The Righteous Judgment – Definition
The verb “to judge” means to evaluate, assess, consider a case, to pronounce a verdict or decision. Also: to form an opinion or conclusion about, to decide (a case or the results in competition), to determine, to find, to rule.
The noun “judgment” carries the meaning of the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions. Some synonyms: an opinion or conclusion, discernment, sense, perception, understanding, intelligence, awareness, verdict, decision, ruling, finding, pronouncement.
We see that righteous judgment is connected with our mind and our way of perception, thinking, and assessment. It is related as well as with the forming of views and opinions on all matters.
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The Righteous Judgment – Not by Appearances and Human Standards
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:24)
“You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, Who sent me.” (John 8:15-16)
The most important criterion is not to judge by mere appearances, ie. not to rely on our natural perceptions and logical conclusions. With our limited thinking and abilities, we see and understand things in part and very often in a distorted way – through the lenses of our own experiences and wounds.
God calls us to rise from this carnal and sensual thinking and through our connection with Him, to see things from the higher, heavenly perspective.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The Higher Perspective
This perspective is the eternal one that is rooted in God’s love and redemption. If we really believe that God knows the end from the beginning, that He sees and guides the course of history and of our own life from the beginning to the end, then we can trust and ask God to show us His perspective and opinion for events, people, and problems.
The way to a correct judgment and action is to recognize and seek God as the supreme authority for everything and as a source of knowledge of wisdom. To accept His judgment as true and correct and to act in agreement with it. That is why the righteous and correct judgment is an expression of humility and dependence on God, of faith in action.
If you need help in learning how to meditate on God’s truths, check up on this excellent book by my writer friend Sarah Geringer: Transforming Your Thought Life.
The Purpose of the Righteous Judgment
The purpose of the righteous judgment is to discern and fulfill the will of God in the given situation.That is why the proper motivation towards obedience and putting it into practice is the other essential factor to judge properly.
The search for God’s perspective is not an end in itself, but it should lead us to act according to what we see and understand. It is difficult to accept true wisdom and understanding if we have not decided to act upon it. Such motivation also expresses our position of humility without which it is very difficult to receive something from God.
The search for God's perspective is not an end in itself, but it should lead us to act accordingly. #God #BibleTeaching #Truth #bgbg2 CLICK TO TWEETThe righteous judgment and perception of a particular situation, relationship, or person lead firstly to the deliverance and solution of the internal conflict inside us. The understanding and acceptance of God’s perspective and truth on a given subject leads to freedom and inner peace and tranquility.
From the position of this resolved internal conflict, we can meet and confront in the best and most successful way with the other peoplearound us or with the external circumstances. That is why the righteous judgment achieves also the goal to bring peace and restore God’s order and ruling in the problem domain.
„These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts.” (Zachariah 8:16)
The Focus of the Righteous Judgement
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”(Proverbs 4:23)
Above all, God calls us to judge and evaluate ourselves, our motives, thoughts, and reactions. Why? Because this is our primary sphere of responsibility and control.
You can learn more on this topic in the excellent book “Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life”. This is the most helpful resource for me after the Bible!
And only when our hearts and motives are pure, we can really judge the behavior or motives of other people and really help them. The main characteristic of the pure heart is that it stands transparent and open to God and allows Him to purify, shape, heal and refresh it. Such a heart has believed and trusted God’s love and has decided to follow it.
The pure heart does not hold unforgiveness and offense and does not seek its rights. Anger, jealousy, offense, and the desire for revenge hinder our motivation, blurring and distorting our vision.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)
Conclusion
The correct and righteous judgments as the base of successful and abundant life lie only on the excellent path of love. This is the way of accepting and giving God’s love.
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:12-13)
There are three important biblical ways in which we are to use discernment.
(1) Test all teaching for sound doctrine, and especially against the core doctrines of the Faith as laid down in the sixty six books of the Bible (see the chapter "Know What You Believe").
(2) Test all prophesies to see if they are biblical and if the predictions of a prophet all come true.
(3) Test their lives, words and actions for the fruit of the Spirit.
TEST THEIR TEACHINGS
The Church and individual Christians, are commanded by the Lord to reject false teachers -- heretics.
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; (KJV)
A heretic is defined by Peter as one who lays error alongside of truth, secretly introducing destructive heresies.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachersamong you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-- bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Christians are to reject those who preach a false gospel because they are condemned by the Lord..
Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
Even Paul, a foundational Apostle, encouraged his listeners to test his teaching against the written Word of God, and he stated that those who teach must not "go beyond what is written.".
Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
1 Corinthians 4:6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.
Believers are to be discerning.
Phil. 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.
Proverbs 15:14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
Proverbs 17:24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.
Proverbs 28:7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father
Proverbs 3:21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;
Why do we test teaching against the Scriptures? Because we are commanded to remain in sound doctrine, to keep the faith, to follow the teachings of the prophets, Apostles and Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Titus 2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
False teachers are liars and do not remain in sound doctrine.
1 Timothy 1:10 for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liarsand perjurers -- and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
We are warned by the Lord to test every spirit because many false prophets have gone out.
1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
How do we test the spirits? By comparing what they are teaching and prophesying to the Scriptures, and if they are living in the fruit of the Spirit. How do we do that? First we must be a believer in Christ to test anything rightly.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?
Then we test our own words and actions to be sure we are in the Faith and in sound doctrine.
Galatians 6:4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
How much are we supposed to test? Everything.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.
Are we to judge? Certainly. We are not to judge hypercritically (Matt. 7:1) -- in other words, judging someone while doing the same thing ourselves. We are not the final judge of anyone's salvation. But we are to judge what people teach and prophesy. Paul commanded those who listened to him to judge what he was saying.
1 Corinthians 10:15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
We must learn to judge rightly, now, because someday we will judge the earth and the angels with Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
We are told by the Lord to judge those inside the Church because God judges those outside. We are to reject heretics and expel wicked men from the assembly of believers because if they are allowed to remain they will leaven the whole lump.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."
We are to test prophecy to see if it comes true and is biblical. A true prophet is 100% accurate because he worships God in Spirit and in truth and speaks the truth. We must reject false prophets and remove them from the assembly of believers.
Duet. 13:1-5 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
False prophets may have a good track record, but they are never 100% accurate. However, they may be able to fool people into thinking they do. That's where the teaching test comes in, and why it is listed as the first test of discernment. Some prophets can look really good, but if they are teaching heresy you can be sure it is a test from God to see if you will "love Him with all your heart". John tells us that if we love the Lord we will obey His commands (John 14:21, 15:10; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 1:6). The Bible commands us over and over again to test, discern and judge teaching, prophecy and fruit. We must reject heretics who are unrepentant. If we do not obey the Lord in this, we are proving that we do not really love Him.
Deuteronomy 18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death."
We don't put false prophets to death today, but we are to remove ourselves from their presence.
Deuteronomy 18:22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
The Lord is against those who give false prophesies.
Jeremiah 23:32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD."They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 27:15 'I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. 'They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.'"
Those who follow false prophets will share in their judgment.
Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?
Jeremiah 23:31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.'
Jeremiah 27:15 'I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. 'They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.'"
Ezekiel 13:9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.
We are not to even listen to false prophecy.
Jeremiah 23:16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
False prophets are often those who claim they had a dream or a vision of the Lord or from the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:25 "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!'
False prophets are actually using divination and the delusion of their own minds instead of communicating with God.
Jeremiah 14:14 Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.
Ezekiel 22:28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-- when the LORD has not spoken.
Matt. 7:15-20 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
The final test is to compare the words and actions of any teacher or prophet with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:18-25. Notice that the passage above comes right after the passage most "Christians" quote today to try to make a case that we are not to judge at all, namely Matt. 7:1. If you read on you realize that "judge not" is not to be applied to every situation. The Bible has specific criteria on how to judge and how not to judge. In judging fruit, it is also helpful to look at the list of things in Galatians 5:18-25 that are the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit.
If a person falsely prophesies, even once, they are likely using divination and false visions. Are they trying to build a following and promote themselves, gaining fame? Then they likely have "selfish ambition". Do they promote "drunk in the Spirit"? That's the sin of "drunkenness". If they are stripping the poor of their money with crooked money-raising schemes, that's not the fruit of kindness. If their meetings are marked by wild manifestations, they do not have the fruit of peace or self-control. If they are cocky mockers they do not have the fruit of gentleness.
