The Word "Judgmental"
Most Christians vigilantly and at all costs avoid being termed "judgmental." Like soldiers on a minefield, they diligently pursue their enemies with softened approaches as to not set one unsure footstep. Most of us, however cautious as we may be, will still inevitably set off one of these "J" bombs. The question is, are Christians not supposed to be judgmental or is the word being tossed around too flippantly?
I trust the latter. Let's look at the etymology of the word "judgmental" (the study of the word and how its meaning came to be.)
Judgmental (or judgemental) is the adjectival form of the word judge. It carries two meanings, however, and these two meanings can wreak havoc. Miriam Webster defines Judgmental as:
1.) relating to, or involving judgment.
2.) characterized by a tendency to judge harshly
Due to the two meanings of the word, further investigation is required. Let's look at the root, Judge. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED,) the word Judge emerged way back around AD 1290. Here is a breakdown of the etymology from the Online Etymology Dictionary:
Judge: c.1300, "to form an opinion about; make a decision," also "to try and pronounce sentence upon (someone) in a court," from Anglo-French juger, Old French jugier "to judge, pronounce judgment; pass an opinion on," from Latin iudicare "to judge, to examine officially; form an opinion upon; pronounce judgment," from iudicem (nominative iudex) "a judge," a compound of ius "right, law" (see just (adj.)) + root of dicere "to say" (see diction). Related: Judged; judging. From mid-14c. as "to regard, consider."
This is where the rubber meets the road. To judge something isn't a bad thing. The Bible clearly instructs Christians to judge what is right. That's why sin is clearly defined and instruction is given for discernment. In fact, Christ used this very notion of judgment in relating the people's need for Him as intercessor in Luke 12:57-58:
“And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?" “For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. “I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent.”
It wouldn't be a parable if it wasn't applicable. Jesus is begging for the people, who can predict the weather by the signs in the sky, to use their judgment on what is right and reconcile themselves to Him for the forgiveness of their debts, before they wind up guilty before the judge!
I trust the latter. Let's look at the etymology of the word "judgmental" (the study of the word and how its meaning came to be.)
Judgmental (or judgemental) is the adjectival form of the word judge. It carries two meanings, however, and these two meanings can wreak havoc. Miriam Webster defines Judgmental as:
1.) relating to, or involving judgment.
2.) characterized by a tendency to judge harshly
Due to the two meanings of the word, further investigation is required. Let's look at the root, Judge. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED,) the word Judge emerged way back around AD 1290. Here is a breakdown of the etymology from the Online Etymology Dictionary:
Judge: c.1300, "to form an opinion about; make a decision," also "to try and pronounce sentence upon (someone) in a court," from Anglo-French juger, Old French jugier "to judge, pronounce judgment; pass an opinion on," from Latin iudicare "to judge, to examine officially; form an opinion upon; pronounce judgment," from iudicem (nominative iudex) "a judge," a compound of ius "right, law" (see just (adj.)) + root of dicere "to say" (see diction). Related: Judged; judging. From mid-14c. as "to regard, consider."
This is where the rubber meets the road. To judge something isn't a bad thing. The Bible clearly instructs Christians to judge what is right. That's why sin is clearly defined and instruction is given for discernment. In fact, Christ used this very notion of judgment in relating the people's need for Him as intercessor in Luke 12:57-58:
“And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?" “For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. “I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent.”
It wouldn't be a parable if it wasn't applicable. Jesus is begging for the people, who can predict the weather by the signs in the sky, to use their judgment on what is right and reconcile themselves to Him for the forgiveness of their debts, before they wind up guilty before the judge!
Isn't that what Christians ought to be doing? We beg for people to reconcile themselves, to plead for mercy, to not go stubbornly to the judgment! We, as Christians, are not therefore guilty of being "judgmental" as is hurled around by those who stand condemned. We as Christians form an opinion based on provided evidences in light of what is just, right, or lawful.
