“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
Matthew 7:1
Oh, how we love to quote this verse to promote tolerance for sin in our society. Have you heard it used in Christian circles today? Or even non-Christian? I mean, who are we to say that we have the right to judge what someone else is doing? That’s between them and God.
The subsequent verses in Matthew 7 shed much light on what is actually being said here. Jesus was not saying we shouldn’t judge or that we should do so in a self-righteous or condescending manner. In the next verse He said that God will judge us the same way we judge others.
In verses 3-5, He used the analogy of trying to remove a speck of sawdust (notice how small it is) from someone else’s eye when you have a two-by-four in your own. Deal with yourself first, so that then you can help the other person see their error. Read the passage for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion.
Are there any hypocrites reading this? I know there is one who is writing this. For example, why should I tell one of my children not to use a certain derogatory word when they hear me use it all the time? Ouch. My child needs to be corrected, but I need to come clean with the Lord first.
So, before lovingly confronting a friend or family member about their problem, it’s your obligation first to examine your own life before the Lord for any sin that needs confessing. It’s not judging them; God’s Word spells out what is right and wrong. We just need to obey it and help other believers to do the same.