"Judge not, that ye be not judged"

*Edited October 8, 2015.*

Matthew 7:1-5, “Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgement you pronounce it will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you seek 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.”

People often through the phrase, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” all over social media whenever someone dares to contradict or challenge their point of view or lifestyle. They quote this first verse in defence of the ideology that judging people in any way is morally wrong, ignoring the rest of the passage (which, unfortunately, many Christians ignore the context of which the verse they quote is in).  Saying, “Do not judge” is itself a moral judgement against those who make moral judgements.  Yes, we shouldn’t judge people based on their appearances and personality types, but this sense of judging is not what Jesus is talking about on this Sermon on the Mount.  If it were, it would contradict with the rest of what Jesus says in verses 2-5, illustrating for us how we are to make proper judgements.  It would also contradict with what He said in John 7:24, “Do not judge by appearance [which is exactly what I said just a few sentences ago], but judge with righteous judgement.”  Righteous judgement is exactly what Jesus illustrated for us in Matthew 7:2-5.

In order to understand what type of judgement Jesus is talking about here, we need to look at the original Greek language.  The word for “judging” that Jesus used here is the word κρίνω (KREE-no), which means to take the seat of a judge and pass judgement on somebody — literally, “to condemn.”  Condemnation to what?  To Hell.  A judge in court declares  somebody guilty and sentences them to imprisonment.  This is what Jesus is telling us not to do — to not declare somebody guilty and sentence them to eternal imprisonment in Hell.  Why?  Because God is the ultimate Judge; He is the one that judges, therefore leave that to Him.

Why does Jesus tell us to judge righteously?  He has commissioned us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20), which is where we draw the term, “witnessing the Gospel.”  When witnessing, the application of Law and Gospel is necessary.  The Law has three functions:  it functions as a curb, as a mirror, and as a guide.  As a curb on the side of the road redirects us on the right path to restrain us from going off the road, the Law does the same thing with sin.  It convicts us, and because it convicts us, it restrains us from continuing in that sin.  As a mirror, the Law reveals to us our sinfulness and dirtiness, hence, “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).  Because the Law reveals to us our hopelessness in our sin, it guides us to the Gospel.  And this, after revealing the sin through the Law, is where we witness the Gospel — the forgiveness of sins because of what Christ did for us and what He continues to do for us, and what He will do when He returns.

Going back to the Sermon on the Mount, basically what Jesus is saying in 7:2-5 about exercising  righteous judgement is this:  Do not look at somebody’s sin and condemn them to Hell or try to get them to change their ways before working on your own sin that binds you, especially if it’s the same sin or something similar.  (For example, if you unrepentantly commit premarital sex, it would be wrong for you to try and reform the actions of an unrepentant adulterer, for  you are also guilty of a sexual sin that you have not plucked from your own eye.)  First, go to Scripture and see what God’s Word has to say about your own sin, then spend ample time in prayer, fellowship, and application to overcome it (remember that this is done through the Holy Spirit, not by your own works).  Once that happens, then you’ll be able to see more clearly and will be better equipped to help your brother or sister in Christ who suffers with a particular sin.  In essence, this is righteous judgement:  not condemning someone to Hell for their sins, but rather recognising that they are in sin and helping them to turn away from it after you have turned away from your own with the help of God.