Jesus challenges us to be as perfect as the heavenly Father is (Matthew 5:48), though we are not perfect. Our imperfection began when Adam and Eve fell to Satan’s temptation (Genesis 3:1-7), though God made us in His triune image (Genesis 1:26-27) and called us very good (Genesis 1:31). Overcoming our imperfections, which have evolved from the sin of Adam and Eve, is the way to enter the Kingdom of God, because purity in our hearts, as we were created, is required to see God in the Kingdom (i.e. Matthew 5:8; cf. Revelation 22:4). One reason why the Father gave us His only begotten Son (John 3:16) is to teach us how we can surmount our imperfections. And one of our imperfections that may get in our way to the Kingdom is our inclination to judge others.
Aren’t we all tend to judge others, as we quickly
notice what is wrong with another person
but we hardly recognize our own problems?
Our brains tend to judge others. Otherwise, we would
not have problems of discrimination, bullying, and so forth. These problems are
rooted in judging others, resulting in prejudice and stereotyping.
Namely, our judging has an inherent problem of
cognitive bias.
Does it mean that we would be able to judge others
without a problem if we could become bias-free?
Alas, expecting humans to be bias free is like having
the fantasy of having p-value of 0 in statistical analysis.
Have you ever come across any empirical research study
with its data’s statistical analysis comes with p-value of 0, which means
absolutely no probability at all of committing type-I error, which is rejecting
null hypothesis when it should not be rejected, resulting in faulty conclusion.
This lesson from statistics is a humbling reminder
that science is not perfect because we cannot attain perfect statistical
analysis, which could be symbolized with p-value of 0.
Our cognitive bias is like a risk of committing type-I
error, which is mistakenly assuming that there is statistically significant
difference though there is not, thus wrongfully rejecting null hypothesis when
it is true. The bottom line is that the imperfect nature of our cognition and
cognitive abilities make our mind quick to judge others to fit the object of
the judgment to our own cognitive biases.
Given this reality, I think, one reason why Jesus
taught not to judge others (Matthew 7:1) is not let this psychological fact
become an obstacle to our way to the Kingdom.
So Jesus said:
Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure
will be measured out to you (Matthew 7:1-2).
In other words, judging others will result in
receiving unfavorable judgement from God, thus, preventing the entrance into
the Kingdom. To make this point, Paul wrote to the Romans:
You are without excuse, every one of you
who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn
yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the
judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you
who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you
will escape the judgment of God?(Romans 2:1-3).
In the following words, Jesus hinted why we should not
judge – besides the possibility of forfeiting the eligibility to enter the
Kingdom:
Why do you notice the splinter in your
brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you
say to your brother, “Let me remove that splinter from your eye,” while the
wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye
first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye
(Matthew
7:3-5).
Basically, through the above words, Jesus was speaking
against the cognitive bias of the Dunning–Kruger effect. This cognitive bias is
known to be more evident among those who are narcissistic (Christopher et al.,
2023)*, as this contributes to judging others negatively in order to relatively
make one appear “superior”.
Jesus pointed out that the blindness to the “wooden
beam” in one’s own eye is associated with one’s tendency to judge others,
seeing the “splinter” in the eye of another person. For such a person to say, “Let
me remove that splinter from your eye”, is it out of compassion? No. It is
rather to show one’s superiority over the other. This is why Jesus rebuked such
a person as “hypocrite”. Such a pseudo compassion of a hypocrite, out of one’s Dunning–Kruger
effect is just as bad as a blind person leading another blind person, resulting
in both falling (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39). It is not helpful to another person
but can be hazardous.
Unless we attain perfect mind that is totally free of cognitive
bias – that makes no wrong assumption, such as type I error and type II error
in doing statistical analysis, we are not to judge others at all. Otherwise, we
sure risk our chance to enter the Kingdom.
Not to judge others unless you are perfect – this teaching
is echoed when Jesus said, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the
first to throw a stone at her”(John 8:7) in response to the scribes and the
Pharisees asking him what to do with a woman, whom they claimed to have caught
in adultery (John 8:1-11).
Now, it is also important to note that Jesus’ teaching
against judging others does not necessarily mean that we let evil of others
prevail. So, he said:
If your brother sins against you, go and
tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have
won over your brother If he does not listen, take one or two others along with
you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three
witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to
listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax
collector (Matthew 18:15-17).
Does it require a judgement to confront another person’s
offense? Yes, it demands a judicious judgement. Did Jesus teach against this?
Obviously not.
So, what should we do not to judge others, as Jesus
taught, but we can make a right judgement to confront another person’s evil?
We need to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit, from whom
we learn what we need to know (John 14:26) and we can receive wisdom (1
Corinthians 12:8). This way, we do not judge others, as Jesus prohibits, but
can make a right judgement when and how to confront evil of another person.
There is a gap between God’s perfect mind and our
imperfect minds (Isaiah 55:8-9). So, we also need to humbly heed these words of
God to Samuel:
Do not judge from his appearance or from
his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal,
who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart
(1 Samuel 16:7).
Let us ask Jesus to send the Holy Spirit from the
Father so that we can compliment our imperfect minds and strive to perfection
in order to know when not to judge and to judge correctly. We need this grace to
overcome our imperfection in order to enter the Kingdom.
*Christopher, K.I.,
P., P. & Herbert, H.S. (2023). Presence or absence of Dunning-Kruger
effect: Differences in narcissism, general self-efficacy and decision-making
styles in young adults. Current Psychology 42, 1444–1455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01461-9
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