Gal. 5:18-25 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
The Lord will cut off anyone who does not bear fruit. This means anyone who does not have the fruit of the Spirit and has not been doing the will of the Father.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Finally, we must understand that those who are false teachers, false prophets, without the fruit of the Spirit are a blight on true Christianity. We must separate ourselves from them.
Rom. 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them
Eph. 5:11 And have no fellowshipwith the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them
2 Thess. 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh DISORDERLY, and not after the tradition which ye received of us 2 Tim. 3:5,7 Concerning the last days, he says that some will have "a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such turn away" for such people are "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"
2 John 10:11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds "
2 Cor. 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no the unclean thing; and I will receive you
Jude 1:12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm-- shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted-- twice dead.
We all were once in darkness. Now that we are in the light we must walk in the light, rejecting darkness.
Eph. 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
To recognize the fruit, we must test and investigate and not jump to ignorant prejudice conclusions and assumptions (Proverbs 18:13). We look at the whole counsel of God which is the completeness of Holy Scripture (Acts 20:27; 2 Timothy 4:2). We must understand that good fruit of the spirit are the characteristics of God and reflections of Christ Jesus; forgiving, merciful, selfless love, abundant giving, kindness, gracious, honest, peace seeking, patience, self control, and faithful ( Galatians 5:22-23). In contrast are bad fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:19-21). To rightly judge is to compare what is being tested against God and his Word.
When we test, discern, and rightly judge something that is contrary to truth; sometimes people's feelings get hurt. You may expose the fact they have been believing a lie or maybe they even enjoy living in the lie. And no matter your efforts to be loving and gentle, they will still get hurt or offended. Is that wrong? No. In 1 Kings 19:10 and Nehemiah 9:26 it is recorded that the prophets were murdered because they were calling out the people for believing in lies. Jeremiah was sought to be put to death for making people feel guilty (Jeremiah 38:4). The absolute most loving person, Jesus, was murdered by his own people. Only one Apostle died at an old age, the rest were murdered. All of this because of truth. When we canavoid offending someone, we should (Matthew 17:27); but when it comes to righteous judgements and truth, some times it is unavoidable (Matthew 6:60-66). Hurt feelings and feelings of being offended are not because of your righteous judgement but are actually because of their rejection of God's truths. Those who righteously judge will be hated and persecuted (Matthew 10:22, 24:9) because the truth of Jesus came as a sword that divides (Matthew 10:34-35).
The Process of Righteous Judgement;
- Listen to the issue
- Understand the issue
- Look at the fruit the issue produces
- Compare the issue to Holy Scripture
- Is the Issue explicitly addressed?
- Is Holy Scripture Silent on the issue?
- Determine the issues comparability to Holy Scripture
- What is declared about the issue and its fruit?
- Is Holy Scripture contradicted?
- Make a right judgement
- Is it a disputable matter?
- Is it contradictory to Holy Scripture?
- What is Holy Scripture's judgement on the issue?
- Privately Correct the person about the issue
- If they are not a Christian:
- Explain why you believe what you believe
- Present the gospel
- If they claim to be a Christian: Apply Church Discipline process.
Judging In 1 Corinthians
First, we must remember that the Corinthian church was filled with problems and sin. Paul wrote to them to address these issues. The very first time Paul spoke of judging in 1 Corinthians is in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15. But before we even go there, let’s see where Paul had been with his teaching.
In 1 Corinthians 2:4-5. Paul wrote,
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5
From that point in 1 Corinthians 2:4 all the way to verse 16, Paul basically built his case for the Holy Spirit as God’s manifested wisdom and power who knows all things.
Natural Man Vs. Spiritual Man
These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
1 Corinthians 2-13-15
Paul contrasts the natural and the spiritual man. The natural man doesn’t have the Holy Spirit who is God’s manifested wisdom and power who knows all things. Therefore, the natural man cannot receive spiritual things and sees them as foolish.
Paul set up his case for judging and making right judgments by teaching them that the Holy Spirit is the one who rightly judges. Without the Holy Spirit or submitted to the Holy Spirit, no one makes right judgments.
Let’s look at our opening statement from Paul.
But he who is spiritual judges all things
yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
1 Corinthians 2:15
When I looked at the original Greek language, I learned that the term for “all” as used in 1 Corinthians 2:15 means truly, certainly, surely, indeed. According to the Greek definition and how the term is normally used, “all” actually connects to the previous word, “judges”, yet still pointing forward making an affirmation or concession.
