A Proud Teacher Points at a Kneeling ManBible World
7:1Matthew 7:1
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Christ's command forbids setting up one's own opinions, standards, and ideas of duty as the measure by which to test and condemn others in the heart. It forbids judging conscience, motives, and hidden worth that belong between the soul and God, for no human can read the heart, and that work of judgment belongs to God and is committed to Christ. The measure used toward others will be measured back, with mercy withheld from the merciless and severity returned to the severe according to light and knowledge. Before helping a brother with a small fault, each must first examine and remove the greater fault in self, for quickness to see a mote is often a sign of blindness to a beam. This does not forbid loving reproof or the church's duty to warn, restore, and deal faithfully with sin, but requires it to be done directly, tenderly, humbly, and without harsh severity or public exposure.
Sermon Setting and Audience
The command belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, spoken especially for the disciples while the gathered multitude also listened. In that listening crowd were both disciples and multitudes, including people ignorant of the way of life and in error. There Christ set out the principles governing the kingdom of divine grace rather than promising the earthly power and national restoration many expected.
In that sermon He disappointed hope of worldly greatness and sought to undo false education by giving a right conception of His kingdom and of His own character. The command makes no direct attack on the errors of the people and presents no vivid delineation of wretchedness caused by sin, but teaches something infinitely better. It tells the conditions of entrance into the kingdom of God without combating ideas about that kingdom, leaving hearers to draw their own conclusions as to its nature. The truths it teaches are foundation principles of the kingdom of God, no less important now than to the multitude that followed Him.
That sermon contradicted the self-righteous teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. Their teaching portrayed God as a stern judge without compassion, mercy, or love, and Christ corrected that misrepresentation by revealing God's paternal love. The sermon teaches the far-reaching principles and spirit of God's law, which must be in the heart because the state of the heart shapes the life and character. It is part of pure gospel teaching explaining God's holy law and setting the standard for Christian character in loving God and neighbor, so that unjust gain fails its standard. Failure to walk in the light God gives separates people from Him, and darkness comes in proportion to the light rejected.
Meaning of Judge Not
Do not set yourself up as the standard for others, making personal opinions, views of duty, interpretations of Scripture, limited standards, and personal ideas of what others must be to be accepted the test by which they are measured and condemned in the heart. Do not make a practice of judging and criticizing, for attacking faults provokes resistance, does more harm than good, and fosters faultfinding in the one who reproves, and instead of picking at errors or treating personal opinion as a test, teach better habits by good example. Do not fix thoughts on objectionable things or make a brother an offender over a word.
Do not pass judgment and sentence on one another in matters that belong between the soul and God, including conscience, hidden motives, hidden moral worth, and whom God approves or condemns, for human beings have not been given power to read hearts and have not been placed in the judgment seat. Do not guess at motives, accept accusations as truth, scrutinize brethren instead of humbly examining Scripture, or intrude on conscience to condemn one another, but attend to one's own spiritual life and to work that builds up self and church. To criticize another is to pass sentence on oneself and to join Satan the accuser, while the proper work is to examine and judge oneself and test whether one is in the faith, which keeps one from being judged. Those who criticized instead of honestly examining their own hearts injured their character in God's sight, and awareness of human ignorance should make people careful not to think or speak evil of brethren.
Do not judge rashly, hastily, harshly, impatiently, or extremely, for the judgment and measure used will be applied back. This forbids fault-finding over motes while blind to the beam in one's own eye, criticizing, censuring integrity of purpose, imagining evil, warring against and weakening one another, questioning motives from mistaken impressions or appearances, and pronouncing on a brother what one would not wish to receive. Love in the heart excludes both flattering and glorifying others and harshness and impatience toward them, and calls for being doers of the Word, jealously guarding one's own spirit and character, guarding the interests of others, and treating them as one would wish to be treated. It forbids carrying even right condemnation of evil too far, treating favor or goodwill toward temperance workers as a crime, cherishing hatred and bitterness, oppressing souls by forcing them onto one rigid standard that stretches the short and cuts off the long, pressing the thorn deeper when earnest effort has failed and one already distrusts himself, and unfair comparisons such as assuming American believers more capable or consecrated than Australian believers.
