Matthew 7:1-6 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
INTRODUCTION
Do you ever get the feeling these days that if you tried to tell someone that they are wrong or caught in sin, you might be accused of judging that person? Very often you will get Matthew 7:1, “Don’t judge me!” thrown at your face.
According to Christian author and apologist Josh McDowell, Matthew 7:1 is now the most quoted Bible verse, surpassing even John 3:16 or Psalm 23. Politicians, children, criminals, religious leaders, businessmen, the media, gay and lesbian groups, all quote it.
Yet it is one of the most misunderstood and misused verses in the Bible. And it has the distinction of being the favourite verse of sinners. When we point out something that is detrimental to a person’s wellbeing, we often hear:
- “Who are you to judge me? Didn't Jesus say, "Do not judge"? “
- “Mind your own business. No one has a right to tell me my lifestyle is wrong. In fact you’re the one who’s wrong for judging.”
- “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
In his book Tolerance Is No Virtue S.D. Gaede says, "These days it is a scary thing to stand face-to-face with another person and suggest that his ideas may be wrong. We don't want to violate one of our culture's deepest values, which is tolerance."
People of all ages and from every walk of life insist that tolerance is the only acceptable moral absolute. Christians who do point out evil are rebuked on the grounds that the Bible says that we shouldn’t judge. We are told to stop judging people and to be more accepting. Christians who stand upon God’s word are often seen as narrow minded, judgmental, anti-“everything” and utterly prejudiced.
Yet the persons who tell us that we need to stop judging others has just judged us. They are guilty of doing the very thing they tell us not to do.
Making judgments is a part of life. All people do it all the time. And it’s something we must do in order to get through life. As individuals, we make judgments about where we live (island or mainland), what we eat (where is the best char koay teow), what we watch (thrillers, chillers or rom-coms), and so forth.At work we give and receive evaluation. In business we have judge whether it is worth it to take the job or not. We judge actions, beliefs, attitudes, circumstances, places, etc.
We also “judge” people only in the sense of an assessment. Should I trust this person or not? Should I friend this person on Facebook?
There’s nothing wrong with Christians – or anybody – making such judgments in life. Judgment is a reality of the way the world has been designed. We cannot escape from it, and as Christians we have a calling to exercise righteous judgment (John 7:24).
But look around us. How many churches are exercising church discipline these days? Church leaders and leaders in general are afraid to confront wrong-doing in church. How many times have we cared enough about someone to confront them? Nowadays believers are looking for churches that agree with everything they already believe or that make them feel good instead of finding one that regularly challenges them with the word of God? And how often do we stand around and silently refuse to speak up for what is right?
Someone has said: “A wrong deed is right if the majority of people declare it not to be wrong.” But the reality is that the majority is not always right.
The Bible says through Isaiah the prophet: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20).
It is clear that when Jesus says “Judge not” he means “Do not judge.” The question, however, is whether Jesus forbids all judging, or only a certain kind of judging.
There are hundreds of passages in the Bible that instruct us to speak the truth in love, to use discernment and to use our best judgments to steer our brothers and sisters from evil. We are to guard them against the attack of the evil one and to refute errors and false teachings.
- James 5:20 (NIV) says, "Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."
- In Matthew 7:15-16 (NIV) Jesus tells us "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."
- In Matthew 18:15 (NIV) Jesus says "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you."
- In Ezekiel 3:18 (NIV) God says, "When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sins, and I will hold you accountable for his blood."
How can we fulfill any of the imperatives of these verses without making some kind of judgment? Thus “judge not” of Matthew 7:1 is not an absolute for all times, places, and circumstances.
First let us look at…
WHAT IT MEANS TO JUDGE
The Greek word translated judge and judgment is krino which means to judge, to form or give an opinion after separating and considering the particulars of a situation.
F.F. Bruce, a New Testament scholar explains that judgment is an ambiguous word, in Greek as in English: it may mean:
a. exercising a proper discernment (to consider, analyze or evaluate to reach a decision), or
b. sitting in judgment on people (or even condemning them).
To illustrate the difference let us look at John 8:1-11 (NIV)
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
When one judges, one gives a verdict of guilty or innocent. After the person is judged, he is sentenced. If judged guilty, the person is condemned (sentenced to be punished). If judged innocent, the person is set free. Thus judging and condemning are two distinct actions, related but not identical.
