CALEB CUNNINGHAM: WHO AM I TO JUDGE ANOTHER?

Who Am I to Judge Another?
(Matthew 7:1-5)

Tonight’s sermon comes from Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. This sermon takes up three full chapters in the book of Matthew (5-7), and it is filled with practical commands for living a life that pleases God. In my opinion the Sermon on the Mount sums up what Christian living is all about. I want us to concentrate our attention to a short section of this sermon that deals with judging others. It is found in Matthew 7:1-5. The words of the Lord are…[READ THE TEXT].

The word “judge” in our text is translated from the Greek word krinete, krinw - condemn; decide, determine; consider, regard, think; prefer
· One can violate this passage without saying a word. You can be judgmental in your thoughts.

The person addressed in our text has a problem with other people. People aren’t living up to what he expects of them. People aren’t living up to his standards of righteousness. His real problem, however, is not with other people; it’s with himself. But he isn’t aware of it. He only sees the faults of others. He’s a faultfinding, mote-hunter. He has the wrong attitude. He is judgmental of others in an improper way, and this isn’t becoming of followers of Christ.

1. First we must see what Jesus is not saying in this text.

But before we examine the words of the Lord Jesus in this passage I want us to note what this passage is not saying. Unfortunately, this is one of the most often misquoted passages in the Bible. Many use it to excuse their sin and to fight off those concerned individuals who are trying to lead them aright. And in the process quoting this Scripture they do as Peter warned in 2 Peter 3:16 and distort the Scriptures to their own destruction.

There are several things that Jesus is not saying:

A) All judgment is wrong. Many judgments are necessary in life: Career judgments, family judgments, products judgments, etc.

Arthur W. Pink correctly wrote, “The capacity of judging, of forming an estimate and opinion, is one of our most valuable faculties and the right use of it one of our most important duties.”

Hebrews 5:14 – Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their sense trained to discern good and evil.

B) You cannot develop an opinion about someone or someone’s actions.

As parents we’re judgmental about who our children hang around with. We’re encouraged to be judgmental about the people that we hang around with:
1 Cor 15:33 – Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.
Prov 13:20 – He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
In order to follow these two verses we have to make judgments about people.

What really hammers the point home is that Jesus encourages us in the same sermon in the same chapter 7:15 to “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
· How will we know if someone is a false prophet?
· Matt 7:16 – You will know them by their fruits.
· Jesus encouraged His audience to discern, to judge, between true prophets and false prophets, by looking at their “fruits” or “behavior”.
Therefore, Jesus is not saying that we cannot develop an opinion about someone.

C) You cannot call evil what it is: evil.

Romans 12:9 – Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.
· In order to abhor what is evil, we need to identify evil.

D) You cannot confront someone with his or her sin

Galatians 2:11 – When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned…When I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I…[confronted them]
Galatians 6:1 – If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness…

So Jesus is not forbidding all forms of judgment. He is not prohibiting us from judging others in every sense. In fact, Jesus commands us to judge:
· John 7:24 – Judge with righteous judgment.

2. There are several types of Judgment that Jesus is forbidding in this text.

A) Harsh judgment

Sometimes we can judge others pretty harshly. We may be overly critical, too strict, or unforgiving.

Matthew 7:2 – For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

A Buddhist story tells of a man who had lived wickedly and became very ill and near death. In the fever he had a dream, and in this dream he was conducted through the underworld to the hall of justice in which judges sat in curtained alcoves. He faced his judge, and was told to write his misdeeds upon a slate provided for that purpose. Sentence was then passed that he should be thrice struck by lightning for his sins. The curtain was drawn back, and he faced his judge, to find there seated the image of himself, and he realized that he had pronounced the verdict. All of us must face our own consciences, and should take pains to live so in accord with them, as the Bible educates them.

B) Hypocritical judgment

Matthew 7:3-5 – 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? 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? 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.

A new law on drunken driving in Louisiana is now one of the toughest in the nation. There is a mandatory prison sentence for anyone convicted of driving while intoxicated. Getting it passed was a major victory for various groups against drunk driving, and they could not have gotten it passed if it wasn’t for the help of one particular state legislator who sponsored the bill. It wasn’t long after the new law took effect that the first person to be arrested for driving under the influence was brought before the judge and found guilty and was sentenced to his prison term. Who was he? The same legislator who sponsored the bill! “For the way you judge, you will be judged, and by your standard of measure it shall be measured to you.”