Do not judge after one's own mind to condemn another in order to carry out one's own plans, for such work is not righteousness. Do not use judgment to oppress, create strife, darken hearts, exercise human control, lord over God's heritage, rule brethren while not under the Holy Spirit but with self in control, deal in highhanded justice, or set up erring man to judge, dictate to fellows, and watch laborers. Such man-ruling with harsh words and domination dishonors God, hinders His work, counterworks His plans, spoils His work when churches become permeated with it, damages friendship and Christian love by denunciation and bitterness, and if persisted in leaves people to their own will, while heaven beholds every word of judgment and a judgment that seems right to the speaker may not be right in God's sight, so words must be guarded. A minister may give counsel only when under the sweet influence of Christ's Spirit and the direction of God's Spirit, otherwise he must keep silence, and the human voice and judgment are not to be the voice and judgment of God's people, who must look to God for wisdom.
Do not judge others by human rules and standards devised to make up for failure to keep God's law, which turn attention from God to self, weaken love for God and others, and foster narrow, selfish criticism, scrutiny, and condemnation. Do not judge from spiritual pride in one's own attainments and by a harsh self-exalting standard that assumes authority to rule others, but from humility about one's own weakness and gratitude for God's gifts. Do not become pharisaical but be Christlike to attract rather than repel, especially in schools caring for the young, where teachers must encourage and help with kindness and cheerfulness instead of suspicion, reproof, and condemnation.
Do not indulge a selfish, exacting, fault-finding disposition that arbitrarily censures the undeserving, makes no compassionate allowance as each case deserves, seeks its own pleasant interest without regard for the happiness, interest, and convenience of others, and mistakes peevish feelings for zeal, for this destroys influence and cripples usefulness. True correction belongs only when God lays the burden on, not when the burden is of one's own seeking, and severity toward a supposed wrong or toward one who does not exactly meet one's own ideas of right is false, especially when the censurer deserves censure more. Do not depreciate fellow workers through prejudice, jealousy, and carnal ambition to be first, communicating suspicion by hints, plain words, looks, mean smiles, or unadvised assertions that others repeat and enlarge until strong barriers divide workmen, for all workers are equally precious and each must guard another's reputation as his own and give him the same chance to gain experience and to think, plan, and act. Do not climb upon the judgment seat to censure, revile, and shut the heart against one supposed to have erred as though above temptation, calling evil surmising, jealousy, pride, envy, love of authority and desire for pre-eminence by the names of foresight, discernment, or zeal for truth, and do not watch for faults, misinterpret words and actions, exaggerate mistakes, pick flaws, speak evil, publicly expose faults, revisit forgiven wrongs, or judge those without light when many aloof live more faithfully than professed believers. Instead bridle the tongue, talk less and pray more, open the heart to kindliness, encourage kindly thoughts and holy affections, cultivate speaking well of others, confess wrong frankly, lift the downcast, see with clear eyesight and unselfish heart the good accomplished, commend it, and make the church a court of holy love showing Christ's pity and self-sacrifice.
Judgment Returns in Kind
The judgment and measure used toward others will be applied and measured back to the one who judges, so judgment must not be rash, unfair, or hypocritical. Condemning another while neglecting self-examination and overlooking one's own faults is wrong, and before correcting a brother's fault a person must examine and correct his own greater fault like a beam before dealing with the small fault like a mote, so that he can then see clearly to help without hypocrisy. Each person's life record will come before God whose judgment is truthful, and judging another while doing the same things brings condemnation on oneself. This warning calls followers to pure, untainted service rather than focusing on a brother's small fault while ignoring one's own greater fault.
God will deal with people as they deal with one another, showing no mercy to the merciless and severity to the severe. Those who act toward others without mercy will themselves one day feel the need of mercy, and awareness of human ignorance and inability to read hearts and of one's own weakness and need for God's mercy should make people careful not to think evil, speak evil, pass judgment and sentence, or reject sinners, but to show compassion, forbearance, and meek restoration. Even when the censured person has done wrong, selfish and loveless merciless condemnation is unjust. To crush with severity one thought to have done wrong who has had less experience, less light, and fewer advantages invites the same severity from God, and if God dealt with the harsh judge as he dealt with his brother there would be no hope for his future. Plain truth may still be told to the erring to make them see error for reform, but always with pitying tenderness rather than harshness, remembering personal weakness and liability to temptation, and when the fault is seen and acknowledged grief must not be deepened but comfort given.
