In Matthew 7:1, when Jesus says, "judge not that you be not judged," he is talking about judgmentalism. D.A. Carson defines judgmentalism as a "critical spirit [and] condemning attitude." It is looking down in a critical and condemning attitude at other followers of Christ who may believe a little differently than you or live a little differently than you, and the unfortunate truth is that we all have this proclivity. Some more than others, but there is a tendency in each one of us to be judgmental. It’s just a part of our sinful fallenness.
Here are 7 common characteristics of judgmental people:
Judgmental people are easily offended – they are easily offended because they are always on the lookout for that speck in their brother’s eye.
Judgmental people are nosy – In his commentary on Matthew, John Calvin says to judge is to “be influenced by curiosity in inquiring into the actions of others.” He calls this nosiness a “disease that condemns every trivial fault.” Judgmental people are nosy fault-finders.
Judgmental people are gossips. They are busy talking about the perceived faults of others.
Judgmental people elevate personal preference and conviction to the level of biblical truth, and then look down on others who think or live differently.
Judgmental people are quick to assume the worst and jump to conclusions about others.
Judgmental people have a generally negative view of others, but a generally positive view of themselves. You see we tend to think of difficulties in the lives of others as discipline or reaping what they have sowed; whereas we tend to think of difficulties in our own lives as "trials."
Judgmental people are defensive – they resist being confronted and corrected about their own faults. This is because they are so busy criticizing others, that they have lost awareness of their own sin.
7 Characteristics of Judgmental People
In Matthew 7:1, when Jesus says, "judge not that you be not judged," he is talking about judgmentalism. D.A. Carson defines judgmentalism as a "critical spirit [and] condemning attitude." It is looking down in a critical and condemning attitude at other followers of Christ who may believe a little differently than you or live a little differently than you, and the unfortunate truth is that we all have this proclivity. Some more than others, but there is a tendency in each one of us to be judgmental. It’s just a part of our sinful fallenness.
Here are 7 common characteristics of judgmental people:
From the sermon "The Danger of Judgmentalism"