Far too often, there’s confusion around what Jesus truly meant when He taught not to judge others. To understand His message, it’s essential to distinguish between types of judgment.
There are judgments that are necessary, objective, and morally neutral—what we might call discernment or truth-based observation. These are made in order to accurately describe a situation or a person’s actions in light of evident facts. For instance, if someone openly embraces hateful ideologies—say, living in a home filled with Nazi paraphernalia and promoting hostility toward Jews or African Americans—it is not “judgmental” to say that person racist. That is an objective assessment grounded in observable truth, not a personal condemnation born of malice. A just society relies on such clarity to function.
However, Jesus’ teachings go deeper than simply warning against calling wrong “wrong.” What He truly condemns is judgment as condescension towards anyone, in particular those who are suffering—the kind that dehumanizes or dismisses someone for their actions, regardless of the suffering or desperation that may have motivated them. This is the critical distinction. It is important for culture to identify condescension when it happens while also most importantly identifying it as judgement to anyone who claims to follow the teachings of Jesus. Far too often this goes unchallenged and has become completely normalized. The primary reason why judgment is inherently wrong in the teachings of Jesus, is that it is inspired by an egotistical desire to appear better than someone else. This is an important aspect to identify and catch as it’s happening. Any sense of superiority is our egos trying to convince us that we are better than others, distinct and not unified and one with others.
It is also critical not to judge someone based on their appearances, due to where they currently are in their life, or the poor decisions they made in their life. All judgements are derived from our egos and designed to perpetuate division and designed to uplift your ego to make yourself feel superior to others.
Beware of your targets of judgement, as it may reveal a lack of empathy. For example, a person who steals food to survive, or lies to secure shelter or safety, may be breaking social or legal codes—but their actions are driven by basic survival, not evil intent. To punish or judge such a person instead of helping them is not justice; it is cruelty. Jesus’ message is a call to empathetic discernment—to look beyond the act and understand the human story behind it.
We must resist the urge to judge people harshly when their wrongdoing stems from deep need or suffering. Their actions should be seen not as an opportunity to condemn, but as an invitation to extend help and healing. In contrast, choosing punishment over compassion, especially within a broken system such as the prison industrial complex, only perpetuates cycles of suffering.
In short, you are not violating Jesus’ teaching by objectively identifying hate, racism, or injustice when it’s clearly present. That is not the type of judgment Jesus warned against. But you are judging in the way Jesus warned against when you write off the struggling, the poor, or the desperate—those who may behave in ways you don’t approve of simply because they are trying to survive. These are the moments you must extend your blessings, and your love to them. Even offering your help if it is possible.
To refrain from that kind of toxic judgment is to walk in the shoes of another, to understand their pain, and to reflect Christ’s own compassion. When you choose mercy over condemnation, you’re aligning yourself with the heart of Jesus’ message: love over law, empathy over exclusion, healing over punishment.
If there’s a silver lining to judging others in casual and social conversations, it’s that it offers a rare glimpse into yourself—a mirror revealing what you may be unconsciously projecting. We constantly perceive ourselves in others. When you find yourself labeling someone as insensitive, inconsiderate, or selfish, those are not just criticisms of another person—they’re prompts for self-reflection. More often than not, the very traits we condemn are reflections of unresolved parts of our own character.
This is where the deeper wisdom of Jesus’ teachings comes into play. When you judge someone, pause and ask yourself: Is this a quality I, too, possess? If the answer is yes, then the next step is not further condemnation—but forgiveness. Forgive the other person for what you accused them of, not because they were innocent, but because they became a mirror to help you recognize something within yourself. This is the essence of Jesus’ prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”. This is also your prompt for not only asking for forgiveness for demonstrating those qualities in your own life, but also help to be relieved and steer away from engaging in any of those toxic habits, qualities in the future. (Hence, lead us not into temptation in the lord’s prayer)
In everyday conversation, this self-projection is often casually acknowledged through phrases like “you’re projecting,” “look in the mirror,” or “pot calling the kettle black.” These statements, while sometimes said mockingly, are actually spiritual cues—flags from the universe urging you to engage in honest introspection. Instead of reacting defensively (as the ego tends to do), try receiving such moments with humility. They may be revealing truths about yourself that you’ve yet to fully face.
