Rashly Judging by D. T. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 23, 1871

Rashly Judging.

By D. T. Bourdeau

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matt. 7:1, 2.

This passage does not imply that we may not decide in the light of God’s word whether the course of others is good or evil; for the Saviour tells us in the same chapter, “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” verse 16; and the Scriptures make it a part of our duty to show our fellow-creatures their sins, that they may reform, and not die. The meaning of this scripture is evidently this: We should not condemn rashly, in a final sense, and without mercy, our erring brethren. We are in danger of doing this when we are tried with them, and their faults are magnified to our minds by Satan. Then we are liable to overlook the beam that is in our own eye while trying to remove the mote out of our brother’s eye, and should remember that if we cast off our weak brethren, God will also cast us off. With what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again. But if we are merciful, we shall obtain mercy. Let those beware who are inclined to rashly judge their brethren.

“The time is coming when the saints shall judge the world,” 1 Cor. 6:2; but it is no part of their work to judge those to whom God is merciful and for whom Christ died. “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Cor. 4:5. D. T. BOURDEAU.