Articles
Do Not Judge Me for Judging You
Do Not Judge Me for Judging You
Probably the best ‘loved’ verse in the Bible, even surpassing John 3:16, is Matthew 7:1: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” Even unbelievers like this verse – as it is understood (misunderstood) by them. No matter what you have done, it is taken that Jesus prohibited anyone from ‘judging’ you and saying you are wrong. Of course, it is understood as a one-way street because they are freely quoting the verse, applying it to you, and thus judging you for judging them.
Jesus also said that we are to ‘judge righteous judgment’ (John 7:24). Jesus, in this very chapter, demands that we make moral judgments about who are pigs and who are dogs ((vs. 6). We are to make a judgment concerning who are false prophets (vs. 15). The church collectively must sit in judgment upon the openly immoral that will not repent (1Cor. 5).
We DO need to learn that we will be judged by the same rule whereby we judge others. We must first then examine (judge) ourselves. We must first take the beam out of our own eye, and THEN we will see clearly so as to be able to remove the speck from our brother’s eye. We are not to be hypocritical in such judgments, but must first be willing to apply the teachings of Jesus to our own lives. It is just easier to see other people’s errors. It is more pleasant to ‘confess other people’s sins.’
In order to make righteous judgments, we need a righteous standard (measure, translated ‘standard of measure in the NASB, see 7:2). This, for believers, is simply the Word of God (rightly understood in its context). Such standard must then be fairly and equitably used in all of our assessments, evaluations, and examinations (i.e., judging).
In making such we are to be fair, firm, kind, and loving. Our aim is NOT judgment but the well-being of the one who is in error. Our goal is not to prove ourselves morally superior, but to help the one in error to live better.
It is not judgment that Jesus is warning against, but hypocritical judgment. It is not judgment that is the problem, but the unkind, unloving, and hypocritical way that judgment is often pronounced. The questions, as Paul put it: “you who would teach others, do you not teach yourself?” (Rom. 2:21). “Do you suppose that when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? (Rom. 2:3). Well, do you?
Hugh DeLong
