Judgment, Or Mercy?

"Judge not, lest ye be judged."

If only I had a nickel for every time someone had quoted that like it was the only verse in the Bible! It seems we Catholics hear this verse all the time, followed by, "You're judging me! Stop judging me! Let me make my own decisions!" But are we really judging a person if we disagree with their actions?

This is where intent matters. If you are condemning the other person's actions out of malice, contempt, and disdain for them, and you are already convinced that this soul is damned and so you, the good righteous one, might as well point that out to them, then yes, the person quoting Scripture out of context is, sadly, correct. But, if you are doing it out of the kindness of your heart for the welfare of the immortal souls of the people you are chastising, and you want them to change for the better, that isn't judgement. That isn't against the Bible. In fact, it is the second of the Spiritual Works of Mercy, or a series of virtuous actions which every Christian is called to perform: Admonish the Sinner.

Admonishment isn't judgment. It is done with the welfare of the other in mind. It is done to guide the person back to God and prevent them from endangering themselves or others physically or spiritually. It is very different than judging.

Here's an example: You and your friend are at a party. Your friend has had a little too much to drink and decides that she wants to drive home. You call her an idiot and tell her she'll get busted, but do nothing to prevent her from driving off. She drives drunk and causes an accident, killing both herself and the driver of the other vehicle. You condemned your friend's actions, but did nothing to stop her or warn her of the danger. After the accident, you think to yourself, "I was right. She got someone killed. I told her so." That is judgment. You didn't have your friend's welfare and life in mind. You simply wanted to be on your high horse so you could say, "I told you so" afterwards.

Now, suppose you tell your friend, "No, you're in no condition to drive home." You get in her face and tell her that she could get herself or someone else killed. You eventually persuade her to give you her keys and take her upstairs so she can sleep it off before driving home. That is admonishment. Not only do you tell your friend that what she is doing is wrong, you also take steps to prevent her from harming herself because you care about your friend and want what is best for her. The next day, she wakes up and thanks you for not letting her drive home.

In the same way, telling someone that an action can be a mortal sin is not judging them. It is simply looking out for their eternal well being to prevent them from separating themselves from God or doing something that they will later regret. It should be done with their best interest at heart and in a loving way. Don't simply say, "Abortion is a mortal sin and you're going to Hell." Instead try, "That baby is your son or daughter. They are a person, just like you, and an abortion will kill them. We can help you. Don't do this."

Now, where is admonishment in the Bible? Excellent question! Let's look at Matthew 18:15-18 "If your brother sins, go and tell him directly, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, then you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you so that the testimony may be established by two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to even listen to the church, treat him as you would a gentile or tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you lose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven." Here Jesus gives specific instructions for settling disputes and admonishing others. Acts 8:18-24 sees St. Peter admonish Simon the Magician for attempting to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul's entire Letter to the Galatians admonishes them for not keeping with the New Covenant, and rather obeying the Mosaic Law above Jesus. So, as we can see, the Bible gives clear cases and procedures for admonishment. Again, it should be in a spirit of love for the other with their best interests at heart.

Admonishment in a spirit of love is mercy, not judgment. We should be like our Lord, slow to anger and merciful with others. Only then will we lead others to Christ.