By telling the woman, "Go, and sin no more," Jesus indicates that she did sin. Thus the Pharisees' accusation was correct, and Jesus did not condone her sin.
While Jesus did judge the woman, He did not condemn her. She could go free; she would not be put to death. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1). In fact, Jesus was condemned for her and He bore her punishment, that she might go free.
Thus Matthew 7 passage is not a blanket prohibition against any judgment, just against the wrong kind of judgment. Verse 6 says: “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. How are we to know who are the “dogs” and who are the “swines” if we do not judge?
In fact, every believer has the obligation to test others by their fruits. In Matthew 7:15 we are to watch out for false prophets. And it is by their fruit that we will recognize them (verses 16 & 20).
Jesus wants us to practice discernment. We are to “test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21-22).
It is hypocritical, prideful and condemning judgment that Jesus disapproves of and He illustrates it in the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican.
Luke 18:9-14 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
A hypocrite is critical of another person in order to make himself look good or justify their own sinful behavior or beliefs. He points out others’ faults when he has bigger faults of his own and may even resort to slandering someone they dislike.
HOW NOT TO JUDGE
1. We should not judge based on outward appearance
John 7:24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly. (NIV)
People are often conned by con-men who deceive us by their appearance. Things aren’t always as they appear. In 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Samuel was told to anoint a new king over Israel from the house of Jesse. God rejected all the sons that were present but chose the youngest – David.
Illustration: When Susan Boyle stepped out on the stage of "Britain’s Got Talent," people laughed at her...like the scoffers in this Psalm. They made fun of her because her outward appearance wasn’t the glitz and glamour they’d come to expect. Members of the audience could be seen rolling their eyes.
But when she began to sing, her voice was like that of the angels. People’s initial attitudes about her were changed. She had an amazing voice that was perfection to their ears. The rolling eyes changed to looks of shock at the incredible talent this woman had to offer.
The resounding applause proved she had what it took to be a star. But after that they gave her a make-over!
2. We should not judge based on human passions
Things and decisions may feel so right when they can be so wrong or unfair. Every baby is the cutest, smartest, most adorable child in the whole wide world in the eyes of its parents.
We are swayed by our emotions and for that reason you cannot join a contest if you are employed by the company running the contest or are related to the judges. That’s how nepotism and cronyism arise.
3. We should not judge based on personal preferences or prejudices
Judgments based on personal preferences and prejudices are often faulty. E.g., gender, colour of the skin, etc.
Illustration: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell is a book about "the power of thinking without thinking." It's a look at how choices made in an instant aren't as simple as they seem. In one of his many examples in the book, Gladwell shows how the classical music world realized that their system for auditioning new musicians for a place in a symphony was corrupt. Though they believed their first impressions of listening to someone play an instrument were unbiased, they were quickly disproved once screens were erected between the judges and the individuals who were auditioning.
In the past 30 years, with the screens in place, the number of women in the top U. S. orchestra has increased fivefold. Instrumentalists who had previously been eliminated from consideration were now accepted. When factors like outward appearance and unconscious prejudice were removed, only pure ability was considered. Gladwell shares the story of one female instrumentalist:
When Julie Landsman auditioned for the role of principal French horn at the Met, the screens had just gone up in the practice hall. At the time, there were no women in the brass section of the orchestra, because everyone "knew" that women could not play the horn as well as men. But Landsman came and sat down and played—and she played well.
"I knew in my last round that I had won before they told me," she says. "It was because of the way I performed the last piece. I held on to the last high C for a very long time, just to leave no doubt in their minds. And they started to laugh, because it was above and beyond the call of duty." But when they declared her the winner and she stepped out from behind the screen, there was a gasp. It wasn't just that she was a woman…. And it wasn't just the bold high C, which was the kind of macho sound that they expected from a man only. It was because they knew her. Landsman had played for the Met as a substitute. Until they listened to her with just their ears, however, they had no idea she was so good.
4. We should not judge hastily
Proverbs 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
Hasty judgments are often careless judgments. We jump to conclusions and they are mostly wrong. Sometimes they can be very embarassing as well.
Illustration: There was a lady in an airport who bought a book to read and a package of cookies to eat while she waited for her plane. Well, after she had taken her seat in the terminal and began to read this book, she noticed that the man sitting one seat away from her was fumbling to open up the package of cookies on the seat between them.
