"Is It Wrong To Judge Others" "Judge Righteous Judgment"
(Matthew 7:1-5; (JOHN 7:24)
INTRODUCTION:
1. The text from the Sermon on the Mount deals with how we treat others, and how we ourselves want to be treated.
2. It is an unfortunate reality that at times, even among the most seasoned veterans of the cross, a hasty type of judgment is displayed.
1) This judgment is one that is harsh, self-righteous, and unloving; and can be classified as a fault-finding spirit.
2) Such a spirit can be serious consequences (Gal. 6:7).
3. It should be noted that Matt. 7:1-5 is also one of the most misunderstood texts of the New Testament, as many try to apply the concept of "judge not" universally.
1) Judging means, "to distinguish, to decide, to censure and condemn."
2) Every day each of us makes countless judgments, and so we must realize that there are certain areas where Matthew 7 cannot be applied.
4. Matt. 7:1-5 cannot be applied to the judicial system.
1) Rom. 13:2,4 "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
2) Paul informs us that the government is ordained of God, and is there to make the necessary judgments for our society to function and to deal with those who oppose what is right.
5. Matt. 7:1-5 cannot be applied to matters in which we form an opinion.
1) For example, Matt. 7:6 "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."
2) Matt. 10:14 "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."
3) Acts 13:46 "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
6. Matt. 7:1-5 cannot be applied to false teachers and false doctrine.
1) Matt. 7:16 "Ye shall know them by their fruits..."
2) Rom. 16:17 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
7. Matt. 7:1-5 cannot be applied to congregational discipline.
1) 1 Cor. 5:11 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat."
2) 2 Thess. 3:6 "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."
8. Matt. 7:1-5 cannot be applied to preaching against sin: 1 Tim. 5:20 "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."
9. We understand that there are certain areas where it is not wrong to make judgments, and areas
where it is wrong; so the challenge before us is to, "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
DISCUSSION: I. THE REMARK.
A. The judgment which should not be found among Christians is that which is hasty in nature; that which is based upon half-truths, hear say, or rumors.
1. Of the seven things which God hates, is a "An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations..." (Prov. 6:18).
2. James 1:19-20 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."
3. Sometimes we say: "Don't be quick to jump to conclusions."
1) This is referred to in scripture as "evil surmisings" (1 Tim. 6:4).
2) This means to put the worst possible interpretation on the actions and words of other people.
B. The judging which is clearly forbidden addresses one's attitude.
1. We need to avoid a self-righteous spirit; a feeling of superiority.( 1 Pet. 5:5) "...Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
2. We need to avoid being hypercritical, which is the very opposite of constructive criticism.
3. This is very important!: We need to avoid forming an opinion without knowing all of the facts!
4. We need to avoid assuming the motives of others: 1 Cor. 2:11 "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
5. We should remember that even in a court of law there is no penalty until a motive is established.
6. We must avoid condemning the sinner instead of the sin; unless of course the sinner refuses to repent of his sins. Luke 9:56 "For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives, but to save them..."
7. We also need to avoid judging others in order to justify ourselves.
II. THE RESULTS.
"For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again" (Matt. 7:2).
A. It has been mentioned that this kind of judgment brings on a boomerang affect.
1. Brother Cox notes: "Judgment provokes judgment. It excites animosity and provokes retaliation.
The judge will be judged, the critic will be criticized, the measurer will be measured. Life is action and reaction."
2. Once again we see the principle of sowing and reaping (cf. Gal. 6:7-8).
3. James 2:13 "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy..."
B. Consider a moment the parable of the talents (Matt. 18:23-35).
1. The wicked servant pleaded for mercy and his debt was forgiven.
2. But in this account the Lord reveals he treated his servants harshly even after he was forgiven.
3. The Master learned of his cruelty, and held him accountable for it.
4. Matt.18:35 "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."
III.THE REMOVAL.
Matt. 7:3-5 "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye."
A. To better convey the importance of this lesson, Jesus illustrated His point by use of the mote or beam.
1. Mote - a little speck or splinter.
2. Beam - log, plank, rafter, or beam; even rendered as a wooden pole in one translation.
B. The Lord draws a vivid picture pointing out that the sins of others are easier to see than our own.
1. Those who find fault are blinded by the beam in their eyes; and their hearts are poisoned with malice and hatred as they seek the bad in others.
2. Once King David was blinded to his fault, until Nathan the prophet had to say to him, "Thou art the man" (2 Sam. 12:7).
C. The spirit of "mote finding" may make others feel righteous; but such a spirit is not pleasing to
God. Titus 1:15 "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving
is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled."
IV.THE RIGHT JUDGMENT BELONGS TO GOD.
A. James 4:12 "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"
B. Peter tells us that "the righteous are scarcely saved" (1 Pet. 4:18); so we must guard our attitudes.
C. We are not qualified to judge as no one possesses the omniscience of God. Psa. 139:6 "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it."
D. Rom. 14:10 "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?
for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."
E. Harsh judgment of others brings out hypocrisy as we should all realize, "There is none
righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10).
V. THE REMEDY (PRESCRIPTION).
A. The means for overcoming such a fault-finding spirit is to replace it with love. 1 Cor. 13:4-8a (NKJV) "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not
rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails..."
B. Rom. 12:9 "Let love be without dissimulation (hypocrisy, NKJV). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."
C. John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
D. Further, in our remedy, we should be slow in judging others, and realize the greater obligation we have toward one another.
1. Peter conveys that our love for one another is to be "above all things" (1 Pet. 4:8).
2. Our love for one another should lead us to restore those who stumble in a humble spirit. Gal. 6:1 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."
3. Our love for one another should cause us to bear our brother's burden (Gal. 6:2).
4. Rom. 12:15 "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."
5. Our love for one another should cause us to be willing to forgive when a brother repents. Matt. 18:21-22 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
6. Our love will cause us to apply the golden rule (Matt. 7:12).
CONCLUSION:
1. We must not be judges who judge with evil thoughts, but we must learn to "judge righteous judgment."
2. We are here to help one another, not hurt one another!