Thou Shalt Not Judge … Never, Ever, Ever!

READ: Matthew 7:1-5

1Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Very popular, very acceptable. I’ll do what I want. You’ll do what you want. Neither of us will dare correct the other or insinuate that one (or both) of us is a sinner. 

2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

So if I ignore everyone else’s sin, then they’ll have to ignore my sin. Or else … the judgment of God! 

3Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Huh? My brother is perfect the way he is. I do not judge him. And what is this plank of which you speak, Jesus?

4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 

What speck? What plank? We’re perfect the way we are. Where are you going with this, Jesus?!

5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

And there’s the issue! We were never called to ignore sin in our own lives or each other’s lives. Quite to the contrary, the Scriptures read: “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received,” (Eph 4:1) and, “If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” (Gal 6:1)

We are called to soberly evaluate our sin, repent, and gently restore our brothers and sisters in Christ. Are you doing this?

Revelation 14:1-5

The True Judge

When looking up synonyms for the word revelation, I found the following;

Exposure

Disclosure

Admission

Surprise

Shock

When the world as we know it comes to an end, will I be one of the 144,000 who will be redeemed from the earth? Will my family and friends be included? Will the Grace of God include a sinner such as me who has repented on a regular basis because of my humanness?

How can anyone on this earth be “pure” and “blameless” as to be offered as first fruits to God except innocent babies and children who have not yet been exposed to worldly corruption?

Revelation has always raised more questions than answers for me.

The thought of exposure and disclosure can be frightening, especially for those of us who hide behind a veil of goodness and make assumptions of our brothers and sisters based on their behavior. The fact is the Lord knows our hearts no matter how we perceive or are perceived by others.

Our judgment of the behaviors of those in our lives is not biblical, as we are told to leave judgment to our God many places within the Word. This passage in Romans is one example of warning for the day of Revelation:

Romans 14:10-12 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 

Heaven forbid the Lord judge us as we judge others.

Read/Listen to Revelation 14:1-5