Judgment is measured according to the light and knowledge each one has had, and God excuses sin in one in a high position no more than in the weakest. Every word is heard, judgment used is registered in the books of heaven, and continuing in devising, reporting, and speaking evil blackens the record and doubles guilt, while the Judge stands at the door. Harsh judges will be brought over the very same ground of trial and discipline where their brother fell, tested on the very points where others failed, so they learn what indifference, contempt, and scorn feel like because when others failed they did not help, strengthen, and bless but turned away in heart. This applies when men in responsible positions employ a worker who does his best yet decays in his work so his wife and children suffer, and they pass judgment on him for lack of success and let his cry go up against them, for no excuse for neglecting the plain Word will stand, since God values the fallen brother as much as the leader and strips off outward tinsel to see true character. It also means evil reports must be held back rather than accepted and acted upon, lest the same judgment come back upon the judger, and instead all, especially the erring, must be treated kindly with the mercy and compassion manifested toward tempted souls.
Criticism reacts on the critic, so faultfinding toward others brings faultfinding in return and forbearance toward others brings forbearance in return. This choice creates the atmosphere around a person, making it fragrant with love and tenderness or dark with criticism and faultfinding. A condemning spirit leads people to watch brethren for faults to condemn and hurts the judger himself, showing the one calling a brother a sinner to be a sinner and setting a fierce spirit at war with one another out of harmony with Christian work. The proper course is to get up out of the chair of judgment, stop thrusting at friend or brother with scathing remarks that cannot help responsible people and may keep them in turmoil, leave cases with God since each must answer to Him and none is faultless, and help with gentleness and compassion while attending to one's own soul.
Judging Belongs to God
No man has been put on the judgment seat, and the work of judging a brother has not been placed upon any man, minister, or conference president. Judging after the desire of one's own mind to bring forward what will condemn another in order to carry out one's own plans is not righteousness, and embracing too much authority to set up erring man to judge and dictate to fellows, to watch God's laborers and exercise human judgment over them, to dissect work and character and sit in judgment, is forbidden. Judgment is God's prerogative, committed to Christ the Son who took humanity and lived perfectly, not to man nor to the Father nor to angels, and the voice and judgment of man is not to be the voice and judgment of God's people, who are to look to God for wisdom and counsel. A minister may give counsel to his brother only when under the sweet influence of Christ's Spirit and the direction of the Spirit of God, otherwise he must keep silence, and all correction of the erring must still be done, but in love, declaring the Master's message in the Master's spirit with the grace of humility cherished in the heart shaping words into Christlike tenderness and care. Church members must not take God's place as judges, especially by condemning or discouraging one who has repented and asks forgiveness, for he who takes it upon himself to judge and criticize others lays himself open to the same degree of judgment and criticism. Those ready to condemn brethren should examine their own works and character, and honest examination will reveal defects of character and grave blunders in work, for if the great Judge dealt with men as they deal with their fellow workers they would regard Him as unkind and unmerciful.
Each person's life record will come before God, whose judgment is truthful, and each must answer for himself. Another's wrong cannot excuse one's own, others are not the standard, and God's law and conscience guide conduct, while no one is faultless. Judging another while doing the same things condemns the judge himself, and remembering one's own serious mistakes, which may be greater in God's sight than those condemned, should restrain sharp censure. Before correcting a brother's fault a person must examine and correct his own serious fault like a beam before touching the lesser fault like a mote, and only then can he see clearly to help his brother without hypocrisy. Criticism and scathing remarks about responsible people cannot help them and may keep them in turmoil, and criticism reacts on the critic, so the proper course is to leave others' cases with God and help them with gentleness and compassion while attending to one's own soul.
God permits people to hold positions of responsibility and Himself can correct or remove them when they err, so their errors give others no authority to condemn them. Others' mistakes may be judged too quickly before their burdens and trials are understood, and experience of bearing similar burdens can replace censure with sympathy. David's tender, courteous, and patient treatment of Saul, even though Saul was disobedient and sought David's life, shows that Saul's faults did not give David the right to harm or condemn him, for David left judgment to God. The warning therefore calls each person to remember that his own life will be reviewed by God and that those who judge others are themselves accountable for their own wrongs.
First Remove Own Fault
Do not attempt to correct a brother's small fault as a mote while neglecting a greater fault as a beam in yourself, for self-examination and correction must come first and only then can you see clearly to help without hypocrisy. This holds especially for rulers and for those who seek authority over others, who must not condemn faults in others while ignoring their own but must first correct themselves so they can see clearly when helping another. It holds also for those who condemn another while doing the same things, for such judgment condemns the judge himself and the judgment and measure used toward others will be applied and measured back to the one who judges. Each person's life record will come before God whose judgment is truthful, so unfair judgment and spreading suspicions as if they were facts bring judgment in return. Before correcting another each must examine and correct his own faults so as to act without hypocrisy, in pure untainted service, with a church member's errors addressed within the church and not made public property, while the reputation of ministers and members is guarded and accusations are not extended to others without clear evidence.
