"JUDGE NOT, LEST YE BE JUDGED."
Matthew 7:1 is often quoted, yet also often misunderstood. It will stumble into a conversation when one person is making a moral assessment of another and it rubs the wrong way. "Judge not...", the offended will say.
But.. is this what Jesus is really saying? Does He truly want us to never judge others?
As contrary as it may seem, the answer is no. Fair evaluation and discernment of people are good things! (ex. discernment of false teachers, wolves in sheep's clothing, etc.) Rather, He IS telling us not to condemn others or judge them unfairly.
In context, Jesus is worried about the unity and harmony of His disciples. It is a threat to the unity of the church when members of the same body jump to conclusions about others. Though Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He might as well have been speaking directly to us today. Everywhere we look, someone is making a judgment about someone else.
Consider face masks.
What do you think when you see someone you know wearing one? What do you think when you see someone you know not wearing one?
On Sunday, Pastor Shu guided us through four reasons we tend to judge others unfairly:
We judge others unfairly when we forget what we don't know.
Often, we make assumptions without knowing all of the context. We don't know the heart, intent, or circumstances -- but, based on the information we do have, we jump to conclusions. We decide that we're right and more enlightened that the other person. We become arrogant and lacking humility. This is a scary and dangerous place to be. It is a place where we consider ourselves gods above others.
We judge others unfairly when we ignore our own shortcomings. Jesus points this out in verse 3, "why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?". It is far easier to point out faults in others while forgetting our own.
Jesus tells us to put away the magnifying glass and pick up a mirror. Our mirror is God's Word. It shows us where we are in our journey to become more like Christ. It teaches us, instructs us, and corrects us. It helps us deal with our own sin struggles so THEN -- only after
-- God can use us to help others.
We judge others unfairly when we fail to discern properly.
Actually, in verse 6, Jesus hints that maybe we're failing to discern at all: "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs."
Once you deal with your own sin, God gives you the ability to approach people in a different way. But, on the back end of this, don't stop judging people completely! Don't stop discerning.
To put what Jesus is saying bluntly, there are some activities, discussions, and people that are not worth your time. Don't waste your time wading into these situations as judges. We must be a people that balance humility and discernment.
We judge others unfairly because we lose sight of the Gospel. The Gospel reminds us of the measurement God uses to judge us: even though we are certainly guilty and dead in our trespasses, God sent Jesus to take our verdict and pay the penalty for our sin. Because of Jesus, our Holy Judge declares us "not guilty!" for all eternity. Through Him, we are declared righteous before God!!
When we remember the Gospel and what God has done for us, we are transformed! God gives us the ability to be more patient with others.
Colossians 3:12-17 says it better than we ever could,
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”