Judge Not - Matthew 7:1-5 - Outline & Audio

Body.

I. First things first.

A. It is important that we understand that Jesus is ultimately the only Judge who matters.

B. When all is said and done, it will not matter what other men think of us, but what Jesus thinks of us.

1. He is the one who will judge the living and dead at His appearing (2 Timothy 4:1). "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom"

2. It is before His Judgment Seat that we will all stand (2 Corinthians 5:10). "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

3. It is His Word that will judge us (John 12:47-48). "And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

II. What the world likes to tell us about this passage.

A. They try to make Jesus’ statement here; “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Meaning that all judgment on man’s part is wrong.

B. Of course we can see the influence of our society on this way of thinking.

C. People who say this make two important mistakes.

1. They forget to read the rest of the passage.

2. They forget to look at the rest of the Bible’s teachings on the subject.

III. The Rest of the Bible.

A. Before we explain what Matthew 7:1-5 teaches, let us notice what it cannot be teaching.

B. It cannot be teaching that it is wrong for us to make any judgments at all about another person.

1. Jesus tells us that we are to judge righteous judgment (John 7:24). "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

2. He also tells us that we are to beware of false prophets and that we will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20). "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

3. Paul tells us...

a. If a brother is overtaken in a fault to restore him. How would this be possible without first making the judgment that the brother was doing something which was wrong (Galatians 6:1)? "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

b. That we are to withdraw from a brother or sister who is walking disorderly (2 Thessalonians 3:6). "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. Again, it is necessary for us to make a judgment here in order to know this."

IV. Matthew 7:1-5.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye."

A. Having seen the previous verses, we can know that Jesus is not teaching that all judgment is wrong.

B. Rather than forbidding all judgment, Jesus is giving us a warning about judging others.

C. The warning is this: We will be judged by the same standard with which we judge others.

1. Jesus uses the vivid picture of a man trying to pick a speck out of a brother’s eye while there was a plank coming out of his own.

2. There is no double standard in Christianity.

3. Do we sometimes hold others to higher standards than we hold ourselves?

D. We have not right to judge (and thus correct) a brother when we are guilty of the same or worse.

1. Galatians 6:1. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

2. Romans 2:1. "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things."

E. Jesus encourages us to first remove the plank from our own eye and then we can see clearly to help our brother get the speck out of his.

1. We must first correct the problem in our own lives and then begin to work on others.

2. To do different is hypocrisy (v.5). "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye"

3. How could we expect anyone to take correction from someone who is guilty of the same thing?

4. I believe that this is one reason that there are such stringent qualifications for elders.

F. Does this mean that we have to be sinlessly perfect in order to correct someone who is in error?

1. None of us are sinlessly perfect.

2. The prohibition is against correcting others in an area where we are guilty as well.

3. For example: I am overweight. Therefore, I have no right to tell anyone else that they need to lose weight. Until...I correct that problem myself.

4. Do you see how productive this is?

5. It causes us to constantly examine ourselves and make improvements in our own lives (2 Corinthians 13:5). "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

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Understand Jesus’ teaching on judging others. Text: Matthew 7:1-5

Introduction.

1. In verses 1-5 of Matthew chapter 7, Jesus gives us a very important teaching on judging others.

2. Many have misunderstood or misapplied this passage.

3. Let us examine what it really teaches in light of the teachings of the rest of the Bible.

Body.

I. First things first.

A. It is important that we understand that Jesus is ultimately the only Judge who matters.

B. When all is said and done, it will not matter what other men think of us, but what Jesus thinks of us.

1. He is the one who will judge the living and dead at His appearing (2 Timothy 4:1). "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom"

2. It is before His Judgment Seat that we will all stand (2 Corinthians 5:10). "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

II. What the world likes to tell us about this passage.

A. They try to make Jesus’ statement here; “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Meaning that all judgment on man’s part is wrong.

B. Of course we can see the influence of our society on this way of thinking.

C. People who say this make two important mistakes.

1. They forget to read the rest of the passage.

2. They forget to look at the rest of the Bible’s teachings on the subject.

III. The Rest of the Bible.

A. Before we explain what Matthew 7:1-5 teaches, let us notice what it cannot be teaching.

B. It cannot be teaching that it is wrong for us to make any judgments at all about another person.

1. Jesus tells us that we are to judge righteous judgment (John 7:24). "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

3. Paul tells us...

IV. Matthew 7:1-5.

A. Having seen the previous verses, we can know that Jesus is not teaching that all judgment is wrong.

B. Rather than forbidding all judgment, Jesus is giving us a warning about judging others.

C. The warning is this: We will be judged by the same standard with which we judge others.

1. Jesus uses the vivid picture of a man trying to pick a speck out of a brother’s eye while there was a plank coming out of his own.

2. There is no double standard in Christianity.

3. Do we sometimes hold others to higher standards than we hold ourselves?

D. We have not right to judge (and thus correct) a brother when we are guilty of the same or worse.

1. Galatians 6:1. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

2. Romans 2:1. "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things."

E. Jesus encourages us to first remove the plank from our own eye and then we can see clearly to help our brother get the speck out of his.

1. We must first correct the problem in our own lives and then begin to work on others.

2. To do different is hypocrisy (v.5). "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye"

3. How could we expect anyone to take correction from someone who is guilty of the same thing?

4. I believe that this is one reason that there are such stringent qualifications for elders.

F. Does this mean that we have to be sinlessly perfect in order to correct someone who is in error?

1. None of us are sinlessly perfect.

2. The prohibition is against correcting others in an area where we are guilty as well.

3. For example: I am overweight. Therefore, I have no right to tell anyone else that they need to lose weight. Until...I correct that problem myself.

4. Do you see how productive this is?

5. It causes us to constantly examine ourselves and make improvements in our own lives (2 Corinthians 13:5). "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Conclusion.

1. It is important that we understand Jesus’ teaching here.

2. It is important that we put His teaching into practice in our own lives.

3. Have you been using a double standard?

4. When you stand before the most important Judge at the end of time, what will the verdict be?