Care in Judging

Matthew 7: The Sermon on the Mount (36)

Pray Psalm 82.8.
Arise, O God, judge the earth;
For You shall inherit all nations.

Sing Psalm 82.8.
Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation
Rise up, O God, in splendor according to Your worth!
Rise up in pow’r to judge all the nations of the earth!
Rise up, O God our Savior, and hear our fervent call,
for You possess and rule o’er the nations one and all.

Read and meditate on Matthew 7.1-6.
How many different actions can you attach to “judging?”

Prepare.
1. How does Jesus warn us with respect to judging others?

2. What is the prerequisite for being able to judge others with righteous judgment?

Meditate.
This passage ranks high on the “Most Misunderstood” list of Scriptures. Many people are of the opinion that Jesus’ teaching here gives them a pass on having opinions about anything, or prohibits them from pointing out sins in others. But this passage does not forbid exercising righteous judgment, whether about issues or people. It simply raises some caution flags for practicing righteous judgment.

Jesus elsewhere commands us to judge with righteous judgment (Jn. 7.24). He further told His disciples—and by extension, us—that we are to judge one another, with Him, as He would (Matt. 19.28). So not judging is not an option.

We cannot avoid judging others. But we must make sure that we judge people the way we want to be judged (v. 2). Judging this way anticipates the Golden Rule, which Jesus will put forth in verse 12. In order to judge righteously, fairly, truly, and in love, we have to first judge ourselves (vv. 3-5). It would be hypocrisy to try to correct someone else as long as sin remains with our own souls. We must exercise continuous vigilance over our souls, and all our lives, lest sin take root there (cf. Prov. 4.20-27). If we are clean and clear of sin in ourselves, we’ll be in a position then to help our neighbor with the speck we have observed in his eye (v. 4). We are called to admonish and correct one another, and to build one another up; we can’t do that without exercising righteous judgment.

Verse 6 is added for two reasons. First, we who are entrusted with the Good News of the Kingdom must broadcast it widely, paying careful attention to receptive hearers, that we might cultivate them for Kingdom fruit. If we spend all our time trying to argue hard-hearted people into the Kingdom, we’ll end up with them running roughshod over us and our teaching, with little Kingdom fruit to show for it. Second, Jesus wants us to understand that some people who hear the Good News from us will regard it as something to be trampled underfoot. Don’t be alarmed when that happens. Instead, realize that you’re just fulfilling what Jesus spoke of here and elsewhere. 

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
There is a vast difference between judging another for things mundane—opinions, styles, political preferences, denominational choices, child-rearing techniques, etc., etc., ad infinitum—and for breaking God’s Laws.

Paul dealt with both kinds of judgment in these two passages:
Don’t judge:
“For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 
For if we live, we live to the Lord; 
and if we die, we die to the Lord. 
Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 
For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, 
that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 
But why do you judge your brother? 
Or why do you show contempt for your brother? 
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, 
but rather resolve this, 
not to put a stumbling block 
or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Rom. 14.7-13).

Do judge:
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you…
And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, 
that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you…
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, 
that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 
Your glorying is not good. 
Do you not know that a little leaven 
leavens the whole lump?” (1 Cor. 5.1-6).

I won’t judge you for your personal proclivities, be they law abiding;
however, please judge me if my actions are breaking God’s commandments.
And I’ll do the same for you. God will “judge between us” (Gen. 31.53).

“Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them have no dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression” (Ps. 19.12, 13).

“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; 
and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matt. 7.2).
Yes, please. Help me see the error of my ways. Be a friend to me.
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Prov. 27.6).

The health of the Church rides on the proper execution of these judgments.

“God is a just Judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7.11).
“For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. 
He shall judge the world with righteousness, 
and the peoples with His truth” (1 Chron. 16.33; Ps. 96.13).

Take care to judge yourself, and one another, with purposeful judgment—
righteousness and purity its only goal.

Reflect.
1. What’s the difference between judging others and exercising judgment over them?

2. How should submit yourself to the Lord for His judgment?

3. How can judging others be an edifying and loving exercise?

The word hypocrite is aptly employed here, since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray another’s character through the mask. Augustine (354-430), Sermon on the Mount 2.19.64

Pray Psalm 82.1-7.
God calls His rulers—those to whom He has entrusted His Kingdom—to judge righteously. Pray that He will enable you to do so today. And pray for your church leaders as well.

Sing Psalm 82.1-7.
Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation
God stands amid His people to judge their rulers all:
How long will they oppress those who on His favor call?
How long will they the wicked show partiality,
and treat with scorn the meek who their proper care should be?

Behold the weak and orphaned in need of loving care;
the destitute and smitten are with you everywhere.
Do justice, then, you rulers, to all God’s needy lambs.
Redeem, revive, retrieve them from wicked, sinful hands.

They do not understand, they in darkness walk around,
while Zion’s walls are shaken  and scattered on the ground.
God says to them, “My children, the sons of God Most High,
though you be high exalted, like all men you shall die.”

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column looks at David as a visionary leader. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.