We live in a media-focused society that loves strong opinions. In fact, we actually pay people big money to criticize many aspects of our society.

I can't think of a better job than one that requires you to sit with a big bowl of popcorn and watch movies so that you can tell people whether or not you liked the movie.  Who wouldn't like to get paid to do that? And we could probably do a better job than most of the movie critics.

It's not just movies. We have people that criticize sports, the arts, music, and of course politics.  Shows like Hardball, The O'Reilly Factor, Hannity and Colmes, and Crossfire are very popular these days.  But there is one matter that people often object to having a strong opinion on, and that is personal morality.  How many times have you heard the phrase: "You can't judge me," or, "Who gave you the right to judge me?"  In fact, Matthew 7 is one of the most quoted, but most widely misunderstood passages of all of Scripture. 

Many people believe that the ideal Christ-follower should be an undiscerning, flabby, indulgent, all-accepting jellyfish, who lives with a twisted misunderstanding of "Judge not."  What does Jesus mean in Matthew 7:1 when he says, "Stop judging others and you will not be judged"?  Jesus is neither making a commentary on judicial systems, nor on being a court judge.  He is also not saying that people shouldn't be critical thinkers who use discernment.  In fact, later in the chapter, in verses 15-17, Jesus says that we are to watch out for false prophets and he talks about a tree bearing good or bad fruit.  You obviously need to have an opinion about an individual in order to determine if she is birthing good or bad fruit, or if he is a true or false prophet.  Also in Matthew 18:15, Jesus says:

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over."

We have a responsibility to go to a brother or sister (that is a general term used for a follower of Jesus Christ) and show that person the area of his or her life that is at fault.  It is pretty clear that we not only can point out areas of moral failure and disobedience in a brother or sister's life, but also that we have a responsibility to do so. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus refers to the wild dogs that roamed the streets of his day and the pigs that were considered unclean animals in his culture:

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

Jesus is actually referring to a person's spiritual state, and the complete lack of interest in and forceful opposition to his message, by the religious people of his day.  Again, in order to determine that, one must make a judgment about the person. 

So what is at the center of not judging?  Many people today are pious, self-righteous, hypocritical, and condemning, just as the religious leaders of Jesus' day were. They set themselves up as gods looking upon other people with contempt.  Jesus was pointing out that people with this hyper-critical spirit had better watch out.  John Stott says it well:

 "The command to judge not is not a requirement to be blind, but rather a plea to be generous.  Jesus... tells us to renounce the presumptuous ambition to be God by setting ourselves up as judges." 

We all know people who struggle with looking at other people and tearing them down for the purpose of lifting themselves up.  It makes us feel good to think that we have it a little more together than our neighbor or the person next to us.  Before we dismiss this by thinking that it is only the religious leaders of Jesus' day who struggled with this, let's take a hard look at ourselves.  Do we tend to be critical of people around us because their kids don't act like our kids, or because they are Republicans or Democrats, or because of what they look like, or what their occupation or education is?  Do we walk around with an "I'm better" attitude because of our Bible knowledge, or the church we attend? 

Jesus has a sharp warning for us.  Some day all people will stand before God, and some day we will give an account before the Judge of the universe, and we'd better not have lived a life of setting ourselves up as little gods with an attitude of critical condemnation. 

These verses don't just relate to our final judgment by God, but emphasize that the measure we use will be used to measure us.  Basically, each of us is looked upon in the same way we look at others.  If I ask my neighbor not to have his dog poop on my lawn, then I'd better not have my dog walk and poop on his lawn.  Ask yourself this question: Do you find it easy to magnify others' faults while excusing your own?  If you do, Jesus' words will sting,

"Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." 

It is often said that the traits in others that bother us are often the habits we dislike in ourselves.  The words of Jesus are again the clearest direction in this area of judging others when he says,

"Do for other what you would like them to do for you.  This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets". 

On the Journey Together,

Jason Esposito

Senior Pastor