(Matthew 7:1-2)
This is one of the most abused texts in the Bible. The typical use is when someone sees something not right and points it out another responds "Judge not that you be not judged!"
Is this what Jesus is teaching here? Is He teaching against all judging? Jesus is the one who called the Pharisees; hypocrites, son of hell, fools, blind guides, whitewashed tombs, serpents, brood of vipers, and murderers. We are called to follow in His footsteps 1 Peter 2:21- and are commanded: In Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
How can we expose works of darkness unless we first judge that something is in fact a work of darkness? Like any other passage, we must examine the context to properly understand it. In Matt. 5:1-16 Jesus teaches on true righteousness.
Matt. 5:20 The contrast - the scribes and Pharisees had an external righteousness of their own creation. It was based on following certain rules and regulations rather than following God with love and a pure heart. Now Jesus is saying our righteousness must not be like that, but it must be a true inward righteousness. Matt. 5:20-48 You have heard - But I say unto you... You must be different from the Pharisees!
In Matt. 6, Jesus continues to contrast true righteousness with the righteousness of the Pharisees. The actions may be good, but Jesus is concerned with the inward motive. When we give alms - what is the motive, to serve God or to be seen of men? When we pray, is it to be seen of men or to be heard by God? When we fast, is it to be seen by me or to draw close to God? 6:19-34 Where are your true treasures?
All of the context is to contrast true righteousness with the righteousness of the Pharisees. Chapter 7 is a continuation of the same theme. Jesus is not forbidding all judgment, He is forbidding the hypocritical judgment of the Pharisees. Here is one who is trying to help get a speck out of a brother's eye. Nothing wrong with this!
Anyone who has had a speck of dirt in their eye knows how unpleasant this is and we don't mind if someone can help us get it out. Here is one trying to help, but he has a log sticking out of his own eye! This is the kind of judgment Jesus is condemning. This is the judgment of the Pharisees. They were quick to point out the flaws in other people's lives, but refused to see how they stood condemned before God because of their pride and self-righteousness. This is like a person rebuking someone for drinking a beer when they are drinking a bottle of vodka. First take out the log out of your own eye and then you can help your brother. Jesus is not forbidding us to help our brother but is forbidding us to try to correct other people when we are worse off than they are. This is what the Pharisees were guilty of. They could see everybody else's sins but not their own.
Jesus is teaching we do need to be careful of how we do judge - Matt. 7:2. Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We Are Commanded To Judge John 7:24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. How do we judge "righteous judgment"? The standard we judge by cannot be our opinion or our feelings. Where do we find righteousness? Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Psalm 119:172 Let my tongue sing of Thy word, for all Thy commandments are righteousness.
We are forbidden to be involved in hypocritical judgment, but we are commanded to make righteous judgment according to the Word of God. We Must Examine the Context! Matthew 7:13-14 How do you know which is the narrow gate and the broad gate? We have to make judgments concerning truth and error! Matt. 7:15-20 How do we know who is a false prophet? We can't tell just by looking at their appearance. We are not to judge according to appearance. We are to examine their fruit, their teaching, and their manner of living. After we see their fruit, we must judge; is it good fruit or bad fruit?
The Reason That Many Do Not Understand Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
We Are Commanded By God To Judge! 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
Who Are the Evil Workers and False Circumcision? Judgment must be made. Philippians 3:2-3 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.
How Do We Know Who We Are To Avoid Without Judging? 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.
Was Paul Judging Sinfully? (What does it take to be labeled lazy or a glutton?) Titus 1:12-13 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. For this cause reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith.
How Do We Know Who We Are Not To Greet? (Where do you draw the line?) 2 John 9-11. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
The Ephesians Were Praised For Judging properly Revelation 2:2 I know your works, your
labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who
say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. The Bereans Went To The Right
Source To Judge Paul's Teaching Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in
Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to
see whether these things were so.
How Can We "Prove What The Will Of God Is" Without Judging? Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Paul Prayed That The Philippians Would Abound In Judgment Philippians 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
Paul Commanded the Thessalonians to Make Judgments 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.
How Can We Test The Spirits Without Making Judgments? 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Can The Words Of Jude Be Applied Today Without Judging? Jude 16-19 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
If the Modern Interpretation of Matt. 7 Is True: 1. We cannot decide who is a qualified elder or deacon. 2. We cannot decide who is an widow indeed. 3. We cannot decide with whom to have fellowship 4. The Church's ability to practice discipline is destroyed. 5. It is impossible to reprove, rebuke and exhort. 6. It eliminates all standards of right and wrong.
This Is The Judgment Forbidden By Matthew 7! Romans 2:1-3 Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
We need to be as merciful and forgiving as we can be. We are not to ignore what Matt. 7 is teaching us. Matthew 7:2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
We all should realize our need for mercy from God. It is a constant remembrance of our own forgiveness that should help us treat others with mercy. While we strive to be merciful, we cannot ignore that which is in complete contradiction of God's Word.
All children of God must be able to stand. We must be able to fight against all that is evil. Too many are wanting to compromise with what they are supposed to be opposed. They want to embrace the enemy, After all, you are not supposed to Judge! Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
If you are not a faithful Christian, you stand before God condemned and are headed for hell when you die. This is not judging according to appearance but is righteous judgment. This is the judgment of the Word of God. We can only apply the judgments already made by God to the circumstances we find ourselves in. If you have never obeyed the gospel, you will be eternally lost if you don't 2 Thess. 1:6-9).