Judge Not

 We are called to edify and encourage one another. But pointing the finger of blame, over-stating a brother's fault, participating in unfounded gossip, censorious speech, or condemning the legitimate, freewill choices of another Christian, when their actions conflict with the freewill standards we have chosen, is considered to be evil speech.
 It is quite sobering to realize that the spirit behind evil, incorrect speech, is not only a sin; because it violates God's written Word, but contravenes every biblical instruction on godly living, we are not to judge one another. "Judge Not," Christ warned us, "that ye be not judged?"
 We are certainly called to judge the spiritual fruit of pastors and teachers, and to check the doctrines they teach against Scripture. We are to be spiritually discerning. We are to beware of false teachers and be able to identify unbiblical teachings and doctrines. However, we are not instructed to judge the thoughts, hearts, motives, and behavior of others. It degrades our own testimony and dishonors the Lord, Who is the only one worthy to judge the thoughts of the heart and the actions of a others.
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray that we may become a doer of Your holy law and not fall into the foolish trap of judging it, by condemning the actions of others. Lord, You alone can judge the thoughts of the heart and we have no right to condemn others, through our own self-righteous attitude. Keep us humble before you and help us to become an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and not their accuser. Keep us from being 'wise in our own conceit', or making arbitrary assumptions about the motives of others and above all, teach us to love others as Christ loves us, for in so doing we will honor Your name, as Christ lives in and through us. In His precious name we Pray, AMEN.