Let’s read that verse: “Therefore JUDGE NOTHING before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.” If we took this verse on its own (apart from the context in which it is found) we would have to conclude WE CAN’T JUDGE ANYTHING, for the Lord Himself will JUDGE EVERYTHING when He comes. But there are other passages of Scripture where we are taught to JUDGE SOME THINGS. Before we look at them, we will now examine the context to see exactly what it is that we should not judge.

“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 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” (verses 1-4; NKJV).

 The subject here is CHRISTIAN SERVICE. Paul speaks of himself and other apostles as “servants of Christ” who were “stewards of the mysteries of God.” The “mysteries of God” were truths that had never been revealed before (in Old Testament times) but God had now revealed them to the apostles, especially the Apostle Paul. Paul and the other apostles were entrusted with these truths and were responsible to faithfully teach them to other believers. The day is coming when the Lord Jesus Christ will JUDGE Paul’s service. Until then, Paul thought very little of man’s judgment of his service (he no doubt was being judged by the saints at Corinth and possibly by unbelievers too, yet he knew that man was incapable of making a true judgment). He adds that even his own “personal judgment” of his service could not be trusted, though he was not aware of any unfaithfulness in his acts of service. Paul knew that only the Lord is capable of examining his life of service, so he states boldly, “He who judges me is the Lord.” And as we saw in verse 5, when the Lord does judge him, ALL WILL BE REVEALED, including everything that was done in secret and the motives behind every act of service. Was his service done properly (according to the will of God with the desire to glorify Christ and not himself)? The Lord alone would reveal all and all that was done for the glory of God (and for the blessing of others) would receive praise from God. I would encourage you to read 1st Corinthians 3:5-15 where this future judgment of one’s CHRISTIAN SERVICE is spoken of in greater detail.

A word is in order about SOMETHING WE SHOULD JUDGE. In 1st Corinthians chapter 5 we learn that sin had broken out in the assembly at Corinth (a man was living in FORNICATION…see verse 1) and it was NOT BEING JUDGED by the assembly. The Apostle Paul rebukes them for this (verse 2) and then he tells them “I have already JUDGED HIM who has so done this deed” (verse 3). In verse 4 he gives them this command: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, DELIVER SUCH A ONE TO SATAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” He ends the chapter with these words, “For what have I to do with judging those who are outside? Do you not JUDGE THOSE WHO ARE INSIDE? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ‘put away from yourselves the evil persons.’” This means we are to JUDGE SIN IN OUR LOCAL CHURCH! We saw that we are not to judge one’s motives in service, but here we learn that we are to judge acts of sin by those inside our local fellowship. I often hear people quote Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged,” and they go on to say WE SHOULD NEVER JUDGE ANYONE. But the context there is like what we saw in our verse for today where WE NOT TO JUDGE MOTIVES. The lesson is quite simple, we “not to judge what we cannot see,” but we “are to judge the outward acts of sin that we can see.”  (DO)  (596.5)