Someone has said, “we are not judges, but we are fruit inspectors,” but fruit inspectors are judgers of fruit. Sometimes we must judge the fruit of others (Matthew 7:15-20). Even preaching the gospel to the lost involves judging others. Jesus put it like this:

Matthew 7:6 (ESV)
⁶ “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Jesus is telling us not to give the precious message of God’s Word to those who prove them-selves to be evil, immoral, and persistently vicious. He is telling us not to waste valuable time in trying to convert those who count themselves unworthy of eternal life by their consistent carnal mentality and lack of interest in anything spiritual. One cannot follow these instructions from our Lord without passing judgment to a certain degree. Who falls into the category of being figurative dogs and pigs? The only way of knowing is to judge others by the fruit they bear.

While judging is in order sometimes, we must always do it the right way. Last night we emphasized that we should not judge according to appearance (John 7:24). We also must avoid judging others by the wrong standard. This begs the question, “what is the right standard by which we should judge others when it becomes necessary?” The answer is the Word of God.

John 12:48 (ESV)
⁴⁸ The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

Since we will be judged by the standard of God’s Word on the last day, we should make sure that we measure up to that standard right now hold each other accountable to that same standard. When we judge others by the Word of God, we are not the judges, we are only the instruments being used to convey the judgment. Our job is to make sure that it is really the Word of God that we are using for measuring the deeds of others and not something else.

Our opinions are not to be the standard of judgment. If I tell someone that he is not praising God when using a musical instrument in worship, that is not my opinion; it is God’s Word. It is God’s Word that says we must have authority for everything we do (Colossians 3:17). Since there is no authority for musical instruments in worship, one cannot praise God by using them in that capacity. I can give book, chapter, and verse to back up that conclusion. What if I told someone that he is not praising God because he is not singing loud enough? That would just be my opinion because I am using the wrong standard.

We all have preferences, but our personal preference is not the Word of God, and people are not going to be judge by them on the last day. To judge correctly, our judgment must be substantiated by God’s Word.

Other things that are, at times, used as standards of judgment other than the Word of God including traditions, the teachings of our parents, what the majority believes, etc. Let us be sure that when it does become necessary for us to judge, that it is the Word that we are using as the standard and nothing else.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.