To judge or not to judge?

“A few verses to consider before you write or read a critique calling out the perceived flaws of another gospel-preaching Christian or ministry” (Cary Schmidt, Facebook):

Philippians 1:18 “18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.”

Luke 9:49, 50 “49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

Romans 14:4 “4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

James 4:11, 12 “11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”

2 Timothy 2:23 “23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.”

Titus 3:9 “9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”

Luke 6:41, 42 “41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.”

Romans 2:1 “1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.”

2 Corinthians 10:12 “12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

Galatians 5:15 “15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”

Galatians 2:6 “6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:”

Ephesians 4:29 “29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
These verses all have one thing in common: ministering grace onto the hearers.

As far as flaws, I believe we ought to call out the flaws in the things we do or say . It is to the hope of discouraging errors, harms, to self and others. It is no judgement of another to call the flaws for we are not condemning them or passing on sentences because of the flaws. Instead, we are reminding ourselves of our own weaknesses. The flaws, we all share them to some degree so that we do not boast in ourselves but in Christ and in God who is able to make us stand. Better yet, we ought to be confessing our own flaws, our struggles, our weaknesses, our errors to one another, not to be praised by them, but to testify of how God has set us free from them, and that our perfection is founded in Christ’s sacrifice and not in what we do. Calling out flaws in our works is what Christ did in the letters to the churches, not to shame them but to strengthen them by reminding them of the true source of their joy, himself. If we can’t approach one another and question one another on what we perceive as a flaw in doctrine or deed, then we have a greater problem called hypocrisy. I’d love someone to call out my flaws, or their perceived flaws of me or any work done by grace or the flesh. At least, to me, it means that they’re paying attention and that’s a good thing in itself. My strength, our strength, is in Christ, not others’ approval of what we do. Nevertheless, we surely feel like catching a break, and even shed a tear when another approves our work. My reminder is everything said in this post in addition to the following: ““Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

(1 John 4:1-6)