We in the church of God believe that God is preparing us to be kings and priests in His coming Kingdom, where both roles involve judging, one in civil matters and the other in religious matters. A judge must first consider what is just and true before extending mercy, relying on a standard to measure the merits of each side in a dispute, ruling according to that standard rather than emotional arguments or the stature of the advocates. God outlines a judge's responsibility, emphasizing that the standard a godly judge must follow is God's law, along with the statutes and judgments. In controversy, priests shall stand as judges and judge according to God's judgments, keeping His laws and statutes. Being a judge is not easy, as thorny questions must be faced in both significant and routine cases, requiring careful consideration of details rather than hasty conclusions. God is taking the time to train us in the skill and art of judgment, allowing us to ponder the questions of our time and come to wise and godly conclusions.

Judgment is a weighty matter of the law, as emphasized by Jesus Christ, who urged the Pharisees to focus on justice alongside other critical aspects. For the converted Christian, judgment is a present reality upon the house of God, requiring decisions for or against in a manner akin to a tribunal, implying justice as an impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or assignment of deserved punishment or reward. Christ instructed that while legal correctness is part of proper decision-making, fairness, impartiality, and reasonableness must also be considered, elements the Pharisees often ignored. Christ's teachings clarify that judging is necessary, though it must be approached with caution. He warns against condemning others, lest we be condemned ourselves, urging us to overcome our own faults before evaluating others' deeds. He emphasizes righteous judgment, not based on appearance, but on the mind of God as expressed in His Word, and cautions that the attitude we take toward others will be mirrored in how He judges us. Life demands daily judgments about people and circumstances, whether in mundane matters or significant decisions like friendships and marriages. Proper judgment is crucial to avoid deception, such as recognizing a wolf in sheep's clothing or making sound choices in personal relationships. These evaluations, often confusing, require thorough research and contemplation to avoid snap decisions driven by lust, vanity, jealousy, or greed, which lead to grief. Our purpose in life is to learn to render proper judgments of right and wrong and to exercise wisdom, as God trains us to be leaders and teachers in His family. While He ultimately makes final judgments on all, He does so carefully over a lifetime, pondering hearts and observing deeds across various circumstances. For us, He commands looking at the fruits of others' lives to analyze their character, as seen in choosing mates, friends, or ministers. The Pharisees erred by abandoning God's instructions as their basis for judgment, relying instead on carnal reasoning and traditions that favored themselves, thus destroying godly standards and justice. Christ and others, like James, addressed such partiality, highlighting the need to base decisions on the whole counsel of God's Word to ensure justice. Judgment is weightier than the law itself because the law's purpose is to ensure justice is done, reflecting God's love and impartiality, guiding us toward perfection through His Word as our daily guide.

As God's people, we are called to judge situations, our corrupt government, people in office, those over us, each other, and especially ourselves, constantly. The Greek word for judge, "krino," means to choose to have an opinion or to determine, indicating that discernment is necessary. God instructs us in Matthew 7:1-2 not to judge in a condemnatory way, yet in Matthew 7:6, He warns against casting pearls before swine, and in Matthew 7:15-16, He urges us to beware of false prophets, implying the need for discernment in identifying right from wrong. Our judging must be righteous, grounded in the Word of God, the Bible, and not based on personal feelings or political correctness. Daily Bible study is crucial to recognize sin as defined by God, enabling us to make judgment calls like a neutral referee using a rulebook, not as a court judge passing sentence. We must distinguish between judging and being judgmental; the latter involves condemning others or assuming superiority, which is forbidden. Instead, our judgments should focus on actions and doctrines, not motives, and be exercised with compassion, remembering our own need for repentance. God commands us in I Corinthians 5:11-12 to judge within the church, discerning between good and evil based on His Word, without seeking to discipline for personal reasons. Hebrews highlights that spiritual maturity comes from exercising senses to judge between good and evil. As God's firstfruits, we should care enough to speak truth in love and humility, not ignoring sin under the guise of not judging. We must judge all things—cruelty, covetousness, dishonesty, and other sins mentioned in the Bible—while avoiding hypocritical, harsh, or self-righteous judgment. Our primary focus should be on judging ourselves, examining our hearts and actions, seeking God's help to root out sin, and making necessary changes. Living in troubling times, we must judge the world, situations, government, and especially ourselves righteously, striving to draw closer to God without being swayed by political correctness.

