Christians Judging?

This topic has come up several times over the years and I hope this helps all who read it understand the Truth about Judging. First; John 7:24 – “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
Some will quote Matthew 7:1—“Judge not, lest you be judged”—to claim that it is “unchristian” to identify people’s sins or those that plague a society. How many times have you heard someone say, “Don’t judge me” or “Christians are not to judge others”?
I ask you, how can a Christian be expected to stay away from people of bad character, as the Bible commands (I Cor. 5:1-5; I Tim. 6:3-6), if they are not allowed to judge their actions— identify their inappropriate behavior? Also, how could Paul instruct Christians to “mark” and “avoid” divisive people (Rom. 16:7) unless the behavior of those people, unless judgments were made?
The word “judge” in Matthew 7:1 comes from the Greek word krino, which can mean “to try, condemn, punish” or “to distinguish, decide.” The context depends upon how the word is used.
The apostle John wrote, “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn [krino] the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Yet, Paul used this same Greek word to teach that true Christians are in training to judge the whole world—including angels: “Do you not know that the saints shall judge [krinos] the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge [krinos] angels? How How much more things that pertain to this life?” (I Cor. 6:2-3). Four chapters later, he added, “I speak as to wise men; judge [krinos] you what I say” (I Cor. 10:15). Obviously, Paul did not intend for the Corinthians to condemn his words, but rather to judge—“decide”—whether he was teaching sound doctrine.
When Jesus said, “Judge not, lest you be judged,” He meant that you can sometimes avoid judgment coming upon yourself by avoiding judging others. This does not mean that Christians are never to judge. Rather, in certain situations, it is better to avoid rendering a judgment—a decision about, an evaluation of, conduct or behavior—lest you bring judgment upon yourself. If you decide to judge, be careful, as whatever standard you use to render a decision will be used on yourself: “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matt. 7:2).
Think about it, If Jesus had meant Christians should never judge, period, then He would have contradicted Himself when He said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge [krinos] righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Christ clearly stated that Christians are to judge others. However, we are to use righteous judgment. If a person judges righteously, he will avoid judgment coming upon himself.
Christians overlook John 7:24 and focus only on Matthew 7:1. They fail to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together, so they stumble and are snared (Isa. 28:13).
The key to understanding John 7:24 is found beginning three verses sooner. Referring to His healing a man on the Sabbath day, to which the Pharisees objected, “Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and you all marvel.” According to the Pharisees, healing on the Sabbath was considered work, so they accused Him of breaking the Sabbath.
In verses 22-23, Jesus continues His discourse: “Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision…and you on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. [According to the Law of Moses, a male child was to be circumcised eight days after being born, which would sometimes fall on the Sabbath.] If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are you angry at Me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?”
The Pharisees constantly accused Christ of deviating from the Law of Moses. They claimed to uphold this law down Jesus used this to His advantage and asked them why they considered it lawful to circumcise a child on the Sabbath, but unlawful to make “a man every whit whole”? Christ pointed out the hypocrisy of their “logic.” (Remember the example earlier concerning Mark 2:27-28.)
This brings us to verse 24: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Jesus said this to the Pharisees in this context because they were judging his actions according to sight, and not by God’s Law. In other words, they used human reasoning rather than God’s standard of righteousness, defined by His Law! Thus, they brought judgment upon themselves!
While Jesus was in the flesh, He too had to rely on God to judge righteously: “I can of My own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not My own will, but the will of the Father which has sent Me” (John 5:30). Since the Pharisees were not seeking the will of God and were not obeying His commandments, they could not judge correctly.
Finally, think about Christ’s statement in John 8: “You judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, My judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me” (vs. 15-16). These verses tell us that Jesus did not judge after the flesh or according to sight. BUT He judged righteously, because He relied on the Father, just as Christians are supposed to do. The Father did the judging through Jesus. But this occurred only because Jesus sought the Father’s will and obeyed Him, as Christians are supposed to do.
Like many of the Bible’s teachings, the subject of judging is misunderstood. This is because most people focus only on Matthew 7:1 and do not take into account the many other verses on the subject. Again, most Christians fail to put all of the pieces of the biblical puzzle together (Isa. 28:10).