Discovering a small fault in a brother is a sign of a greater fault and blindness in oneself, for one quick to discern a mote is often blind to a beam. A person quick to see a brother's errors may be more at fault and blind to his own, and those who condemn without mercy may have made mistakes far more grievous in God's sight than those they condemn. Seeing another's faults is no reason to withdraw or to associate only with those thought nearly perfect, for those who struggle need love, sympathy, help, and prayer, and each must consider his own weakness and liability to temptation. Those who act like Pharisees may condemn sins while committing sins greater in God's sight, so they must examine themselves rather than rashly censuring a brother and questioning his integrity of purpose as they would not wish to be suspected or censured.
Educating the mind to look for defects removes safeguard after safeguard from the conscience, leaves the soul unguarded, unfits it for communion with God, and bars freedom and sanctification. The very act of looking for evil in others is a leaven of evil that develops defects in those who look, and the judgment used will be measured back again and is registered in the books of heaven. Dwelling on others' imperfections and faults instead of looking to Christ changes you for the worse, breeds harshness, pride, and self-centeredness, and a heart filled with selfishness, envy, suspicion, or malice leads to sitting in judgment over others whom God may regard as better than yourselves. Spending attention on correcting others while neglecting one's own spiritual life allows precious graces to die and contributes to darkness and strife in the church, and faultfinding and talk about others' defects spread a spiritually harmful influence in the home and harm weak faith, for even when right on some points one's own views may be distorted and unable to withstand criticism. Suspicion can turn imagined slights into false accusations, so restraint and self-examination are required rather than a censorious spirit.
The remedy is thorough critical examination of thoughts and feelings, tempers, purposes, words and deeds in the light of God's Word, to war constantly against personal sinful corruption and to test whether you are in the faith and an example of Christian holiness. Being earnest about a brother's wrongs does not make your own case right, and self-love will give too good an opinion of yourself unless you search diligently, take heed to yourself, and remove the faults within your own heart by God's law before judging another. Those who refuse that examination cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, and those who accuse their fellow believers misuse time, turn people from seeking Christ's character, and should instead humble themselves, confess their own sins, and seek God's grace. Criticizing another when you cannot discern motives passes sentence on yourself and makes you a participant with Satan the accuser of the brethren, while Christ pleads for tempted souls, and judging yourself keeps you from being judged.
Correction Without Condemning
“Judge not” does not forbid loving reproof and correction, for the erring person and the church still need to be helped to see error and reform. Correction must be given in Christ’s merciful, corrective way and in His Spirit, with pitying tenderness rather than harshness, severity, coldness, accusation, or a crushing spirit, and with patience, humility, sympathy, care, and love. No one is put on the judgment seat, so grace of humility cherished in the heart must shape words into Christlike tenderness and care, declaring the message in the Master’s spirit and never neglecting the Master’s work of correction. Plain truth and facts are to be told so the fault can be seen and acknowledged, with kindly benefit of better judgment and remembrance of personal weakness and liability to temptation. When the fault is seen and acknowledged, grief must not be deepened but comfort given, and such loving care can soften the heart and create a gracious spirit in the church.
Self-examination and correction of one’s own faults must come first, so one can see clearly to address another’s fault wisely rather than hypocritically, hastily, or harshly. One quick to discern a small fault like a mote in a brother’s eye is often blind to a far greater fault like a beam in his own eye, and the judgment and measure used return upon the judger. The prohibition of personal judgment does not remove the responsibility placed on the church in its organized capacity toward members who fall into sin to warn, instruct, restore, reprove, rebuke and exhort. The church must deal faithfully with wrongdoing and call sin by its right name by declaring what God has said about it, addressing wrongdoing according to God’s word, and its censure is to be removed when the person confesses and repents, since remission of sins belongs to God alone.
Correction must go directly and openly to the person thought to be in error, rather than by secretly plotting against them on the strength of accusations, impressions, reports, or matters not carefully investigated. Evil reports must be held back rather than accepted and acted upon as truth, accusations must not be extended to others without clear evidence, errors of a church member are not to be made public property but addressed within the church, and private matters must be kept from those they do not concern. If in error, the person should be approached tenderly so restoration is possible; if not in error, the innocent should be defended and vindicated, and rebuke directed at those doing wrong. Harsh public criticism can turn people away from truth, so those tempted to speak hastily should keep silent, and appointed workers should deal with error kindly, wisely, and discreetly under Christ’s Spirit. In place of condemnation, the mercy and compassion Christ has manifested must be shown to all, especially the erring, remembering that Christ died to save tempted and tried souls.
