By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

Contrary to what society wants us to believe, there is no such thing as a “good” Christian or a “bad” Christian. Good and bad are subjective. What one person would define as good, another person would define as bad. Labelling ourselves or others as “good” Christians or “bad” Christians simply because we have different interpretations of Scripture is ludicrous.

That’s not to say we can’t call out sin. Guiding our brothers and sisters to make morally sound decisions is foundational to Christian living. Judging them is not. Bullying them on social media, physically confronting them in public spaces, threatening them in any way- this is not what Jesus teaches.

I’m not even referring to denominational differences, though arguments can certainly be made. We judge the fellow congregants in our own denominations and churches! We become eager to tell others they’ve got it wrong and force our own interpretations on them. And when they do the same to us? Oh boy, do we lash out. Talk about having a chip on your shoulder. We become irate, indignant, digging our heels in.

Judgment is pride wrapped up in self-righteousness and it will destroy us if we let it.

Pride Cometh before the Fall

Only God can judge. “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” (James 4:12 KJV). When we declare our fellow Christians to be “bad,” we are making ourselves a god. It’s like telling the Almighty that we know better than He does.

It is not our responsibility to do God’s job. It is our responsibility to love one another. Declaring that another Christian is “bad” doesn’t sound very loving, does it? Yet we lose ourselves to pride. We conform to this earthly world, the one that tells us our value lies in our accolades. Secular culture emphasizes a me-first attitude where stepping on other people to get what you want is encouraged. It creeps into our Christian lives by whispering that it’s okay to prove you are a better Christian than everyone else.

Pride leads us down dangerous paths, paths where we judge the Christians around us because it makes us feel better about ourselves. We wear being “good” Christians like a badge of honor. We convince ourselves that we’ll find favor with God because our beliefs are “right” and their beliefs are “wrong.”

Balancing the Scales

Instead of offering grace to our brothers and sisters, we condemn them, and in doing so, condemn ourselves. As Jesus says in Luke 6:37, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven…” (KJV). It is not for us to judge other people. We do not have the right to determine the parameters of what makes someone a “good” or “bad” Christian. When we do make that judgment, we cast judgment upon ourselves.

Paul reiterates the fallacy of judging one another in Romans 2: 1-3 (KJV):

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

We will all face God’s judgment one day. All the accusations and threats we make against other Christians will be weighed. God doesn’t compare us to one another. When He judges you, He won’t be looking at how other people lived their lives or followed Jesus versus how you approached Christianity. He will focus only on you. Your pride belongs to you alone. No amount of labelling other Christians as “bad” will change how God judges you. That’s what both Jesus and Paul were saying. It’s about our hearts. It’s about how we spread God’s love. So how will you tip the scales?

Judge Not

I am the first to admit that I’m guilty of judging other Christians. There are many interpretations and definitions and approaches that I disagree with. But I’m trying to do better, and I hope you are, too.

Forget about who’s a “good” Christian or who’s a “bad” Christian. If we got the theology wrong, then God will correct us. But that’s God’s prerogative. It’s not up to us. Leave judgment to the Lord and work on loving people instead.