Judgment stands as a weightier matter of the law, as Christ emphasized to the Scribes and Pharisees, urging them to focus on justice beyond mere legal correctness. Justice involves an impartial adjustment of conflicting claims, assigning deserved punishment or reward, and ensuring decisions are factual, reasonable, fair, and morally upright. Christ rebuked the Pharisees for prioritizing only the legally correct aspect while neglecting fairness and impartiality in their dealings with others. Christ's teaching in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that you be not judged," uses the Greek word krino, meaning to condemn or sentence. He warns that if we condemn others, we will face the same condemnation. Yet, in context, He instructs us to evaluate others' deeds carefully, first addressing our own weaknesses and sins to avoid hypocrisy before aiding others with their faults. As we judge others, so will He judge us, reflecting the principle that our attitude toward others determines how we are evaluated. In John 7:24, Christ further clarifies, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment," using the same Greek term krino. He commands us to analyze what is right or wrong based on the mind of God as revealed in His Word, applying such judgment critically and without partiality. Life demands daily judgments about people and circumstances, whether in mundane matters or significant decisions like marriage, requiring thorough evaluation to avoid grief from snap or selfish decisions driven by lust, vanity, or greed. Our purpose in life is to learn to render proper judgments of right and wrong, exercising wisdom as preparation to be leaders and teachers in God's family. While God ultimately makes final judgments on all, ensuring justice over a lifetime, He expects us to judge righteously now, looking at the fruits of others' lives to discern their character. Teachers and leaders face sterner judgment, as their influence demands they live out what they teach. The Pharisees erred by abandoning God's standards for their own traditions, relying on carnal reasoning and situation ethics, which led to harsh, unjust dealings with others. Their partiality destroyed godly standards, allowing wickedness to reign. Christ calls us to use the whole of God's Word to render justice, ensuring decisions are objective and impartial, reflecting His mind. Judgment is weighty because it is the very aim of the law—to ensure justice is done. Since we do not yet fully have God's mind, He gave us the Bible as a guide to strive toward perfection, helping us determine the proper course in every situation through righteous judgment.

In the matter of judging, the limitations of human perception are evident. A person's field of view is too narrow, often clouded by subjective experiences, making it nearly impossible to judge another's character fairly. Events crucial to forming a righteous judgment frequently occur beyond what one can directly observe, leading to conclusions swayed by personal bias and a tendency to assume the worst. The act of judging is further complicated by our own imperfections. As sinning beings under judgment ourselves, we are disqualified from passing judgment on others. Our past lives have so distorted our sense of fairness that we cannot judge with the equity of God. While we are empowered to distinguish between right and wrong and must evaluate conduct accordingly, God forbids the act of sentencing or condemning another as incorrigible. To speak evil of a brother indirectly challenges the law to love one's neighbor, thereby passing judgment on God who inspired that command. Passing judgment based on limited perspective is futile and vain, offering no spiritual value. It often stems from a desire to elevate or justify oneself. Even examining one's own conduct does not grant the authority to judge, as salvation comes through grace and faith, not personal assessment. Many things judged in others are trivial, often irrelevant in the long term, and focusing on them to the point of condemnation is unnecessary. There is no definitive rule to identify when one crosses into forbidden judgment, but it remains a perilous area. It is futile due to our inadequate capacity for fair judgment and dangerous as it encroaches on the prerogative of the Father and Christ as Judges. This necessitates a careful study of God's Word to discern our responsibility and approach toward our brothers in Christ when such situations arise.

God's judgments against Israel in the wilderness serve as a profound example for us, demonstrating both collective and individual accountability. As a body, Israel faced judgment for their collective conduct, just as the church today must heed such lessons on our pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God. Individually, God separated the faithful actions of Joshua and Caleb from the rebellion of others, and judged Moses separately for his moment of lost faith, showing that personal conduct is also under scrutiny. When it comes to judging within the church, the matter is deeply serious to God. We are commanded not to judge one another, yet the human mind naturally makes decisions through observation, often clouded by a self-centered, antagonistic nature that breeds negativity and pride. This makes loving, peaceful relationships challenging, as human nature is competitive and defensive, complicating our interactions. God desires us to learn to judge accurately, a skill that does not come automatically but requires diligent effort. Unlike human opinions, which are often mere feelings or passing thoughts, God's judgments are rooted in truth and deep discernment, far surpassing our limited experience. We must grow beyond letting opinions guide our lives, recognizing that God deals in factual judgment, not mere sentiment. Scripture reveals that Jesus Christ, during His first coming, did not come to judge in a judicial sense but to preach the gospel and provide salvation. However, after His resurrection, He was ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead, and His return will focus on judgment, a shift already underway within the church. We are being judged by Him now, standing before Him as appraisals of our conduct are made. Our authority to judge others is quite limited. Even Jesus Christ, with His unparalleled spiritual equipping, was not deemed ready to judge judicially until after His death and resurrection. This leaves us as mere learners, cautioned to be quick to listen and slow to speak, lest we appear foolish. God's Word assigns judgment primarily to Him and to Jesus Christ, who holds authority over all nations and the church as High Priest, actively judging us now. Direct commands from Jesus Christ, such as "Judge not," underscore the danger in judging others, as it risks sin and opens traps for the judge. The biblical sense of judging often carries a judicial weight, implying finality, which we are not fully equipped to handle. While we are invited to make righteous judgments, our sense of proportion and understanding of right and wrong is often unbalanced, increasing the likelihood of error and bringing judgment upon ourselves. Jesus Christ warns against judging by appearance or superficially, highlighting the difficulty of separating emotions from decision-making, which can lead to grave mistakes. We must ask how capable we are of making wise judgments, given our fallible nature. Though we are not to be unthinking, we lack overall judicial authority from God, and judging beyond this is presumptuous and dangerous. Yet, we cannot avoid judging entirely, as God gave us minds for this purpose, and we are even commanded to judge in certain contexts, with caution to avoid pitfalls like hypocrisy or unbalanced assessments. Hypocrisy is virtually certain when we judge others, as we often commit sins ourselves, rendering our judgments warped and defenseless in a spiritual court. A sinner under sin's power cannot make a righteous judgment by a righteous standard, risking self-righteousness and further sin. God's judgments, based on truth and reality, stand in stark contrast to our fallible, often distorted human judgments, as exemplified by the Laodicean's perverted self-assessment due to spiritual blindness. Within congregations, judging over minor issues can cause major discord, as seen in disputes over dietary practices or esteeming certain days. Such matters, often lacking clear divine mandate, lead to strong opinions and emotio