Do not judge...

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:1-2, NIV)

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37, NIV)

Are these words a prohibition against teaching the truth of God's Word? Are they designed to silence a believing man when he sees a believing friend walking in sin? Are these verses the duct tape over the mouth of a converted woman who seeks only the good of another confessing woman headed in the wrong direction?

They are not. When Jesus says, "Judge not," he is not telling his children to be silent about sin. He is not suggesting that you and I look the other way when our fellow Jesus-followers violate his commands as laid out in the Bible, his revelation of himself and his standards. He is not telling us we have no business whatsoever correcting the errors of others in his church. The Bible clearly teaches that correction, even judgment, in the church is good and right.

In 1 Corinthians 5, after talking about a man in the church who was in a sexual relationship with his father’s wife, Paul calls the church into action. He tells the believers in Corinth to "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of God." (v. 5, NIV)

A few verses later, he has this to say: "I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. 'Expel the wicked man from among you.'"(v. 9-13, NIV)

That sounds like judgment doesn't it? It is. It is good and right judgment of a sinful man who claims Christ based on a correct reading of God’s word. That is what I do every time I preach about sin. It is not what Jesus is condemning in Matthew 7 and Luke 6.

What Jesus is calling us to refrain from in these passages is harsh criticism of others - criticism that offers no hope, criticism that offers no helping hand, criticism that flows from a haughty heart. That he will not tolerate. It is out-of-bounds for every disciple of Jesus. We have been given grace by God. Grace we must give to others. We have been forgiven. Forgive we must.

God inspired Solomon to pen these wise words: "A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." (Proverbs 19:11, NIV)

Overlooking offenses, showing patience toward others - that is what Jesus is calling us to. Our knee-jerk reaction when we're annoyed or offended or wounded is to assume the guy meant us harm. But we cannot see his heart. Only God can. We do not know his motivation. We dare not presume ill intent. We dare not judge him.

Think about it. The man whose words have raised your hackles may have been directed by God to correct you. If his words match up with the Bible, you would do well to pay attention and mend your ways. He may be rescuing you from a devil-trap you didn’t know you were in.

If he is not well-intentioned, if he is harshly judging you, let God take care of it. "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:18, NIV)

You gain nothing by retaliating with your own harsh judgment. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil." (Romans 12:17, NIV)

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