Atheist, Mark D, stated: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) “The quote from Jesus above gives Christians permission not to use their critical faculties. When you don’t judge, you don’t think for yourself. When you don’t judge, you can allow all sorts of people with bad intentions to take advantage of you. When you don’t judge, you can put your child at risk of being abused by a predator. Judge early and often is my advice, because even if you are wrong in your judgments, it is better to learn from your mistakes than to be a victim of someone, who has judged you as an idiot for not judging them. Thoughts?”

Christian response to Mark…

You do not understand the teaching point Jesus was making and you missed the context as well. Jesus was forbidding judgment in hypocrisy e.g. remove the plank from your own eye before judging the speck in your brother’s eye. The Apostle Paul elaborates on this as well…

It is written…

“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?” Romans 2:1-3 (NASB)

Jesus does expect His faithful to judge in all things daily; how else can the faithful discern and differentiate between good and evil, right and wrong, righteousness and unrighteousness, as they pursue sanctification in the Spirit if one does not judge with wisdom and guidance by the Holy Spirit?

Our Creator has provided mankind with wisdom, discernment, the moral law infused within our inner-man at creation, in order that we might judge righteously in all things. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit residing within every true believer that provides the necessary wisdom and discernment to judge righteously.

Concerning the indwelling Holy Spirit as Teacher…

“These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” 1 John 2:26-27 (NASB)

Jesus commands His faithful to judge all things using a “righteous judgment” i.e. judge all things in accordance with the word of God in Truth by the Spirit of Truth!