"Don't Judge Me"

Pastor Randy filled in for Pastor Lee at First New Testament this Sunday, and the message was amazing. Ironically, his message centered around what I posted on my blog the day before, about judgment beginning at the house of God.

One point worth mentioning to you all is his explication of Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Time and time again, this one verse is used out of context to suggest that Christians should never make judgment calls about other people. This is absurd. We make judgment calls every day: the type of clothing we like, the shows we will and won't watch, the food we consider tasteful and the food we consider nasty...

And no one tells us, "Hey, you're being judgmental!" While it's true that judging another's soul is a different affair, we are not commanded to judge another's soul: only God can do that. But if taken to the extreme (and out of context), this verse can be misappropriated. If this were the only verse in the Bible that speaks about judgment, then, yes, I would conclude that I am never to make a judgment call about another person's lifestyle. But the Bible has many other things to say, which explain this verse. If you read on through Matthew 7:5, you see that God is not saying, "Don't confront anyone else about their sin," but more along the lines of "Excuse me, Knucklehead , stop worrying about the fact that your brother lost his temper, when you're the one cursing at your family every night."...

MATTHEW 7:1-5

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or 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?

5Thou 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.

John 7:24 actually commands us to judge! "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

God indeed wants us to judge each other righteously, but only if it is out of the right motive and if we have prepared ourselves.
1. "The right motive" = concern for the soul of another person. Not correcting someone because it makes you feel better about yourself.
2. ""Having prepared ourselves" - "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (II Cor. 7:1) In other words, make sure you are right with God, before you go about trying to get someone else right with God. You don't have to be perfect, but you have to be submitted.

If we fail to righteously judge, we fail to hold each other accountable. And without holding each other accountable to love God and each other, of what use is the church? Without the tender nurturing of the community bringing correction, of what good are we to each other...and furthermore, to the world?

Remember: you can dress it up how you want to, but the truth is never sexy.