The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged” is one of the most misquoted passages in the bible, and used often against Christians by unbelievers when the subject of sin or obedience or faithfulness comes up. “Don’t judge lest you be judged!” They quote it to shut down any judgment at all. “You’re being judgmental; the bible says to ‘judge not.’ You Christians are all hypocrites.”
Then the witnessing moment ends because the believer doesn’t know what to say.
But let’s look at the context; is Jesus really saying, Don’t judge at all? Not at all! In fact, in the following verses He tells you to judge. He tells you to “see” the speck in your brother’s eye, but to first make a judgment and take out the log in your own eye. Yes, Jesus is against hypocrisy. But he is not against judging correctly.
In fact, Jesus goes on to command several more instances of judging (6): don’t give to dogs what is holy, and don’t throw pearls before pigs. You have to make assessments of situations and how to act in them.
In verse 13 Jesus commands you to make a judgment about gate size, so you don’t end up in destruction: enter by the narrow gate. In verses 15ff, Jesus also mentions being aware of false prophets, and that you are to “recognize” them by their fruits. You are to judge their fruits, whether it is good or bad; He doesn’t want you to get eaten up by those ravenous wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing!
So Christians are to follow the Lord in making judgments; but we are to make sure we do so in truth and not hypocritically.