1. If both your parents worshipped with you regularly while you were growing up, there’s an 80 percent likelihood that you’ll worship God regularly as an adult.

2. If only your mother worshipped regularly with you, there’s only a 30 percent probability that you’ll worship regularly as an adult.

3. If only your father worshipped regularly with you, the likelihood that you’ll worship regularly as an adult increases to 70 percent!

They conclude, "Fathers have an enormous impact on their children’s faith and values. One of your most important ministries is worshipping with your kids!"

Series: True Fellowship
Lesson: Judge Not One Another
Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5
Key Verse: Romans 14:13
Lesson Aim: To understand that a judgmental spirit displeases God.

Introduction

A. By way of review, what have you learned that you should do for one another as a believer?

We have learned at least three things we should do for "one another" so far. First, we should love one another. This is the basis for all the other "one another" phrases we shall study. The other "one another" phrases are the practical expression of our love for one another. Secondly, we should live in harmony with one another. There should be unity in the body. Thirdly, we should accept on another. By accepting the person, the body can help them grow in Christ-likeness.

B. What does Romans 14:13 tell us our main concern should be for one another?

Your concern should not be for judging your brother or sister in Christ, but for judging yourself. The thing each of us should be concerned about is not putting a stumbling block in your brother’s way. In other words, you must constantly evaluate your life to be sure something in it is not being used by Satan to offend your brother or sister and cause them to spiritually stumble. The focus is to be more on self-examination than on the examination of others.

C. What is the danger of a church that is filled with people of judgmental spirits (Galatians 5:15)?

When people are more concerned with attacking, finding fault and exposing the sins of others (which is what the phrase "bit and devour one another" means) then ultimately those people consume one another. The word "consume" means, "To destroy." This is the exact opposite of what a church is to be. It is to be a place of healing and edification (Isaiah 61:1, 3). This was the spirit of Christ. Let us learn in this lesson the proper balance concerning the judgment of others.

I. The Command Against Judgmental Spirits (Matthew 7:1-2)

A. What command is given to believers in Matthew 7:1? Why?

We are commanded to not judge on another. The word "judge" means, "To pronounce an opinion of right or wrong." It is the idea of a judicial verdict or decision, which is the prerogative of kings, rulers and judges. The reason we are told not to judge is that we are unqualified in this matter because we never have all of the facts. To be judgmental towards someone means you are making a decision about them without full knowledge. You can not see motives, or know all the extenuating circumstances. The key issue is heart and motive, which only God is qualified to judge.

B. Is there anything we are allowed to judge (Matthew 7:15-17; Matthew 18:15)?

Yes. There are some things God tells us to judge. One of these things is false teaching. We need to be able to tell when someone is a false prophet. We should not be deceived by wolves in sheep’s clothing who teach false doctrine. We judge them by the truth of Scripture and the fruit of their lives and teaching. When people believe wrong, ultimately they will live wrong (contrary to Scripture). We are also to judge if a believer is living in sin and seek to restore them (Galatians 6:1). These are all things we are qualified to judge because they are observable and can be evaluated against God’s absolute standard.

C. What can be expected from others if you are a person of a judgmental spirit (Matthew 7:2)?

You can expect others to treat you with the same attitude. People of a judgmental spirit are usually overly harsh, critical, and condemning with very little mercy. Is this how you would want others to treat you in the midst of some personal or family problem? Remember God’s law of sowing and reaping. People will reflect your attitude back to you. The word "measure" means, "A standard by which you judge others." You can expect this same standard to be held against you. David established a standard of judgment against an imaginary villain that was used in his own judgment by God (II Samuel 12:5-7). If you would like others to show grace towards you, you must be a person of grace and discernment rather than judgmental.

II. The Compassion Of Judgmental Spirits (Matthew 7:3-4)

A. What is the big problem that people with judgmental spirits have (Matthew 7:3)?

This kind of person is always able to see the faults of others, but never their own faults. The word "mote" means, "A twig or piece of straw." Compare this to a beam, which is something large enough to hold up a building, and you get the point Jesus is making. This kind of person seeks to focus on the relatively minor or insignificant flaws in others while ignoring their own major flaws.

B. Comparing Matthew 7:4 with Romans 2:17-22, what does the judgmental person tend to spend a majority of time doing?

They are always trying to change or fix other people, but never doing anything about their own problems. They want to pull out other people’s motes instead of doing anything about their own beams. This is the kind of person that wants to fix other people’s marriages while their own is falling apart. They tell others how to raise their children while their own are not even listening to them. God warns us to not be so quick to seek to solve everyone’s problems. Our time would be better spent working on our own problems. Each of us have our hands full handling ourselves and keeping our own lives straight. We must ask ourselves if we are honest and doing what we are teaching others to do.

C. What is a judgmental person covering (Romans 2:1, 3)?

They are covering up their own sin. They have too much pride to deal with their own sin. This would require honesty, humility, responsibility, repentance and confession. It is easier to condemn others, and in so doing, take the focus off of their own sin. Calling attention to other people’s sin is a way of covering their own sin to themselves (a form of denial) and others. However, God says this kind of a person, "Cannot escape My judgment." The spirit of this person is a self-condemning spirit because it reveals they are guilty of the same root sin they are exposing in others; even if their own sin has not yet come to light.

III. The Cure For Judgmental Spirits (Matthew 7:5)

A. What does God call a person with a judgmental spirit (Matthew 7:5)?

God calls them a hypocrite. The word "hypocrite" literally means, "A person of two faces; a pretender." It was a word used of actors who played a role or often wore differing masks for each part they played. A judgmental person is just pretending to be spiritual and concerned about people living righteously. They may talk spiritual and act religious, but God seeks a wicked and deceptive heart. This was the heart of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. Nothing made Jesus madder than their hard hearts and judgmental spirits (Mark 3:1-5).

B. What is the first thing a person must do before they are qualified to help one another with a fault in their life (Matthew 7:5)?

First, we must cast the beam out of our own eye. We must address and fix our own problem. This requires us to go through a process that produces brokeness and humility in our lives. Now we will deal with our brother in a totally different attitude. No longer will we be self-righteous and judgmental. Now we come with a spirit of compassion and a desire to help, not just expose sin.

C. Why are we now qualified to help our brethren with their sin (Matthew 7:5)?

Now we are qualified because we can see clearly since we have removed our own beam. Would you like a doctor to operate on you who could not see clearly? I do not think so. Now we understand how a person can have a sin problem from our own experience. Because we have, by grace, worked through the process of deliverance from our own failures we are no longer amazed at the failures of others. We come with a spirit of understanding and confidence in God’s solutions. In humility we offer our hand in help as fellow travelers who have learned the way to freedom and victory.

Conclusion

A. God condemns judgmental spirits among believers.
B. A judgmental person is never honest with themselves, God, or others about their own sin.
C. A judgmental person is never qualified to minister to others. This requires brokeness.

Project

What really irritates and angers you about those who are close to you or things you have to deal with on a daily basis (coworker, mate, child, parent, etc.)? Make a list of their faults or sins as you see them. Besides the root of pride, there are four basic roots of all sin. They are moral impurity, bitterness, temporal value system and self-image. Take the list you just made of other people’s "motes" and ask God if you have any blame in the same areas. Do you have some of the same root sins as they do, even if they are manifested in different fruit sins?