Well, she could hardly believe her eyes that a stranger would just open her bag of cookies and eat them. He took one and ate it. She was so hot and steamed. She reached into the bag and took one and ate it. Well, the man didn’t say anything. He just reached over and took another cookie.
This woman thought to herself that she wasn’t going to let him eat all of her cookies, so she took another cookie. When they finally got down to one cookie, the man reached into the bottom of the bag, broke the cookie in half, ate it, shared one half with the woman, got up and left. This lady couldn’t believe this man’s nerve. She was thinking to herself how fresh and arrogant he was. Soon the announcement came to board the plane.
This lady got on the plane, still hot and bothered at the audacity of this man, sat down, buckled her seat belt, reached into her purse for a tissue, and there was her bag of cookies.
5. We should not judge based on insufficient or unsubstantiated facts
Illustration: There was once a widowed trapper who lived deep in the Alaskan wilderness with his 2 year old son. On one occasion their food supplies had run out and the trapper was forced to go and catch some more food. The weather outside was so fierce he reluctantly decided to leave his son behind, entrusted to the care of his faithful dog. While outdoors the weather had got even more violent and the trapper was forced to take refuge overnight in a stand of trees.
When the trapper returned the next morning, he got to the cabin to find the door open and the furniture overturned. A fierce struggle had taken place. There was no sign of his son and his dog lay in the corner looking at him guiltily, with blood all over his mouth. The trapper was deeply distressed, and quickly figured out what had happened. The dog, without food, had turned on his son and killed him. Gathering his axe from his side in a fury the trapper killed his dog.
He then set about searching furiously for some sign of his son. There was still a faint chance his son was alive. As the trapper frantically searched he heard a familiar cry, coming from under the bed. He tipped the bed up to discover his son. He was unharmed, without a scratch or drop of blood upon him. The trapper, flooded with relief, gathered his son in his arms. When he turned around he saw a dead wolf, lying in the corner of the cabin. Then the trapper realised why his faithful dog had been covered in blood. It was the one who had saved his son.
How often we can be like that trapper, quickly assuming to know the truth about a person or situation when in reality our judgments are terribly off mark.
Source: unknown
We often judge for motives, but we are not very good at accurately discerning the motives of others—or even of ourselves.
We are to judge conduct (fruit), not motives. We can judge what people say but not why they say it. We can judge what people do but not why they do it.
Only God truly knows the heart and understands the thoughts of a person (Rom. 2:16, 1 Cor. 4:5).Therefore, when we judge another person’s heart, we are sitting in the seat of God and taking a prerogative that alone belongs to Him.
6. We should not judge hypocritically
In Matthew 7, Jesus follows up his warning against judgment with an explanation of what He actually means— For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (verse 2). If we cannot hold to the standard we use, we have no business applying that standard to others.
How would you respond to Jesus’ statement?
Response #1. Since no one can possibly live up to a high standard, no one should ever judge anyone else, since we’re all sinners.
Response #2 We should deal with our behaviour first before exercising judgment and helping others to do the same.
Option 1 is popular in our culture that exalts “tolerance” as one of the highest virtues but Jesus is advocating Option 2 in this passage where He continues by saying:
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
First of all, judgment should be withheld by people who haven't dealt with their own faults. Oh, how we conveniently forget our own sins! A father rebuked his daughter for the clothes she was wearing. Meanwhile he was addicted to pornography.
The focus should not be on the "speck" in another's eye, but first the "beam" in one's own eye. An object that is nearer to the eye appears larger than one that is further away. Thus we should be more concerned about the fault in our life than that is someone else’s life. So deal with your flaws first before you start pointing out the faults in others. A classic example is King David.
Secondly, Jesus pointed out that it is only after correcting one’s own behavior that one can see clearly enough to make adequate judgments and help anyone else correct his/her own behavior. The scribes and Pharisees were blindly self-righteous while condemning everyone else.
There is a human tendency to see ourselves in others. If we are arrogant, we tend to see arrogance in other people. If we are cruel, we tend to suspect cruelty in others. We ascribe to them bad intentions and evil purposes that may not be true. By doing so we also reveal something about ourselves, for the faults we see in others are actually are reflection of our own. As long as we hold to our own faults, we will see them in everyone else.
SO HOW SHOULD WE JUDGE?
John 7:24, NKJV Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
The positive part of this verse makes it clear that we may judge, but when we do so we must judge righteously.