Thus, the real issue at hand is what is decreed "right" or "wrong", not whether or not someone is being "judgmental." Nobody likes their toes stepped on and nobody likes to be told that their opinion is invalid. Yet that is what is guiding the determination of what is morally and ethically just or unjust, people's opinions! Postmodernism teaches that truth is relative to the individual and that the individual is, therefore, solely responsible for whatever ethical and moral conclusions they arrive at. What a logical nightmare! How can anyone be held responsible when there is no set standard to be held to?! Yet, that is the predominant agenda and philosophy of our society today.
Suppose those who stood in the juries of the Nuremberg Trials said to themselves, "Well, it really isn't our position to decide what is ethical or unethical for a foreign state or nation. So, we'll just acquit these condemned Nazi war criminals based on our inability to judge what is right or wrong. After all we wouldn't want the Germans to find us judgmental!"
Sounds goofy, yet that is exactly what we do when we back down from moral arguments on the sanctity of life, marriage, and other issues that are coherent to both scripture and logic.
So you, like I, have been deemed "judgmental?" Well, take heart Christian, following the etymology of that word will bring us to the recent date of AD 1892 (hundreds of years after the dawn of judge and judgment.) This was the time period where western society was coming up with such things like Religious Naturalism, which states that all things pertaining to religion, miracles, and the supernatural were not supernatural, but could be reasoned through those things which can be seen and measured empirically. This is also the time when western society made its philosophical leap of faith from God to Darwinism. Hence, the necessity of such a word being coined. Although this is just my opinion, it appears that believers have been termed "judgmental" from a world sprinting toward lawlessness for a long time now.
Thus, the real issue at hand is what is decreed "right" or "wrong", not whether or not someone is being "judgmental." Nobody likes their toes stepped on and nobody likes to be told that their opinion is invalid. Yet that is what is guiding the determination of what is morally and ethically just or unjust, people's opinions! Postmodernism teaches that truth is relative to the individual and that the individual is, therefore, solely responsible for whatever ethical and moral conclusions they arrive at. What a logical nightmare! How can anyone be held responsible when there is no set standard to be held to?! Yet, that is the predominant agenda and philosophy of our society today.
Suppose those who stood in the juries of the Nuremberg Trials said to themselves, "Well, it really isn't our position to decide what is ethical or unethical for a foreign state or nation. So, we'll just acquit these condemned Nazi war criminals based on our inability to judge what is right or wrong. After all we wouldn't want the Germans to find us judgmental!"
Sounds goofy, yet that is exactly what we do when we back down from moral arguments on the sanctity of life, marriage, and other issues that are coherent to both scripture and logic.
So you, like I, have been deemed "judgmental?" Well, take heart Christian, following the etymology of that word will bring us to the recent date of AD 1892 (hundreds of years after the dawn of judge and judgment.) This was the time period where western society was coming up with such things like Religious Naturalism, which states that all things pertaining to religion, miracles, and the supernatural were not supernatural, but could be reasoned through those things which can be seen and measured empirically. This is also the time when western society made its philosophical leap of faith from God to Darwinism. Hence, the necessity of such a word being coined. Although this is just my opinion, it appears that believers have been termed "judgmental" from a world sprinting toward lawlessness for a long time now.
Christians, therefore, have no need to fear being labeled "judgmental." Every believer stands in judgment of something, primarily, of himself. All Christians are justified by their very judgment of sin's presence within themselves and their submission to the Lordship of Christ. Subsequently, the life of sanctification appears judgmental to those lost in darkness who refuse to come to the light. Christians judge sin, but realize that they, themselves, are not The Judge. Thus, let us cling to what is true and be undeterred in the proclamation of the good news, that in our rebellion we sought to conceal our darkness and sin, but facing death and hell, Christ, sinless and pure, was crucified for the sins of the world so that all who expose their darkness to His marvelous light will be brought from death to life, from condemnation to freedom.
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