And this is why I don’t read the comments that often…
Ah yes, the classic Facebook drive-by: “Christ called us to love, not to judge.” Thanks, Susan, we’ve all heard that line more times than “Sweet Caroline” at a Rockies game. But here’s the thing – if your entire theology can fit on a decorative pillow at Hobby Lobby, maybe it’s time to actually crack open that Bible you keep dusting around the nativity set.
Let’s start with this: the “Jesus = love only, no judgment” crowd is basically trying to turn the Lion of Judah into a Golden Retriever who just wants belly rubs and affirmation. Sorry, but the guy who called the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27) wasn’t exactly handing out scented candles and telling people to “just vibe.”
Jesus loved, yes (as do I) – but His love had teeth. His love demanded repentance. His love didn’t smile politely at corruption, sin, or hypocrisy. He wasn’t the passive-aggressive HOA president of heaven; He was the King, the Judge, and, dare I say, the table-flipping carpenter who didn’t mind sending a few folks scrambling with doves and coins flying everywhere (Matthew 21:12).
The “Judge Not” Crowd Needs New Material
Susan trots out Matthew 7:1 like it’s a mic-drop: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Cute. But two verses later, Jesus literally says: “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Newsflash: Jesus wasn’t banning judgment. He was banning hypocritical judgment. You know, the kind where someone screams “don’t judge” while, wait for it… judging you for judging. Romans 2:1 actually predicted Susan’s Facebook comment: “At whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself.” Paul must’ve had prophetic Wi-Fi.
So the Bible isn’t against judgment – it’s against lazy, self-righteous, mirror-blind judgment. The kind that points fingers but never looks inward. Real judgment? The Bible actually commands it. John 7:24: “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” Translation: Don’t just play shallow moral referee, but actually discern truth and call it out.
Love Without Judgment is Just Sentimentality
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: love without judgment is just spineless niceness. It’s cheap grace, empty slogans, and Hallmark-channel Christianity. Real love? Real love warns. Real love corrects. Real love doesn’t watch a friend walk off a cliff and say, “Well, I don’t want to judge their life choices.”
Jesus didn’t pat the woman caught in adultery on the head and say, “You do you, queen.” He said: “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). He combined compassion with a call to change. That’s lion love, not lamb fluff.
Paul doubled down in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked person from among you.’” That’s not exactly a warm hug and a “let’s agree to disagree.” That’s accountability, enforced with teeth.
Jesus the Lion: The Side Susan Wants to Ignore
The book of Revelation doesn’t exactly describe Jesus as a cozy hippie tossing rose petals into the wind. Revelation 19 paints Him as a warrior on a white horse, eyes like fire, robes dipped in blood, and a sword coming out of His mouth. That’s not “Jesus loves you, don’t judge,” that’s “Jesus is coming to make war against sin and injustice.”
This Lion Jesus – the one with the roar, not the bleat – is the one who tells the lukewarm church in Laodicea, “Because you are lukewarm – I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). Not exactly the kind of verse you’ll find on a coffee mug at LifeWay Christian Bookstore, but it’s in there, and it doesn’t sound like He’s shy about making judgments.
Susan, You’re Doing the Exact Thing You Condemn
Now let’s circle back to Susan’s comment. She says: “Christ called us to love, not to judge.” But by saying that, she’s literally judging me for being judgmental. It’s like someone yelling “No talking!” during a library meltdown.
If Susan really believed her own words, she’d scroll on by without typing. But she couldn’t resist, because deep down, even she knows judgment is inescapable. The only question is: will it be the shallow, hypocritical kind, or the righteous, truth-rooted kind Jesus calls us to exercise?
The Lion Roars
Here’s the reality: Jesus was both Lamb and Lion. The lamb forgives, but the lion demands change. The lamb invites, but the lion defends truth. The lamb comforts, but the lion confronts. A Christianity that only talks about the lamb ends up neutered, toothless, and irrelevant.
So Susan, before you weaponize “judge not” like it’s the Uno reverse card of theology, maybe consider that the same Christ who commanded love also commanded holiness, discernment, and yes, righteous judgment. He’s not your Pinterest Jesus. He’s the Lion of Judah, and He’s not purring – He roars!