Matthew 23:3 – Therefore all that they [scribes and Pharisees] tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
Romans 2:1 – You have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

C) Ignorant judgment

Forming opinions about someone before you have all the facts.
Deuteronomy 13:12-14 – If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord you God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that some worthless men have gone out from among you…then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established…

Sometimes people make judgments about things that they don’t the first thing about. We think we know what someone ought to do or ought not to do, when we don’t have a clue about what is going on.

D) Unfair judgment
Leviticus 19:15 – You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

My sins are minor sins, your sins are major sins. “I may be impatient, unconcerned, and unloving, but at least I don’t forsake the assemblies.” The thought itself is ridiculous!

E) Impatient judgment

You can’t expect a new Christian to be as strong in the faith and as knowledgeable of the word as someone who has been a Christian for twenty years. And if you demand too much of a new convert, then you can become a stumbling block to his or her faith.

Romans 14:13 – Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.

F) Self-righteous judgment

In self-righteous judgment, one is condemning another and, thus, saying, “I am better than you.” What happens is people highlight their own strong points and other’s weak points.

Luke 18:9 – And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt…

Some people think that they are so good and so righteous that they forget their place. They become self-appointed watchdogs of the brotherhood. And sometimes, whole churches seem to become this way. They’re so worried about writing everybody off in the brotherhood, that they forget their mission of seeking and saving the lost. They’re worried about ants in the church next door, when they have elephants in their own church.

G) Standing in the place of God

Romans 14:4 – Who are you to judge the servant of another?
Romans 14:10 – Why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Brethren, it is not up to me to decide who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. It’s not up to you either. We are simply to preach the word of God and leave the judging up to Him.

With that being said, we can study the Word of God and come to a good conclusion about one’s eternal destiny. Unbelievers are obviously lost according to the Bible. People who continue to live in sin are obviously lost according to the Bible. That’s not me judging, but the word!

3. Instead of being too judgmental, what type of attitudes should be in Christians?

A) Love

Years ago my wife and I recorded many of our family highlights using an 8mm home movie camera. We collected years of precious memories on numerous spools of film, which became antiquated after the invention of video cameras. Some friends living in another state offered to combine all of our films onto one videotape. We gladly accepted their generous offer and sent them our films.
Our friends placed an 8mm home movie camera in their living room to project our movies. They also set up a VHS video camera pointed at the screen and recorded the films while the other camera’s reels turned. They sent the completed videotape to us.
Cindy and I were anxious to watch the tape of our old movies. We brought out the popcorn and inserted the video into our VCR. But that’s where the fun stopped. As we beheld our hold home movie films on videotape, we also listened to our friends’ remarks. They had not realized that when they recorded our films, the video camera also taped their critical comments about us!
When the videotape began, they started making fun of us. As the film continued to roll, their comments turned vicious. With every new scene came a cutting remark or hurtful joke. Daggers entered my heart as I listened to what our friends honestly thought about us. My wife was devastated.
Our friends looked at us through judgmental glasses. Although they were cordial to our faces, the video recorded the truth thought of their hearts.


B) Considerate

Matthew 7:12 – In everything…treat people the same way you want them to treat you.

C) Compassion

We need to have the proper attitude toward the weakness of others!

D) Forgiveness

Matthew 5:7 – Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

A young employee secretly misappropriated several hundred dollars of his business firm’s money. When this action was discovered the young man was told to report to the office of the senior partner of the firm. As he walked up the stairs toward the administrative office the young employee was heavy-hearted. He knew without a doubt he would lose his position with the firm. He also feared the possibility of legal action taken against him. Seemingly his whole world had collapsed.
Upon his arrival in the office of the senior executive the young man was questioned about the whole affair. He was asked if the allegation were true and he answered in the affirmative. Then the executive surprisingly asked this question: “If I keep you in your present capacity, can I trust you in the future?” The young worker brightened up and said, “Yes, sir, you surely can. I’ve learned my lesson.”
The executive responded, “I’m not going to press charges, and you can continue in your present responsibility.” The employer concluded the conversation with his younger employee by saying, “I think you ought to know, however, that you are the second man in this firm who succumbed to temptation and was shown leniency. I was the first. What you have done, I did. The mercy you are receiving, I received. It is only the grace of God that can keep us both.”



Conclusion

We need a people of discernment. We need to be careful in our judgments. But lets also be loving, merciful, and kind in our judgments of others.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10)