1. We should judge according to the Scriptures
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The Word of God divides between truth and error, right and wrong, fact and fiction. If we are to judge righteously we need to judge by the righteous standard of God's Word. It is there we find "instruction in righteousness." As a standard of righteousness, it is also the medium for "reproof" and "correction."
The Bible shows us what’s right, what’s not right, how to get right and how to stay right. We need to be like the noble Bereans who "...searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11).
Christians are to judge or "call into question" those things that clearly contradict God's principles. In 1 Corinthians 2:15, the apostle Paul said that those who are spiritual should judge and discern all things.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but the conscience of the state." Serving as the conscience of the people has been one of the primary functions of the church since its conception. Scripturally, we are commanded to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad, truth and error, light and darkness. We are to judge according to the truth.
Regarding moral issues that destroy lives and dishonor God, we are to judge ("call into question") behaviors, choices, and lifestyles that lead people to destruction, especially if these issues are to become social policy and legally sanctioned.
When Christians persist in sin, they are to be judged by their fellow Christians (1 Cor. 5:9-13).
When Christians come in conflict, some wise man should be found to judge between his brethren (1 Cor. 6:1-5).
We should not reserve judgment when faced with clear manifestations of evil. Jesus reprimanded the church at Thyatira (Rev. 2:20). We must not compromise on doctrine.
2. We should judge ourselves before we judge others
We are often blind to our own faults. We are to tend to our own behavior and attitudes before attempting to help anyone else. If we attempt to judge before others, our judgment will be flawed by our own “splinters.” This was the problem of the Pharisees.
How often do we listen to a message and say that it is meant for someone? Believe me, if the Lord wants that person to hear the message he will be here!
One author notes --
"Christ gives us the right to help others after we have straightened out our own lives. He did not say that it was wrong for you to help your brothers or sisters get rid of their sins; but He did say that first you should take care of your own sin. In other words, we should be as severe with ourselves as we are with others."
Again we look to God’s word “that is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12)
We are to examine ourselves before Holy Communion. Daily confession and repentance is good for the soul.
3. We should judge redemptively
Forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration assumes a previous negative judgment that is superseded by the extension of mercy towards another.
It is easy for us to go overboard with our judgments and become unduly harsh. It is all too easy for us to focus on the negative and destructive instead of on the positive and redeemable characteristics of others.
John 3:17 (NIV) says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
This is a good measure of how godly we are. When we have to judge do we condemn or do so with love and with mercy. Do we judge to gloat or gossip or to reconcile, restore and renew. Our goal is a judgment that leads to repentance.
The Bible says, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently"(Gal. 6:1)
If we say we love our brother or sister can we see him or her going down the path of destruction aund still keep quiet?
CONCLUSION
1. All of us make judgments. It is part of life. We cannot not make judgment.
2. We should not judge superficially, out of pride, a feeling of superiority or in a condemning manner.
3. We ought to deal with our own sins before looking at anyone else’s. Let us first check ourselves against the mirror of God's word and concentrate on our own repentance of sin. Without this, we have no place in helping another brother or sister. Neither are we in a place to tell others how sinful they are acting.
3. We should judge righteously. Our foundation is the truth of God’s Word and not our own philosophies, preferences and traditions. Having the right foundation will help us to know the difference between truth and lies as well as right and wrong. Our authority is, “Not I say, but the Lord.”
4. There is a value judgment underlying every decision we make, even when we do nothing. Silence means consent. Therefore, to take no position is to pronounce an affirmative judgment. For example, tolerance of adultery is implicit acceptance of it.
5. No one should ever let himself/herself be shouted down by cries of “don’t judge,” or accusations of being “self-righteous.” Such quotes are often used out of context and as a pretext for defending ungodly behavior. It is God who judges based on His word.
6. We ought to judge righteously even if it brings upon us the ridicule and contempt not only of the world, but also of many who call themselves Christians. To make righteous judgment will not make things easy for us in this life.
7. Our judgment should be redemptive in purpose. Loving one another includes “admonishing one another” (Rom. 15:14). We are to speak the truth in love, not in condemnation. We are to go with all humility, grace and mercy, not arrogance or self-righteous pride.
“Judge not” isn’t a call to overlook sin; but to address it for the right reasons, from the right foundation and with the right attitude – a concern for the other person’s welfare, not my own satisfaction.
Proverbs 27:5, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
May we be bold to confront when necessary. May we always be willing to come along side and bear their burden with them.