Judging is an essential and inherent part of human life, hardwired into our minds by God through the spirit in man that He placed within us. It is vital for survival, as ceasing to make judgments would lead to our demise. As thinking beings created in His image, we are called to process information, make judgments, and decide on actions to sustain life and achieve our goals, rather than acting on mere instinct like animals. Every day, we make countless decisions—whether conscious or unconscious—that involve judgments, from mundane choices like what to eat or wear, to more complex decisions about interactions and plans. Judgment is a fundamental component of the decision-making process, requiring us to assess, evaluate, discern, or discriminate between options to act appropriately. These judgments, under various names such as assessments or evaluations, enable us to navigate life by sorting through information and making informed choices. Among the categories of judgment, natural or innate judgment stands out as a basic part of human existence, crucial for survival. We instinctively evaluate essentials like food and drink, gauge safety in situations, and assess the feasibility of actions, often making split-second decisions that preserve our well-being, such as a baseball player deciding whether to swing or dodge a fastball. The necessity of judgment extends to distinguishing right from wrong behaviors, as Jesus Christ advises in John 7:24 to judge with righteous judgment, not merely by appearances. This form of judgment involves a deeper evaluation using the broad spectrum of God's Word, focusing on spiritual attributes like kindness and mercy rather than superficial observations. He warns against hasty conclusions based on limited perception, urging caution in assessing situations where spiritual elements may not be immediately discernible. Thus, judgment, when exercised righteously, is indispensable for personal growth and aligning with God's will, ensuring we make progress toward His Kingdom by choosing the right path.

The necessity of judging is an integral part of life, as it involves the constant process of evaluating and making decisions based on evidence and standards. From the moment we arise each day, our minds process information to determine actions, priorities, and quality, engaging in judgments that shape our beliefs, opinions, and choices. Without this vital function, participation in life itself would be impossible, as the quality of our existence largely depends on the quality of our judgments. The better prepared we are to make sound judgments, the greater our likelihood of success. God's purpose ties directly to learning to make quality judgments, as He reveals essential elements of His plan at the proper time, commanding individuals to choose based on these revelations. This choice requires judgment, as we must evaluate examples—both our own and others'—against God's standards to decide our course of action. Scriptures such as I Corinthians 11:1 and Philippians 3:17 encourage observing and judging the conduct of others, like the apostle Paul, to determine if it aligns with Christ's life and teachings, and to choose accordingly. Even in the church, judgment remains necessary, as seen in Paul's decision to disfellowship a man for blatant sin to protect the congregation's spiritual integrity, demonstrating that judgment is sometimes required despite cautions against it. However, the danger in judging lies in the quality of our assessments and the actions taken based on them. Jesus commands in John 7:24 to judge with righteous judgment, highlighting that misguided judgments often stem from wrong standards or carnal biases, as seen in the Jews' inability to recognize true godliness in Him. Our limited human experience and understanding can distort our ability to judge fairly, making it difficult to know all facts or a person's full character. Therefore, while judging is unavoidable and essential, it must be approached with care, ensuring that our evaluations align with God's standards and are made with love and consideration.

The necessity of judging within the church is a complex and serious matter before God. While we are commanded not to judge one another, the human mind is inherently designed to make decisions through observation and evaluation in various aspects of life. This creates a tension, as human nature, often self-centered and critical, complicates our ability to judge rightly, fostering competitiveness and defensiveness rather than love and peace among brethren. God desires that we learn to judge accurately, a skill that does not come automatically but requires diligent effort. However, our judgments often stem from impatience and harshness, leading to offenses within the church. Many times, these offenses arise from treating mere human opinions as if they were divine truth, driven by pride and lacking the deep discernment and understanding that God possesses. Unlike human opinions, which are often fleeting feelings or impressions, God's judgments are rooted in truth and reality, free from distortion. Scriptural guidance reveals that Jesus Christ, during His first coming, did not judge in a judicial sense but came to preach the gospel and provide salvation. After His resurrection, He was appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead, and He is already judging the church. This establishes that judicial authority belongs to Him, not to us. Our authority to judge others is severely limited, and stepping beyond this boundary is presumptuous and dangerous, as it encroaches on Christ's role. Strong commands against judging, such as "Judge not," emphasize the high potential for sin in doing so. Judging can ensnare us in hypocrisy, as we often commit similar or greater sins than those we accuse. Such actions render us defenseless before God, with no justification for our judgments when we ourselves are under sin's power. Furthermore, our spiritual state can pervert our judgments, as seen in the Laodicean's self-deception, highlighting how human nature distorts our ability to judge rightly. Yet, God does not entirely prohibit judging; He calls for righteous judgments, cautioning against superficial assessments based on appearance. The challenge lies in separating emotions and personal biases from our evaluations, a difficulty that heightens the risk of error. We must recognize that even forming opinions about others can lead to hardened assumptions that damage reputations and cause division, despite lacking judicial authority from God. In matters of personal conscience or minor issues, such as dietary preferences or esteeming certain days, divisions often arise from strong opinions rather than clear divine mandates. Both the strong and the weak in faith are urged to avoid contempt or judgment, leaving correction to Christ, who has the authority to make His servants stand. The emphasis is on accommodating one another's sensitivities to preserve unity, rather than insisting on personal views as the ultimate standard. Thus, while judging is an unavoidable function of the mind God has given us, it must be approached with extreme caution. The potential pitfalls include hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and causing offense, which can destroy unity within the congregation. The safest course is often to withhold judgment or discuss concerns with humility and a desire to understand, ensuring that we do not presume to take the place of Christ in His appointed role as Judge.