If during an argument, you call someone selfish and later realize you were acting selfishly too, don’t linger in guilt. Forgive them, ask the universe our source and father to forgive you, and move toward reconciliation with that person. Extend grace: a kind word, a high five, a hug—something to restore peace and harmony.
Interestingly, the original translation of the Lord’s Prayer uses the word “debts” rather than “trespasses.” This suggests a transactional mindset—as if others “owe” us for their offenses. But the spiritual invitation here is to release all those perceived debts. No one owes you anything. Let it go. And ask our Father to forgive your debts, just as you have forgiven theirs.
This process is sacred: recognizing projection towards others, extending forgiveness, and asking the Holy Spirit for help to overcome the very faults you’ve identified in others. When you do this sincerely, the universe—aligned with divine will—begins to rearrange itself in support of your transformation. That is the quiet power of grace at work within you.
In Summary,
Many Christians misunderstand what Jesus meant when he spoke against judgment. Simply making an objectively accurate descriptive statement about someone is not what Jesus condemned. For instance, identifying someone as a racist based on their actions is not inherently judgmental in the way Jesus warned against. However, labeling someone as “annoying,” “useless,” “lazy,” or hurling insults like “a-hole” are examples of the kind of condemnation Jesus cautioned his followers to avoid. These are not neutral observations—they are judgments on a person’s worth or character, often rooted in ego, contempt, or malice. All of course are intended to damage any belief in your unity and oneness with them that you should be feeling and should never be disrupted.
The problem lies not just in the act of making a judgment, but in the spirit behind it. Words like “judgment” have drifted in meaning over time, and this linguistic shift has led to confusion about the original teachings. In true Christianity, saying someone is a thief after they’ve been caught stealing is a factual statement. But accusing people who receive public assistance of being “leeches” or “crooks” is a moral condemnation—a projection of superiority, which is exactly the kind of judgment Jesus opposed.
Not all judgements are discouraged of course. Calling someone a “sweetheart” while technically being a judgment—it is a statement about character—but one offered in love. Thus, it is not judgment alone that is discouraged, but the tone, intent, and spirit in which such judgments are made. Jesus did not forbid discernment, but he did forbid condemnation and condescension. He also did not forbid the objectively true assessments of someone based on things they have actually done. It’s important to honestly evaluate if the judgment is identifying something objectively true or it is just your way of feeling superior to them. Superficial judgments such as appearances have to be eliminated completely as well, of course.
This is especially relevant when discussing marginalized communities. The judgment and rejection of the gay community by many who claim to follow Christ is a public and persistent betrayal of his core teaching: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” To declare someone evil, broken, or wrong simply for who they are is to step into the very role Jesus warned against—usurping the authority of God and dispensing condemnation in His name. In the context of the LGBTQ community, it’s especially antichristian to judge them without fully understanding yet why they turn out the way they do, and it is something we are slowly beginning to unravel the more we study and research in social and biological sciences. To pretend we know everything in these sciences is not only arrogant, it’s ignorant. It is far safer to extend your love to them and not to judge them just as Jesus instructed. It is especially troubling to see Christians eagerly and aggressively looking for ways to judge and hate these people despite the most fundamental teachings of their own faith telling them to love them and not to judge them. It is disappointing to say the least.
In the biblical story where Jesus states “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” and “Let ye who is without sin cast the first stone”. In this story, the person who was being identified as a “sinner” for cheating on their spouse was not the target of Jesus’ criticism and lesson. It was towards the person who was making the judgement on a person who had clearly done wrong. The story does not deny that the cheating woman had done wrong, but the emphasis is on the person who had judged, who is purely judging to boost and expand the ego of the man judging her in a demonstration of making himself feel superior as well despite him definitely having achieved wrong in his own life.
Using Scripture to justify hatred, exclusion, or violence is not only a misuse of the text—it is a rejection of the Spirit of God, who is love. Jesus never taught hatred. He never endorsed anger or violence. His way was mercy, compassion, and radical love. Homophobia and other forms of bigotry are not born of righteousness—they are byproducts of fear, hatred and ignorance.
Judging our brothers and sisters as “different” or “abnormal” are both a test of our faith and a test of our love. They reveal whether we truly follow Jesus or merely use his name. To follow Christ is to bless, not curse; to love, not condemn. Any other path is a denial of the very heart of his message.
Many Blessings Your Way! Join my mailing list if you want occasional updates.
I do not spam email boxes and will not try to sell you anything!
Leave a Reply