When I was preparing the sermon for last Sunday about Jesus’ teachings about “Judge not lest ye be judged” and God’s compassionate nature, I kept feeling that it would just be better as a conversation. I had pushed the thought away and plowed ahead writing a sermon. But when it actually came time to deliver on Sunday, maybe it was that my vacation had loosened me up, maybe it was the lack of sleep from the extended journey home, but I was willing to just go with the Holy Spirit and invite anyone at the church who was moved to share their thoughts and experiences about judgment. The word “sermon,” after all, is from the Latin word “sermo,” which means conversation.


I led with some questions, which you can see below. Then I opened it up to whomever wanted to share. I was delighted and relieved that the folks at UCCVF were up for it! There’s a lot of wisdom in the room. What folks shared, both during the service and in conversation elsewhere, about their journeys with faith and judgment was moving and thoughtful and provocative … and ongoing.

Is it news for you to hear that Jesus said “Be merciful, like God is: do not judge and you won’t be judged”? Or is “Judge not lest ye be judged” something you’re pretty familiar with?

Would you say that Christians do by and large really take this to heart? That “judge not” is a central focus for how Christians actually try to practice their faith. In other words, would you say that Christians have the reputation of being non-judgmental?

But would you say that this teaching of Jesus about being nonjudgmental really should be a more front and center in our practice as people of faith?

Would say that judgment from others is an issue for your sense of being well in your soul? In other words, would you feel a relief if you felt less judgment from others, maybe someone specific or general social judgments?

Would you say that judgment of yourself is an issue for your sense of being well in your soul. Would you feel a relief if you were less judgmental of yourselves?

Would you say that your being judgmental of others is an issue for your sense of being well with your soul? Would you feel a relief if you were less judgmental of others?

Would you say that feeling judgment from God is an issue for your sense of being well in your soul? Are you very concerned about God’s judgment against you?

Do you feel God’s nature to be merciful, to be free of judgment at its heart?

Would you say that you have grown over the course of your life to be less judgmental of others, and/or less judgmental of yourself, and/or feeling less judgment and more mercy from God?

What is the difference between exercising “sound judgment” and being “judgmental”? Why is that important?

Jesus taught,

“Be as compassionate as your Creator is.

Don’t pass judgment, and you won’t be judged.

Don’t condemn and you won’t be condemned.

Forgive, and you’ll be forgiven.

Give, and it will be given to you, in full measure, overflowing.

For the standard you apply will be the standard applied to you.”

At the heart of God’s nature, Jesus teaches, is mercy. Compassion. Lovingkindness.

But Jesus also seems to be saying that if we deny that mercy and are judgmental and condemning and unforgiving, then we will also be judged and condemned and not forgiven. The standard you apply will be the standard applied to you.

Jesus teaches that there is a deep connection between the judgment and condemnation we give and the judgment and condemnation we receive. And that all this is deeply connected to our experience of God, as either merciful or judgmental.

And, Jesus is saying, however it is we seem to be experiencing God, the truth is that God is compassionate.

Now, let me just clarify something important here, when we’re talking about judgment.

I think it’s safe to say that we all consider having sound judgment to be a virtue. We want to exercise what we call “good judgment,” and to support others to have “good judgment.” This kind of judgment is different than what Jesus is talking about here, which is judgmentalism, condemnation.

We need good judgment for basic survival. Bad judgment can lead to death.

We should be discerning in a responsible way about what is safe or dangerous, who is trustworthy or untrustworthy.

“Judge not” does not mean that we shouldn’t be discerning about the content of people’s character in making important decisions.

If someone has proven themselves to be untrustworthy, as Christians it’s okay if we name that and choose to not put our trust in them.

If someone has proven themselves to be irresponsible, it’s okay for us to name that and choose to not make them responsible for important things.

If someone has proven themselves to abuse power, it’s okay for us to name that and choose to not give them power.

When Jesus first sent his disciples out to minister on their own he told them that it’s a dangerous world out there, so they should “be as savvy as serpents … and as innocent as doves.”

Savvy and innocent, wise and gentle, discerning but not hard-hearted, of sound judgement but not judgmental.

How judgmentalism is different from sound judgment is that judgmentalism makes absolute statements about someone’s value or worth, it condemns someone as an entire person based on our judgments about them. Many times, that’s the whole point of the judgments, to make someone out to be greater or lesser, better or worse, in their essence. To take this kind of extreme view, which we do all the time, collapses the fullness of ourselves and others. It is severely limited, suffocating of who people are and of the world itself.

It’s just amazing how true it is that if we’re dishing out a lot of judgment and condemnation, we may find that we ourselves are feeling a lot of judgment or fear of judgment. Very often people are projecting onto others the judgment they feel or fear, the shame and guilt within them, trying to prove to themselves that they are righteous by making a big deal about of how unrighteous someone else is. When we do this, we are suffering under the thumb of a domineering god of judgement. Now, that god may not be ultimately the real god, but the suffering sure can be real.

         But the sting of judgmentalism can come on the heels of things that we’d call sound judgment.

         If someone truly makes a big mistake or many mistakes, how can we let that be true without letting that define their entire selves, without it condemning their souls? Or ours, if we are the ones who have really messed up? How can we be honest while also keeping open to all the other parts of ourselves that are true and important.

         How can we take more of a God’s eye view of the situation?

         Our God who embraces and loves us, each and all, as we are, in our beauty and our brokeness? Our God whose heart breaks for us, each and all, as we are? Our God who is beyond each and all, yet has set within us each and all an flame, even just a flicker of the love and mercy at the heart of the Creator of this beautiful and broken world. 

         Life is hard enough, without us making it harder on ourselves. God wishes for us to be free, and to allow others to be free, to be more fully who we are created to be.

         So I wish for each of you, for all of us, to help each other allow God’s mercy to free us from however judgmentalism has hurt us.

         Thanks be to God.

Delivered June 25, 2023, by Rev. Nathaniel Mahlberg at the United Church of Christ at Valley Forge.

Image: Pointing Fingers, Francine Pallister, Creative Commons – Share Alike 3.0