Covenant Reformed News – December 2012 • Volume XIV, Issue 8
This article from Covenant Reformed News provides practical biblical guidance on the proper application of Christ's command "Judge not" in Matthew 7:1, distinguishing between forbidden and required judgment. The author uses Scripture and proverbs to address specific categories where judging is inappropriate—matters of indifference (adiaphora), disputes outside one's jurisdiction, cases lacking full information, and judging others' motives—offering Reformed wisdom for Christian ethics and church life.
Judge Not! (2) In our last issue of the News, we considered the judging that is not forbidden (and the righteous judging that is required). We need now to consider the judging that is forbidden: “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matt. 7:1). We must not judge someone with regard to “adiaphora,” that is, in things indifferent. Romans 14 and I Corinthians 8 teach that this is a biblical category. For example, if a person eats only vegetables it is not per se sinful, so one should not judge or...