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Did Jesus Really Say Don't Judge?

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Every Non-Christian’s Favorite Verse

If there was ever a verse more thrown around by unbelievers in the face of Christians it is Matthew 7:1, ESV: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” It comes up in nearly every confrontation about sin, God’s wrath, the cross of Christ, or anything involving the Christian worldview.

Unfortunately, this is the only verse most unbelievers have memorized. But, don’t miss what is being said: they are judging you for (apparently) judging them! Every unbiblical worldview is sinking sand. Only the Christian worldview stands upon the immovable rock of truth in Jesus Christ.

So, did Jesus really say that we can’t judge others? Does Matthew 7:1 really mean we can’t tell someone they are sinning or wrong, and thus, judge them? How does the church fulfill the charge in Matthew 18:15-2o or 1 Corinthians 5 regarding church discipline?

Reading the Next Verses

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As with most Bible “contradictions” or problems, the most helpful truth is to keep reading the rest of the passage. Read the rest of the paragraph or the verses above or below the questioned text. Let’s do that here in Matthew 7:1-5, ESV, emphasized.

[1] “Judge not, that you be not judged. [2] For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. [3] 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?

[4] 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? [5] 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 you see what Jesus is actually telling us? Matthew 7 is not a command not to judge, but a correction on how to judge. Jesus warns us against hypocritical judgment (v.5). If we have a log in our own eye, we cannot address the speck in our brother’s. Thus, Jesus teaches us how to rightly judge others in truth according to God’s standard (see John 7:24).

The Gift of Righteous Judgment

Christians must be quick to put their own sins to death (Romans 8:13) and to seek to count themselves dead to sin (Romans 6:11). Every Christian’s greatest battle is with his own sinful flesh. Our greatest enemy is self and Jesus Christ came to save us from ourselves.

As we learn to walk in holiness and obedience to God’s commandments, we can rightly and gently instruct our brothers who are falling into sin (Galatians 6:1) by speaking the truth in love. There is no better friend than one that helps us to enjoy Christ more.

Therefore, do not live the Christian life apart from community, instead live the Christian life in community. God’s design for every Christian is for other faithful Christians in the local church to encourage and aid them further into holiness.

One of your responsibilities in your church is to lovingly intervene with your stumbling brother and to encourage him to flee from sin, to remember the sweetness of Christ, and to drink deeply of God’s grace. Therefore, Jesus gives us gentle instruction on how to rightly judge our brother. It is better to be confronted in our sin than to perish with our sin.

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Praise God for the gift of faithful brothers and sisters to show us the speck in our eye that blurs our sight of God’s greatness.

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Cale is the pastor of Union Baptist Church in Orrick, MO. He is married to his wife Kelly and they have two children (third on the way!). Cale will be graduating with a Masters degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary this Fall and Spring 2023.
Cale is the pastor of Union Baptist Church in Orrick, MO. He is married to his wife Kelly and they have two children (third on the way!). Cale will be graduating with a Masters degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary this Fall and Spring 2023.




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