DON’T JUDGE ME!
Matthew 5:1-6, 15-20
In our degraded society that America is today, a Christian can hardly make a statement concerning morality in public without somebody standing up and screaming "Don't Judge Me!" Then that sinner goes onto partially quote probably the only Bible verse they know. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." They hold onto this verse so they can shout down the voice of believers so they will never be reminded of their sins. And, it has worked very well. Christians unilaterally give up ground because they don't want to appear intolerant and because they don't really understand the verse that was just thrown in their face in the wrong context.
So, what does the Christian need to understand about judging?
1. REALIZE THERE IS ONLY ONE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE.
MT 5:1-2 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
Any time you see a bold Christian make a moral stand, sinners scream out “Christians are to never judge.” And their tactic has been effective in silencing Christians to the point where we’re nothing but milktoast. God never intended us to be silenced concerning society’s morality. God never intended for HIS WORD to be watered down and negated.
** This verse is one of the most misunderstood in the Bible.
The Bible is not saying that we should never judge. In fact, later I will show you the verses that command us to judge.
** But if we are to never judge, then:
1. Did you not judge me before calling me as your pastor?
2. Are you judging, if you won’t let certain boys date your daughter?
3. Are you judging, if you don’t let your spouse watch porn?
4. Would you go to a marriage counselor that’s divorced 5 times?
Jesus is making a point to self-righteous people about their motive in judging and their own moral ability. Pharisees were self-righteous and judged people without mercy. Jesus is forbidding unwarranted condemnation of other people.
His warning is that if you judge people without mercy then God will judge you without mercy.
*** In ancient Persia, a corrupt judge was caught accepting a bribe. King Cambyses ordered him executed and skinned. His skin then covered the judges chair. This would be a reminder to future judges of the consequences of perverting justice and judging improperly.
If you love to participate in gossip and slander and tearing other people down ripping them for every little fault you can find... then, realize this, God is going to tear your world apart.
2. REALIZE OUR OWN SIN BEFORE JUDGING OTHERS.
MT 5:3-5 3 Why do you look at 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,’ and behold, the log is 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.
Here, Jesus reveals that most people that harshly judge others overlook the enormous level of sins in their own life.
Speck- karphos- means a splinter.
* This is a funny picture to me. Imagine an eye doctor trying to remove a splinter from your eye but he has a log coming out of his!
* Example: Gay Marriage. You can’t believe how many times people told me homosexuals were going to hell for destroying the sanctity of marriage. Many of those had numerous affairs, some were divorced numerous times, and others were shacking up with someone. Talk about hypocrisy and spiritual blindness!
* How can you sit in judgement over the sexual sins of a group of people when you are neck deep in your own sexual immorality?
* What is the fate of the practicing homosexuals according to the Bible? Hell if they don't repent.
* What is the fate of the adulterers? Hell if they don’t repent
** Is the adulterer in hell still going to feel superior to the homosexual in hell???
* We are all sinners. Does this mean we are to never judge? No, Jesus commands us to judge.
* What does it mean? We should judge our own behaviors first and diligently work at fixing ourselves instead of judging without mercy!
3. REALIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO JUDGE PROPERLY.
How do we judge properly?
1. Judge with mercy coming from our own humility.
MT 5:5 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.
* We must be right with God instead of condemning others for not.
* We must realize our own sinfulness and not be self-righteous.
* Our motive must be to help the other person, not tear them down.
David is a great example about this.
Ps 51:1013 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.
Notice- David is repentant concerning his own sin and mindful of his great failures. His desire is to help others come to know God, find forgiveness, and be saved.
** If your practice of judging others is to tear others down instead of helping others like David, then you’re more like a pharisee/hypocrite.
2. Judge rightly and boldly to protect your church and family.
MT 5:6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Some observations:
How does it pertain to your family?
* You do have the responsibility to judge the actions of your children, but also the responsibility to live a moral example before them.
* You do have the responsibility to determine who your children and spouse can be friends with and what they say and what they do.
How does it pertain to the church?
Dogs and Swine- stray dogs and pigs were considered dirty, filthy, wild, and unholy.
* Church has the responsibility to address the moral behavior of individual members when it affects the church.
* Church has responsibility to address members who are “wild”. IOW, that cause division, arguing, unruly behavior.
IOW, if you are going to attend this church...if you are going to attend our youth meetings... then you must come for the right reasons. If you are disruptive, divisive, or doing immoral things on this church property or at any church function, then the church must discipline that behavior. If you won’t accept the church’s moral expectations, then you need to leave. Not tomorrow, but get up and walk out right now.
4. REALIZE THAT WE ARE COMMANDED TO JUDGE.
MT 5:15-20 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.
1. There are different kinds of trees.
2. Trees will produce good or bad fruit.
3. You will know them by their fruit.
** What do have to do in order to “know them by their fruit”.
1. You have to examine the fruit.
2. You have to judge if the fruit is good or bad.
Why is this important?
To protect the church from heresy and false prophets that seek to get rich and powerful by manipulating believers.
One of my jobs as your pastor is to teach the truth, to lead by example.
But every pastor, teacher, deacon, or other leader must also.
1. If a minister is teaching heresy, denounce them and replace them.
2. If a minister is caught in immorality, especially repeated immorality, remove them from ministry.
3. If a minister is careless about worship or doesn’t come to worship, remove them from ministry.
4. If a ministry outside the church is heretical or false, then warn the church.
There you have it. The world says “don’t judge me”, but Jesus commands us to judge, but:
1. We must judge with humility and mercy.
2. We must judge to build up instead of to tear down.
3. We must judge to protect our church and our family.
4. We must rightly and realize that God will judge us in the same manners as we judge others.