The Greek term for “things” means:
individually – each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
collectively – some of all types
Therefore, we recognize that “judges all things” might be interpreted as:
He who is spiritual truly, certainly, surely, and in deed judges all things.
The Concession
Let’s take a moment to recognize the following portion of that sentence is the concession. While Paul stated that a spiritual man judges all things, he also made the concession that the same person is rightly judged by no one.
One of my commentaries said that the spiritual man is free from human scrutiny (rightly judged by no one). Isn’t it strange that God says we are free from human scrutiny, but human scrutiny can cause us to react so strongly that we are often offended and so much to the degree that human scrutiny can cause us to make different decisions or change course. It is rare, and probably only when we are fully submitted to the Holy Spirit and fully identifying with our “in Christ” position that we are able to let human scrutiny roll off us like water off a duck’s back.
.
In 1 Corinthians 3:1, Paul speaks to the believers of this church as carnal Christians saying,
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people
but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:1
Then in 1 Corinthians 3:16, he reminds them:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16
The Corinthians were carnal Christians, living sinful lives and unaware of their true identity. The church was filled with problems and sin because they were not walking in the wisdom, knowledge, and power of the Holy Spirit but instead, in their own weak, carnal flesh
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul built the case that because they didn’t know their true identity, they also didn’t access the power of the Holy Spirit in them who is God’s manifested wisdom and power who knows all things.
1 Corinthians 4
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes...
1 Corinthians 4:3-5a
Paul was still speaking about judging based on human judgments which were no big deal to Paul. He puts so little confidence in human judgments that he didn’t judge himself. This makes perfectly good sense when we think about how unbalanced our judgments of ourselves can be. Especially when we consider our judgements from our human intellect or perceptions.
In many ways if we judged ourselves we might say we are good. And on the other hand, our other human tendency is to judge ourselves too harshly. We sometimes judge ourselves as a good for nothing, dirty, rotten scoundrel. Either one of these human judgments of ourselves are probably at the very least off base.
BUT GOD Is Our Just Judge
God is the only one who judges us rightly which I believe is Paul’s purpose in saying,
“Therefore judge nothing before the time.” Here he spoke of judging in an absolute sense. Judging in an absolute sense is God’s job and only happens in the specified time of Christ’s second coming and judgment day.
Here is our conclusion from today’s study. In Christ, we are called to live rightly judging all things and our power and ability to do that comes from the Holy Spirit in us. But we can’t live submitted to the desires of our flesh and in the power of the Holy Spirit at the same time. We must decide who we will submit to. Will it be ourselves? Or the Holy Spirit in us? If we choose the Holy Spirit, we can make right judgments.
21But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
Matthew 7:15-20 (Amplified Bible)
15Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.
16You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.
18A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear [excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].
19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
20Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (Amplified Bible)
12What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]?
13God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you [expel him from your church].
1 Corinthians 14:29 (Amplified Bible)
29 So let two or three prophets speak [those inspired to preach or teach], while the rest pay attention and weigh and discern what is said.
John 7:24 (Amplified Bible)
24Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.
Titus 1:9-16 (Amplified Bible)
9He must hold fast to the sure and trustworthy Word of God as he was taught it, so that he may be able both to give stimulating instruction and encouragement in sound (wholesome) doctrine and to refute and convict those who contradict and oppose it[showing the wayward their error].
10For there are many disorderly and unruly men who are idle (vain, empty) and misleading talkers and self-deceivers and deceivers of others. [This is true] especially of those of the circumcision party [who have come over from Judaism].
11Their mouths must be stopped, for they are mentally distressing and subverting whole families by teaching what they ought not to teach, for the purpose of getting base advantage and disreputable gain.
12One of their [very] number, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, hurtful beasts, idle and lazy gluttons.
13And this account of them is [really] true. Because it is [true], rebuke them sharply [deal sternly, even severely with them], so that they may be sound in the faith and free from error,
14[And may show their soundness by] ceasing to give attention to Jewish myths and fables or to rules [laid down] by [mere] men who reject and turn their backs on the Truth.
15To the pure [in heart and conscience] all things are pure, but to the defiled and corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are defiled and polluted.
16They profess to know God [to recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and [they are] unfit and worthless for good work(deed or enterprise) of any kind.
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