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What does the biblical term "condemnation" mean?
Aren't words like judgment and condemnation the same? Not always.
The New Testament word katakrino is often translated as condemn or condemnation, in a strong sense that means a final judgment. Literally the end for someone, with no hope, no recovery. Judgment Day (Luke 11:31; John 8:10-11).
Sometimes the word krima, judgment is used with this same strong meaning. But not always.
Christ rescued us from final judgment, from condemnation! That has implications for how we live:
As believer it is never our place to condemn someone, to dismiss them as hopeless. We are to love, and hold out hope and the gospel's offer of forgiveness and salvation in Christ. Love,
"bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:7)
Jesus warned against being judgmental as well. This is when we adopt a "holier than thou" attitude, a critical spirit, or maybe point out faults in others while we have the even bigger issues we ignore. It can also be when we adopt something as a standard that God doesn't really care about (how long your hair is, etc.), but put others down who don't live up to our measuring stick:
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?" (Matthew 7:1-3, NLT)
But this doesn't mean we tolerate sinful or hurtful behavior in the church. In fact, part of encouraging people to grow spiritually is to correct a believer who is out of line, yet doing that in love, for their good, and not with a superior attitude.
"...correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2)
If you are a parent, you understand this kind of judging. It is using sound judgment and taking appropriate action for that person's good and the good of all.
More on this topic....
Paul had to correct the Corinthian church, who had adopted an "anything goes" attitude in the church, thinking they were actually being noble (1 Corinthians 5:1-12),
"It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders [unbelievers], but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning" (v. 12).
Again, Paul is not saying have a "judgmental" attitude. No one wants that!
Check out 1 Corinthians 6, where again he says it would be better to judge, to arbitrate, rather than be a bad witness to the community by suing each other,
"When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? ... Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 6 But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers! 7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that?..."
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