Judge Not

"There's a place for judging. A few, in fact. According to the collective witness of Jesus, Paul, John, Solomon, and Jude, behavior, words, and doctrine can and should be judged.

Eternal Destiny, Thoughts, and Motives: No
I can't see into anyone's heart. I can't read minds. Nor can I predict where someone will be in the future. For all those reasons, I cannot judge another person's eternal status, thoughts, or motives.

Granted, I can say with confidence, as John did, "He who hath the Son hath life; he who hath not the son hath not life." (I John 5:12) So I can assert to my unsaved friend, on Biblical authority, "You do not have life without Christ." But since I don't know where that friend will be tomorrow, much less ten years from now, I cannot say, "You'll never get into heaven." Likewise, when someone claims to be a believer and I find a contradiction between their behavior and their profession, I can say with confidence, "You're wrong." But I'm in no position to say, "And therefore you are not saved."

I likewise cannot take it on myself to judge another's motives. I may say a man is wrong in word or deed, but I'm in no position to say what motivates him. I don't know what he's thinking; I don't know what drives him. So I'm literally unable to make a proper judgement about something I can neither see nor measure.

Morally unable, too. If I see your sin and judge it as such, that's one thing. But if I conclude that you're a terrible sinner while I'm a terrific guy, then I'm the one Jesus had in mind when He asked why I would behold the speck in a brother's eye while ignoring the plank in my own. (Luke 6:41) That's hypocrisy, something deadly, and specifically hated by Christ.

As is self-righteousness, a sin He also railed against pretty hard. If I set myself above other people because they practice sins that I don't, that attitude generates a sin which is, I'm pretty sure, more repulsive to God than the ones I congratulate myself for not committing! Interesting, isn't it, that in the seven things God is reported to find abominable, the one topping the list is a proud look?
(Proverbs 6:17)"
                   -  Joe Dallas