That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
The setting of the chapter shows that looking at matters only with human eyesight leads to very grave mistakes when people take up the work of criticizing others. That work is one God has not appointed but has condemned. The condemned work is climbing onto the judgment seat, taking the judge's place to pronounce sentence upon others. For their own spiritual advancement, readers are instead to watchfully examine their own hearts and look carefully at their own shortcomings and defects of character. They must remove from themselves the beam of faultfinding, evil surmising, evil speaking, bearing false witness, hatred, and accusing fellow believers.
The setting of the chapter shows that looking at matters only with human eyesight leads to very grave mistakes when people take up the work of criticizing others. That work is one God has not appointed but has condemned. The condemned work is climbing onto the judgment seat, taking the judge's place to pronounce sentence upon others. For their own spiritual advancement, readers are instead to watchfully examine their own hearts and look carefully at their own shortcomings and defects of character. They must remove from themselves the beam of faultfinding, evil surmising, evil speaking, bearing false witness, hatred, and accusing fellow believers.