Matthew 7:1-5 – “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.”
I. Jesus Delivers A Prohibition (Matthew 7:1)
A. A clear command to obey – “Judge not…”
B. A clear consequence for disobeying – “…that you be not judged.”
To judge someone is to engage in a hyper-critical, condemning, loveless attitude about them which draws conclusions about their motives and character based on what is seen externally in their lives.
Romans 14:4 – “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”
II. Jesus Designates An Equation (Matthew 7:2)
A. Gauge the degree to which you judge others – “For with the judgment you pronounce {upon others} …”
B. Be certain that the same degree of judgment will be used by God on you – “…you will be judged…”
C. If you hold people to strictly to your personal measuring stick, God will hold you strictly to His – “…and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
III. Jesus Describes A Distraction (Matthew 7:3-4)
A. Our judgment of others is significantly impaired (Matthew 7:3) – “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?”
B. Our inspection of others is completely presumptuous (Matthew 7:4) – “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?”
Romans 2:1-3 – “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. [2] We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. [3] Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”
IV. Jesus Details A Prescription (Matthew 7:5)
A. His assessment of those who judge – “You hypocrite…”
B. His admonition to those who judge – “…first take the log out of your own eye…”
C. His answer to those who judge – “…and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
James 2:10-13 – “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. [11] For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. [12] So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. [13] For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
The Judgmental Person’s Prayer
If we choose to engage in critical judgment of others, let us do so with integrity by first praying the following: “God please judge me, both now and when I stand before You, to the same degree that I currently judge others. Amen.”