Judging Others (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 2)

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”-Matthew 7:1-6

Ever heard a person say, “You can’t judge me!” I’d be very surprised if you have never been on the receiving end of that statement or at least in the presence of someone of who has been. Interestingly enough, Jesus never said, “Do not judge others.” According to this passage he said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. The standard that you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” Meaning that how we approach acknowledging sin in the lives of others is how it will be meted back to us.

It forces us to examine our motivation for addressing the sinful behavior in others. Jesus said that we cannot help others until we are willing to address the issues in our own lives. He did not say that our hands are tied simply because we have all sinned. He said, in fact, to get rid of the log in our own eye so that we can see well enough to deal with the speck in our friend’s eye.

However, the world and even some Christians would have you to believe that to point out wrongdoing in others is a form of judging. To the contrary, Jesus clarified that this is not the case in verse 6: “Don’t waste what is holy on people that are unholy.” Distinguishing between righteousness and unrighteousness is not judging at all, it’s discernment. Jesus even goes as far as to say this:

 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.  You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”-Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus does not criticize or caution us against identifying right and wrongdoing in the actions of others. Why? Because I do not have to assume things about people when their actions are defining their behavior. Nevertheless, how I address their behavior is what determines whether I am judging or showing discernment. Here is an example from scripture:

“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”-John 8:1-11

Notice that Jesus never one time denied her actions were sinful. He even told her to go and sin no more. The Pharisees, however, came with stones in hand. Jesus recognized that they wanted the power to save and destroy. They had already formed an opinion, rendered a verdict, and were ready to condemn her. That is until Jesus pointed out that not a single one of them was without sin. Jesus addressed their spirit of condemnation, while still being clear to call out sin.

Believer it or not, there are times that we must make judgments:

 “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”-1 Corinthians 5:12-13

When we discern wrongdoing, within the church, we have a responsibility to address it. As believers, striving to be more like Christ, we should not be so quick to take offense when we are corrected; especially when it is biblically supported. We must address sin, but with a desire to reconcile people to God; not condemn them for punishment.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church