"For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13).
Judgement is defined as the act or process of forming an opinion or making a decision after careful thought: the act of judging something or someone.[1] A judge in the court of law in the United States makes a decision or reaches a conclusion after examining all the factual evidence presented, he forms an opinion after evaluating the facts and applying the law.[2] Jesus told the Pharisees that they judged according to the flesh and that he did not judge anyone (John 8:15-16). In the Gospels Jesus said, “judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;" (Luke 6:37; Matthew 7:1-29). There are nearly 100 verses in scripture that tell us to be careful of how we judge,[3] but we as Christians do not completely understand what judging is.
This is due partly to the close meanings of judgement and discernment. Paul says we are to discern all things, "but he that is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned of no man" (1 Corinthians 2:15). Discernment is defined as to see or understand the difference; to make distinction;as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood.[3] Other translations use judge or appraise, adding to the misunderstanding. The Greek word for discern in 1 Corinthians 2:15 is anakrinó and the Greek word for judge in Luke 6:37 is krino. By examining Krino and Anakrino we see the distinction; judging is making a discernment, the careful gathering and trying of facts, like in a court of law. Judging includes discernment but discernment does not include judgement. Anakrino adds the up "ana" to "krino", anakrino meaning to judge up. This fits with scripture; God is the righteous judge, we investigate (discern, appraise, examine) thoroughly, we judge up to a righteous God. "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17).
Judgement is defined as the act or process of forming an opinion or making a decision after careful thought: the act of judging something or someone.[1] A judge in the court of law in the United States makes a decision or reaches a conclusion after examining all the factual evidence presented, he forms an opinion after evaluating the facts and applying the law.[2] Jesus told the Pharisees that they judged according to the flesh and that he did not judge anyone (John 8:15-16). In the Gospels Jesus said, “judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;" (Luke 6:37; Matthew 7:1-29). There are nearly 100 verses in scripture that tell us to be careful of how we judge,[3] but we as Christians do not completely understand what judging is.
This is due partly to the close meanings of judgement and discernment. Paul says we are to discern all things, "but he that is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned of no man" (1 Corinthians 2:15). Discernment is defined as to see or understand the difference; to make distinction;
If we pass judgement on others, especially if we do the same things, we are really showing contempt for God's mercy, "you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" (Romans 2:3-4). We as Christians are to be trained to discern all things, "but solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14). The Greek word in v.14 is diakrisin, a discernment which distinguishes things that appear to be the same. "Among the gifts of the Spirit scarcely one is of greater practical usefulness than the gift of discernment. This gift should be highly valued and frankly sought as being almost indispensable in these critical times. This gift will enable us to distinguish the chaff from the wheat and to divide the manifestations of the flesh from the operations of the Spirit." -- A.W. Tozer.
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians can add to the misunderstanding. If you read this letter, factual evidence of sin had been brought before the church and Paul, some had even went to a court of law, brother against brother, "now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to law one with another" (1 Corinthians 6:5). Paul admonishes them, "I speak to your shame. is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" (1 Corinthians 6:5). Here the Greek word for judge is diakrinai as in Hebrews 5:14, to discern with emphasis on properly investigating thoroughly. Paul reminds the Corinthians of what the unrighteous do and that they were once so, but were made righteous by Christ and that all things are lawful, but not all things are of gain, we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:9-20). Paul also shows were mercy triumphs over judgement; a man had taken his father's wife, a sin punishable by death under Jewish law (Leviticus 20:11), but Paul asks only that he be removed from the church.
The judgement spoke of in James 2:13 "mercy triumphs over judgment" is divine judgment. If God's mercy triumphs over His judgement, should not our mercy triumph over our judgement? God affirmed this lesson in me recently, I judged a child of God and a friend. I did not discern wisely; carefully examining and following God's wisdom. He reminded me of this and how I did not know her heart. It is a lesson throughout the Bible, "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12).
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12).