Devotionals

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You’ve most likely heard this more than once. Perhaps you’ve unleashed it on someone when you felt attacked or cornered. “Judge not, that you be not judged,” says Jesus in Matthew 7:1.
Most people find consolation in that portion of scripture, regardless of their actions or repercussions. They interpret scripture as saying that no one has a right to criticize or object to their choices or lifestyle - You can’t judge me. Jesus said so.

Of course condemning each other goes against the teachings of Jesus, but the New Testament does not issue a broad prohibition on the very action of judging. On the contrary, we are told, “The spiritual man judges all things” (1 Corinthians 2:15). Can we both judge and not judge?

When we judge something we decide or make a determination on its qualities and benefits. It can either be positive or negative. Think of contestants on The Voice or any other talent show. The judges are there to decide based on the rules of the game. So if we cannot make decisions especially between good and evil then we are at a loss.

While we are never called to condemn one another, we cannot throw all sense of moral judgment to the wind because we might be seen as prejudiced. For the reason that our forgetting how to make distinctions between right and wrong is precisely what the devil wants. He wants our focus to shift and become nonchalant as far as morality goes. It’s in such a state that transgression sneaks in and takes root.

How then can we know what Jesus meant? Scripture interprets scripture – we’re told elsewhere to discern between good and evil, to set a difference between the holy and the profane and to judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24, 1Corinthians 6:2, Ezekiel 22:23-28, Hebrews 5:14, James 5:19-20). 2 Timothy 4:2 instructs Elders in the church to reprove, rebuke, and correct sin and error in the interest of provoking repentance and Godliness in the life of fellow believers. Jesus didn’t come to contradict but to fulfill scripture.

It will do us good to look at Matthew 7:1-6, for clarification:
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 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? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

It is simple. Jesus is condemning the mind-set of correcting someone without first straightening out ones errors (Matthew 7:5). Can we “judge” (make a determination) that someone has a “mote” (fault) and then seek to remove it? Certainly; the latter part of verse 5 says so, but not as hypocrites (with log in our eyes. Funny how a log in one’s eye blocks all vision except for the speck in other people’s eyes.), let us judge righteous judgment, John 7:24.

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