"Don't judge." This statement has become a defense mechanism of proud people who got hurt by the truth. They can't confront the preacher because their honest conscience know they're guilty. Since their pride is higher than their desire to be a better person, they choose to defend themselves by constantly saying, "DO NOT JUDGE".
A meaning taken from a dictionary defined the verb form of judge as "to form an opinion after an estimation of after a careful consideration". This doesn't sound negative. But why people make it negative? Because they've read something in the Bible that says "Don't judge" and they took that too much to justify their guilty souls. Jesus said in John 7:24, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement". So there is actually a righteous judgement. What is then a righteous judgement? Let's read apostle Paul's righteous judgement in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13,
I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually
immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of
this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you
would need to go out of the world. But
now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who
is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard,
or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For
what have I to do with judging those
also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from
yourselves the evil person. In these verses, we may learn that when some people claim to be Christians yet deliberately committing sins, it is our duty to warn them strongly according to their evil actions. This we must do to keep the reputation of Christianity. This circumstance was also supported by apostle John in 2 John 1:9-11, Whoever
transgresses
and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He
who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine,
do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he
who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
To clarify some claims from opposers that Christians are haters, let's see Ezekiel 33:6, But if the watchman sees the sword coming and
does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes
and takes any person
from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require
at the watchman’s hand.
We are not haters but rather we love sinners. We were once sinners ourselves but were saved and washed by the blood of Christ. Therefore, we ought to warn the unbelievers about the consequences of their sins. God never wants humans to be partakers of hell so He sent His only begotten Son to redeem the people. However, not all people are willing to accept that redemption since they're taking the truth for granted. The saved ones must help God by warning the people about eternal hell and the possibility of a righteous life through the power of Christ. I suppose some people misunderstand sermons because of their unwillingness to have their lives changed for the better. They think self-righteousness is enough to give them key to heaven's gate. But such is not what the Bible says. In fact, self-righteousness in itself is sin.
You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Luke 16:15
The proper action when you get hurt by the word of God is to swallow thy pride, kneel at the altar and let God heal your soul. Your wounded soul is the reason why you easily get offended. If you do this, I'm pretty sure you will thank the preacher for exposing the truth that made you free.
