Matthew 7 is such a great passage. It really gets at how we relate to others and how we view ourselves. If you haven't read it for awhile, pick up your Bible and read the first 10 verses or so.
You can really evaluate the health of a church or inidividual by how well they handle the mavericks... you know, those people who walk to the beat of a different drummer, push the envelope of tradition for tradition sake. How well does a person or group respond when they feel threatened, pushed, challenged? It is precisely in these moments that person may turn to judgement, condemnation, and standard setting in order to reduce uncomfortable feelings and the threat of being challenged.
It is Biblical to evaluate another for the purpose of offering loving correction and restoration (I Cor. 5:12; Gal. 6:1; Matt. 18:15). So when does evaluation become judgement? Let me suggest three hallmarks of judgement. First, a person will place himself or herself above another. This is done in many subtle ways, through education, years in ministry, age and maturity, socioeconomic status, denominational tag, the leader one follows (Paul warned against this one... I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas (I Cor. 1:12). A modern day example of this would be- I am of this pastor, I am of that church or seminary, I am of this theological belief... the only correct theological belief, etc.). Plain and simply, it is pure self-righteousness. It is playing god, and it is sinful because if fails to recognize Christ's work on the cross and the work of grace and forgiveness. Healthy evaluation starts with identifying oneself as a fellow struggler of the faith and humbling oneself knowing that "all fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23) and all can be tempted.
Second, jugement involves condemnation and this is easily spotted by the haughty, self-righteous attitude in which the judgement is delivered. Mind you, a person may say nothing at all, but their non-verbals and silent distancing give them away. They are not motivated by love but by self-protection (coming from fear) and self-righteousness (coming from anger and pride). The attitude is, "I'm right, your wrong, and therefore I don't have to relate to you any longer." That view is entirely unbiblical! What happened to love your enemies, gently try to restore a brother, and the spiritual fruit of patience? Another way you know it's condemnation is how the reciever feels after the interaction. Do they feel condemned, shamed, and under the wrath of the law, or corrected from a motivation of love and the hope of restoration (Rom. 8:1)?
Third, judgement involves the setting of standards. The Pharisees were masters at this! They added over 600 more "standards of righteousness" to the 10 commandments given by God to Moses! Wow! When you want to show yourself better than someone, just throw the book at them. Use the Bible as a weapon to beat someone up. You'll feel very self-righteous and will be so filled with pride, you won't even know your sinning! How many have been turned away from the Gospel due to judgements cast upon them for not meeting some standard. No wonder they think Christians are hypocrites and can't wait to parade a Christian across the media when one fails to meet his or her own standards. Paul said living by the law doesn't work (Rom. 3), yet so many Christians still try to, and use the law against other believers. Michael W. Smith has a great song re: the pain of seeing Christian do this. It is called "Human Spark" from his Healing Rain album. Download it and give it a listen.
Three elements of helpful evaluation are humility, forgiveness, and correction from a heart of love. None entail playing god, but showing God's love to another. Judgement causes a person hide their experience and the truth of what is really going on. Judgement causes distance in relationships. When we judge one another, we miss knowing the other. Evaluation allows for deep, truthful conversation. It encourages walking together in relationship, and being wise to how one may be led into sin by another (Gal. 6:1).
"I... entreat you to walk in a manner worthly of the calling... with all humility
and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love."
Ephesians 4:1-2
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