Are Chip and Joanna Gaines Right That Christians Should “Judge Not”?

There are few verses in Scripture that are mishandled as much as Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Whenever someone quotes that verse, as apparently the Gaineses did, to justify embracing or turning a blind eye to sin, they are completely ignoring the context. Here’s a larger part of the passage,

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew 7:1–6)

Clearly, within context, Jesus is not saying never to make judgments—that’s impossible anyway. The Gaineses couldn’t even do it. In saying, “Who are you to tell people what they can, and cannot do?” they are judging the person they are claiming is being judgmental!

Rather, Jesus is telling his followers not to make judgments in a hypocritical, condemning manner that ignores a glaring sin in one’s own life while obsessing over the smaller sin in another person’s life. We’re to soberly consider ourselves first and deal with our own sin, and then we can see clearly to help our brother with his sin.

We can and should make moral judgments . . . but we can only do so consistently when we start with the authority of God’s Word.

We can and should make moral judgments . . . but we can only do so consistently when we start with the authority of God’s Word. When we start with Scripture—judging with a righteous judgment as God commands in John 7:24—we are using an objective standard that God, our Creator, has given us. Our judgments aren’t based on our own opinion, our feelings, or our culture. Rather, they are based in God’s revealed Word. Only then can we know that our judgment is “righteous.”

This kind of misinterpretation of Scripture because of a lack of belief in the authority of Scripture (often coupled with biblical illiteracy!) is sadly very common, not just among professing Christian celebrities, but within churches, Christian colleges and universities, and even seminaries. It’s tragic, and we see the fruit as more and more Christians abandon the truth of God’s Word for the wisdom of our age. As I’ve always said, once you abandon the truth and authority of God’s Word beginning in Genesis, more compromise follows. And that’s exactly what we see in so many of these stories of compromising Christians.

That’s why it’s so vital that when you select a Christian college, university, or seminary for yourself or your child, you choose one that is rock-solid—one that affirms the truth of God’s Word and won’t lead your child into error

And that’s why I love being able to promote our College Partners. These are schools that have been carefully vetted by us, who love the ministry and what we stand for, and have made that stand public by partnering with Answers in Genesis.

One of those schools is Emmaus University in Iowa. This school offers Christ-centered education with uncompromised biblical teaching and valuable professional degrees, all with the goal of educating and equipping learners to impact the world for Christ.

Emmaus offers academic programs in a wide variety of fields, including applied mathematics, Bible and theology, business administration, computer studies, counseling psychology, educational ministries, health sciences, intercultural studies, music, and teaching.

If you’re looking for a Christian college that stands rooted on God’s Word—and won’t plant seeds of doubt in your child or teach them to compromise—I encourage you to check out Emmaus. Or make plans to attend our free Creation College Expo, November 6–8, 2025, and visit their booth and many others in person.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.