The Apostle Paul made a stark distinction in 1 Corinthians 5 when he rebuked the Corinthian church not for judging, but for misjudging. They were ignoring blatant immorality within their own ranks while obsessing over those outside the church. Paul reminded them plainly: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.”

It’s a line that keeps many Christians cautious, even quiet, about confronting the world’s sin. But Paul wasn’t endorsing passivity. He was instructing on proper jurisdiction. What about those outside the church?

We aren’t called to exercise authority over the world the way we do inside the church. There is no command to discipline the unchurched the way we discipline brothers and sisters. There’s no church court for the pagan or the scoffer. Yet Scripture doesn’t give us a free pass to turn a blind eye either. It calls us to be salt and light. It calls us to speak plainly, live righteously, and expose darkness.

A Future Reign Requires Present Discernment

Paul brings up something strange and glorious in 1 Corinthians 6: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?” The Corinthians were suing one another in secular courts. Paul rebuked them, pointing to a time when Christians will co-reign with Christ and participate in His final judgment.

If we are to one day judge the world and even angels, how is it that so many believers can’t handle basic disputes? The point isn’t that we should set up Christian tribunals for worldly affairs. It’s that we are being trained now for what we will one day do fully.

We’re meant to practice discernment now. We’re meant to show wisdom and moral courage now. Our future role should shape how we live today.

Jesus Made Us Part of His Kingdom

In Revelation 1:6, Jesus is described as the One who “made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.” This means more than salvation. It means dominion.

We are part of His rule. He is King of kings, and we are His emissaries. Not to condemn, but to declare. Not to rule in force, but to influence with conviction and courage. Righteous people must stand against wickedness, not cower!

We Must Speak—Because Salt Without Flavor is Useless

Jesus said Christians are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt preserves. Light exposes. Neither of those is passive. Salt stops rot. Light drives out darkness. So what happens when Christians retreat? When we hold our tongues and keep our heads down while the world spirals into chaos? Jesus said it clearly—salt that loses its flavor is worthless.

Judging the world doesn’t mean punishing the world. It means identifying evil for what it is. It means not playing along, but confronting the spirit of the age with the Word of God.

The prophets did this. John the Baptist did this. The apostles did this. Why would we think our role is different?

Judgment Without Love Is Worthless—But So Is Love Without Judgment

Some Christians are eager to condemn, forgetting that Christ was full of mercy. Others are eager to comfort, forgetting that He was also full of truth. The church cannot choose between the two. We need both. Speaking against the world’s sin isn’t unloving. In fact, it may be the only loving thing left to do.

If we say nothing, we let our neighbors sink deeper into destruction. If we only affirm, we affirm the path to death. And if we confuse silence for kindness, we fail them and we fail God. Our judgment of the world must be sober, grounded in Scripture, motivated by love, and carried with humility—but it must still exist.

Engaged, Not Enraged

Our goal is to represent Christ: the King who will return, the Judge who will reign, and the Redeemer who still saves.

We cannot hand the world over to its own madness and call that peace. We are not its judges…yet. But we are its witnesses now.