I'd like to know if there's any bible quote supporting the JW practice of judging people now. I've read a lot of 'judge not lest ye be judged' stuff, and I thought that the one doing the judgment was God, on judgment day, and in the meantime we're just doing our best.
Judgement
by sass_my_frass 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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garybuss
Elders Are Teachers and Judges
As "Judge of all the earth," Jehovah provides fatherly
correction and discipline whenever needed. (Gen. 18:
25; Heb. 12:5, 6)
He has raised up elders to serve as counselors and judges.
(Isa. 1:26)
By judging in righteousness, you may turn others back
from a sinful course. (Prov. 14:12;Jer. 10:23, 24)
God's Word is the basis for needed correction. (2 Tim.
3: 14-17)
The responsibility of elders involves more than handling
Judicial matters.
You must also teach, making clear what God requires.
Encourage the rendering of whole-souled service to
God and faithful obedience to his righteous principles.
Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock
Unit 5b page107 -
FairMind
I think after reading garybuss' post the the judging elders are to do is more in line with discipline and not in the sense of final judgement (only God has that right).
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mdb
"Judge" for yourself.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matt 7:1-5“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Lk 6:37,38Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Jn 7:24Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:4 (in context - Rom 14:1-13)But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
Rom 14:10-13 (in context - Rom 14:1-13)For what have I to do with judging those also 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 person.”
1 Cor 5:12,13If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?...
1 Cor 6:4-9Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
James 4:11,12Sometimes, the person (or organization) that judges has an entire forest jammed in their own eye, not just a plank. Scripturally, there is basis for judgement within the church. It's unfortunate that the WTS doesn't have the truth and in reality they're judging outside the church because they aren't God's church. God will be their judge.
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garybuss
You wrote: "I think after reading garybuss' post the the judging elders are to do is more in line with discipline and not in the sense of final judgement (only God has that right)."
The TEACHING is that those who are not in good standing with the Watch Tower Society are doomed. That seems rather final to me. The Pay Attention book quote provides written corporate policy for judging (eliminating hope for salvation) and the bible quotes used by the corporation supporting the Jehovah's Witnesses' practice of judging people now.
The Watch Tower Corporation has nothing to do with God or religion, it's a book printing and distribution business demanding compliance from it's unpaid employees. The elders effectively have the virtual power of life or death (all in the context of the established delusion).
Actually the power of life and death is real when applied to blood medical treatment, and it's real when applied to families. Elders have killed many a family. -
ferret
Being in for 40 years I think every J.W. is a self appointed judge. They expect everyone to be a robot for the WT. They do not think that everyone has a personality of their own. My family members still in judge me everyday by being robot shunners.
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candysearching
Seems to me that a "loving" congregation would offer support when a person is "backsliding". What type of loving people would cast out the very people who need support. Not only do they "cast out the evil from among them" they also encourage the families of these individuals to break off all ties. What bond between "church" and members that it overrides the bond between families?
It's NOT NORMAL!