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Judge Not?
(Luk 6:37) Judge not, and in no way be judged. Do not condemn, and in no
way you will be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Could it be possible that Christians are not to "judge" sinners like
murderers, adulteresses, or homosexuals, or does this refer to something else?
Consider these apparently conflicting Scriptures:
"You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial. . . . But in
righteousness you shall judge your neighbor", Leviticus 19:15
"You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as
the great; you shall not be afraid in any man's presence, for the judgment is God's",
Deuteronomy 1:17
"...we command you, brethren, on 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 Thessalonians 3:6
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14
"So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the
wicked from among the just, and cast them into the Furnace of fire. There will be wailing
and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:49
If a Christian is not to "judge", then how can he possibly "judge"
his neighbor in righteousness, or not show partiality in judgment, or determine who those
are who walketh disorderly?
The word "judge" is translated from the Greek word "krino", which
is Strong's # 2919 and includes the definition "sue at the law". In other
words, the Holy Bible doesn't contradict itself, it merely tells Christians to not sue
their neighbors unless they want to be sued by them.
2919 krino kree'-no
properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try,
condemn, punish:--avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to
(sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.
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