" and "wrong"? You say something is "wrong" and "not from God" – others says it’s "right" and "from God" – how do I know who is "right"?

There is only one logical answer. That answer is simple, sure and steadfast. . .

You can read all kinds of books and articles on a given subject about what someone "feels", "thinks", "believes", etc. – but what does God SAY?

Do NOT believe a word, I, or anyone else says, without FIRST checking what God SAYS:

"God forbid: yea, let God be TRUE, but EVERY man a LIAR; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
(Romans 3:4)

May the Lord help you, as the Bereans, who "searched the scriptures daily, WHETHER THOSE THINGS WERE SO".

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, WHETHER THOSE THINGS WERE SO."
(Acts 17:11)