Matthew 7:1-5
This admonition refers to "judgmentalism," gossip and backbiting. It
doesn't mean don't use reason when dealing with others. It means be
wary of going by appearances. But even if a person has fallen, there
but for the grace of God go you. You are that person's equal! In fact,
you should regard yourself as of lower estate than that "poor soul."
That's the right attitude. Be right-sized.
1 Don't sit in judgment over another, or you face being judged.
2 You will be judged by the standard you use; you will be measured by the yardstick you apply to others.
3 Why are you focusing on the speck in your brother's eye, but you don't notice the two-by-four hanging out of your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, let me help you remove this speck from your eye while you have a two-by-four in your own eye?
5 You fraud! First get rid of that two-by-four in your eye and then you will see clearly in order to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7). So when you cast aspersions on someone, that very situation will come back to haunt you. Thus, Jesus advises, don't go there.
The injunction to "judge not," in the sense of assuming a position of superiority with respect to the one we are eyeballing, is something that often seems to slip through under the mental radar. We know better, in theory, yet we do it anyway.
Consider a person who runs or serves in an outreach program to the homeless or other poor. Does this servant identify with those homeless persons as equals, or is the attitude patronizing and condescending? Has the servant unconsciously, perhaps, assumed an elevated role and position?
But had I had a specific individual in mind when writing the paragraph above, I would be in the wrong. I have no business judging anyone, including people whose behavior I might not endorse. I can dislike certain activities, but I haven't walked in that person's shoes and so who am I to hold him in opprobrium? If Jesus died a terrible death so as to pay off the debt of the worst of sinners, doesn't that imply that he did not care to judge people – just as he refused to condemn the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11) [DNJ.1] ? So if Jesus doesn't judge us, who do I think I am when I pass judgment on another? (Unfortunately, this bad habit continually afflicts me.)
Christians tend to have strong negative feelings about adultery, homosexuality, gay marriage, and abortion. It is fine for us to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) about what we think is right or wrong. But we should beware becoming too personal. Then are we not moving into judgmentalism? If you haven't walked a mile in your brother's or sister's shoes, then who are you to pass judgment on another's behavior and way of life? Jesus did not come to judge us, but to seek and to save those who are lost – thank God! (John 3:17, Luke 19:10).
Still, it is not necessarily a bad thing to correct a brother.
Proverb 9:8-9
BUT, if you are spiritually dead, then you are blind, which is the
equivalent of having a two-by-four in your eye. Although Matthew does not
here emphasize the need to become born again (a phrase Matthew does not use
at all), we who know Jesus understand that Jesus was pointing to that necessity. You
must be born from above, by the Spirit, in order to get the
two-by-four out of your eye. Then you will be able to see clearly in
order to be of real value to your brother.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
That two-by-four should start coming out once you have sincerely received Jesus as your personal Lord and Rescuer – though for many the distorting lens of this world system may take some time to be corrected. On the other hand, there should be a striking change in behavior, even if the renewed person hasn't quite gotten her "sea legs."
While it is so that a worldly person can act "good" when others are looking, and may even be somewhat moralistically rigid on account of a parentally induced sense of guilt and shame, such a person cannot possibly experience the joy of liberty in Christ or voluntarily desire to do things Christ's way.
The unregenerate person who tries to be "good" remains in bondage to self, and hence Satan. A person who has been a not-really born-again "good Christian" has not seen the kingdom of God, has not walked in its light, and is really a role-playing hypocrite. That is to say, once that role-playing "good Christian" actually "converts" to Jesus, surrendering all to him, then he is no longer a "good Christian" but a brand new creation!
Hence, his inner being will eagerly desire, despite the resistance of the old nature, to follow Jesus – and change of heart will be proved by his actions. "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:17). A person reborn of the Spirit just HAS to let that light shine through her behavior!
As James, "the brother of Jesus" wrote:
James 4:11-12
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Muscle men
The idea is that now that we are born again we are to love – not judge – our fellow humans for whom Christ died.
If you want to be at the top of the heap, then you must be everyone's servant. That's how Jesus rolls! Be right sized, and you will find it easier not to judge another.
When my boys were quite young, we were on the boardwalk at the beach. I was amused by the five-year-old and seven-year-old cheerfully showing off their biceps to each other. As I chuckled I could sense God's presence as he let me know that that is how he views many human vanities. Silly pride. Fine for children, but not really suitable for men. Many things by which people compare each other are just as silly, if not sillier. But, even worse, in our own strength we are all mucking around in the moral pigpen. Thank God that Jesus has cleaned us up.
To that end, some ideas from the Lord:
Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Luke 14:7-10
7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.
8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Mark 10: 35-45
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
John 13:4-17
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
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Mt. 7:6. Pearls before swine
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