John 7:24 (KJV)
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Many "Christians" pass judgement on people because they misunderstand verses like these. Jesus challenges us to look beyond the surface and external actions of individuals. The correct judgement goes beyond actions and appearance.

The Greek word "dikaios," translated as "righteous judgment," refers to judging according to righteousness. This means we need to evaluate if someone’s life is aligned with the will of God. Judging righteously means we assess whether a person acknowledges and lives out their identity in Christ as a new creation or if they continue to identify themselves as sinners. If they say they are sinners, they are denying the sacrifice of Jesus which made us saints.

Sin is not an act but an identity. 

It was inherited from Adam, and it is not defined by specific actions but by a state of separation from God. However, through Jesus Christ's sacrifice, believers are redeemed, transformed, and receive a new identity as saints. If you truly believe in Jesus and his eternal sacrifice, you will no longer indentify yourself as a sinner. Jesus' sacrifice has washed away our past, present, and future sins, declaring us righteous and holy. Those who have accepted Jesus are no longer sinners; they are saints, sanctified by His blood. That is why when we ask people "are you a sinner or have you been saved?", it allows us to judge the righteousness in their heart.

A person who believes in the gospel will answer only with righteousness but those who don't know or don't believe will say they are sinners. This allows us to judge if they have the gospel or not inside of their hearts. It also allows us to see if they are united with the word of God that says we are righteous or if they unite their hearts with their own thoughts that say they are sinners.

It is crucial for believers to embrace their new identity in Christ. Claiming to still be sinners, despite Jesus dying and saving us, is a denial of the complete work of Christ on the cross. While we may still struggle with the symptoms of sin due to our flesh, our core identity is not defined by it.

When we meet other believers, we are called to make righteous judgments. This means discerning whether they identify as new creatures in Christ or if they are still proclaiming to be their old nature which is sin. It’s important to approach these people with humility and love, encouraging them to fully embrace their identity as saints. We must avoid condemning based on appearances, specific actions, or thoughts. Instead we need to focus on preaching the gospel and guiding them back to the scripture that says we are righteous. 

Amen!