Boyd K. Packer gave a talk called, “Judge Not According to the Appearance.” His examples centered around people who condemned the church because of the behavior of individuals.  

The LDS church never teaches people to do evil. It is people who choose to do evil.

Because of this talk, I decided to take a journey on what the scriptures say about judgment. It appears there are three main categories:

God’s Judgment—God is the great judge and He will show us our actions, and together we will be able to judge. 

Righteous Judgment—Both good and evil exist. We can see the difference and because of agency, we can choose between the two.   

Wicked Judgment—We are warned repeatedly in the scriptures against making wicked, or unwarranted, judgment against others.

GOD’S JUDGMENT

Jeremiah 17:10

“I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Revelation 20:12

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

2 Nephi 9:46

“Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgement, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine, and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery.”

Doctrine and Covenants 137:9

“For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.”

RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

Amos 5:15

“Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate…”

John 7:24

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

Alma 41:14

“Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually, and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward.”

Doctrine and Covenants 11:12

“And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.”

WICKED JUDGMENT

Exodus 23:2

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:”

Romans 2:1

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself.”

Moroni 7:18

“And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.”

Doctrine and Covenants 121:17

“But those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves.”

God always teaches us and invites us to follow Him. In Moroni’s words, He teaches us how to judge correctly.

Moroni 7:14-18

14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.