Yes, I'm judging you

“Judge not so that you not be judged.  For with the judgement you pronounce, you also will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
- Matthew 7:1-3

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Church denominations are constantly at each other’s throat.  People always say how they feel the church ‘judges’ them.  And out of the 2,590,316 Facebook discussions I’ve seen between Christians, only 2 of them were decent and civil and mature.

An unbeliever, on the other hand, is not someone we should confront in the same manner that we do a sibling in Christ.  
I was accused recently of ‘not admonishing’ others as I ‘should’.  And this was in reference to non-Christians.  No, I should not be timid to share the truth with an unbeliever, but we’re not called to force Christianity down people’s throats either.  What kind of an example is that?  If someone says they feel like they’re being judged, maybe you should reexamine HOW you’re presenting your case to them.  And yes, I know Jesus didn’t beat around the bush.  There are plenty of strong verses in the Bible (‘brood of vipers’, ‘hypocrites’, etc.)  But are you Jesus?  No?  Then shut up.  
Jesus was the perfect God-man.  He judged according to God’s standards – followers of Him and unbelievers alike.  But we are not Him.  We can only pass judgement on our siblings because we and they both know God’s Word.  Unbelievers don’t.  They need to know the truth, yes, and be told the error of their ways, that they are sinning against a holy and righteous God (and heck, even make them uncomfortable!) but we are God’s messengers to spread the Gospel and His Word, not to ‘judge’ them.  

We are called to love others, even as Christ loved the ones who hated Him.  So often I think Christians are all about telling people what’s right and what’s wrong, what God says is good and bad, and I believe that as His children, we should.  But tactfully, gently, and graciously.  Tell them the truth out of love for their souls because you know the truth and reality of heaven and hell.

You wouldn’t like it if an atheist came up to you and started telling you all the reasons they thought you were wrong, would you?  See, to them that’s what Christians do when they come and try to totally wreck what was once their solid, peaceful little world.