It’s a fine line. Jesus said, “Do not judge…” (Matthew 7:1); but He also said, “…judge according to righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

So which is it? How do we know the difference?

As always, the teachings of Jesus help us. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

How We Judge

This parable has come to mind many times over the years in regards to how we judge others. One telling sign in this story is the phrase “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself…”

In other words, he wasn’t praying to God. He was self-righteous and his words weren’t seen as a prayer but as judgment.

But the other man– the one who perhaps had a known past and had hurt many people, stood back, shaking and fearful, cried out to God for mercy. And he received it. Jesus acknowledged this man and called him righteous (justified).

In Micah 3:1-2, the prophet said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones.” The sad reality here is that this still happens– leaders, those who are supposed to be showing others the way to righteousness, are often the ones tearing people down with their words and judgmental thoughts.

The Holy Spirit would ask us: Do you really believe in the blood of Jesus?

When another person’s offense against us is greater than the mercy of God, we have belittled the blood. We have counted it as a common thing and not as it should be, as the bridge between God and man.

Hebrews 10:29 speaks to this: “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” In context, we understand this is directed towards someone who received salvation and then didn’t esteem the precious gift of eternal life (continuing in a life of sin as if they weren’t saved).

But the reality is, this works both ways.

We have insulted the Spirit of grace when we see others only by the flesh and not by the blood of Christ. 

There is a righteous judgment. But we would do well to let the Righteous Judge pass judgment. And the New Testament is clear: we have all come to “Jesus, the Mediator (Go-between, Agent) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance]” (Hebrews 12:24 AMPC).

The blood speaks a better word.

This simply means “Judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. [For] Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13) — every time.

In a world bent on judging and casting blame, I pray our hearts would be pierced and reset. I pray we’d remember how the Lord found us and how grateful we were for the mercy we received. Let us not be like the Pharisee who prayed with himself and looked down on others. Let us never think or say, “At least I’m not like so-and-so.”

God forgive us. Lead us in Your mercy. Fill us with Your love that “is ever ready to believe the best of every person” (1 Corinthians 13:6). Let us remember the blood.