This failure was seen in the dispute over the law in Galatians at Minneapolis, where brethren were condemned without knowledge of motives or religious standing, human opinions were treated as God’s voice, and unjust judgments and unsanctified talk harmed both personal religious experience and the conference. Instead judgment must be suspended for prayerful Bible study and humble search for God’s guidance, without prejudice or envy and without authority to sit in judgment on neighbors and broadcast verdicts about them. Taking a firm stand for truth does not justify condemning people, making charges against them, or personal attacks, which can promote division and imperil souls. A needed message exposing wrongdoing is still permitted, but with care not to attack or condemn people who have less light and opportunity, since those knowingly neglecting great privileges may be more guilty before God than those mistaken about doctrine who sincerely seek to do good. Care is required not to condemn a work of the Holy Spirit by wrongly attributing it to evil agencies, not to misjudge men God is leading, and not to leave upon other minds the impression that they are guilty when God does not pronounce them guilty, such as holding brethren accountable for the death of Sister Magan. Hating and reproving sin remains, yet those who correct must show Christlike patience and love toward the sinner while clearly confronting error, lest excessive leniency excuse sin or undue severity and harshness condemn those who are right.
Speech and Daily Practice
The gift of speech is too precious to be wasted on criticism, faultfinding, evil thinking and speaking, denunciation and bitterness, for such words stir the worst passions, breed antagonism and retaliation, obstruct the work, damage friendship and weaken the church. A judgment may seem right to the one who utters it and yet not be right before God, every word is heard and must be accounted for, continuing evil-speaking blackens the record, and the Judge stands at the door, so words must be guarded with care and chosen to meet divine approval and strengthen the weak in faith. Motives are never to be questioned, evil never to be surmised, and brethren never to be misjudged or assailed with unkind and passionate speech, but the tongue is to be bridled, talking lessened and prayer increased, the heart opened to kindliness, kindly thoughts and holy affections encouraged, and the habit of speaking well of others cultivated. Pride and self-righteousness must not block frank confession of wrong, love for those for whom Christ died proves love for Christ, cherishing unworthy thoughts and misjudging brethren taints worship so that prayer is unheard, and approaching one believed to be in wrong must be done in meekness full of mercy and good fruits.
Each person is to attend faithfully to the work assigned and carry personal responsibility instead of dissecting the work and character of another, for no one is appointed to sit in judgment, measure others and pronounce sentence. The seventh chapter of Matthew is to be studied critically again and again for one's own enlightenment and not to prove supposed faults discerned in fellow members, and instead of examining one another Scripture is to be studied humbly until imagined grievances are dispelled and accusation and discord give way to love, compassion and respect. Absorbing the thoughts with the faults of others reveals very serious defects and, without decided conversion, makes professed lights into stumbling blocks, while taking it upon oneself to point out faults and set everyone right hinders doing one's own work nobly and well. Those who cannot labor without sitting in judgment should decline that responsibility, and disciples must heed this lesson in the churches in days of peril and trial.
Mistakes of fellow workers are easily judged too quickly before their burdens and trials are understood, yet bearing similar burdens teaches sympathy and replaces censure, so cases are to be left with God and the downcast lifted by seeing the good, commending it, and helping gently with hope and courage. Eagerness to replace workers who have erred and assumption that one could do better in their place are forbidden, for one may avoid some errors yet make grave blunders difficult to remedy, bringing confusion and greater harm to the work than the mistakes criticized. Criticism and scathing remarks about responsible people cannot help them and may keep them in turmoil, criticism reacts upon the critic, no one is faultless, each must answer to God, and God Himself can correct or remove those in responsibility when they err, so their errors give no authority to condemn. Undervaluing what fellow workers have done, thinking their places should be taken, and claiming the work could be carried forward successfully without mistakes is premature reforming of what only looks faulty.
Harsh and extreme judging is forbidden, including carrying even right condemnation of evil too far, treating favor or goodwill toward temperance workers as a crime, cherishing hatred and bitterness toward them or toward supporters of the red-ribbon clubs, misusing religious counsel, and oppressing souls by forcing them onto one rigid standard that stretches the short and cuts off the long. Hasty judgment from appearances is forbidden, as in assuming believers in America more capable, intelligent or consecrated than believers in Australia, when those in Australia through sincere and determined service can be shaped into vessels of honor. Helpers of the poor, disheartened, unemployed and homeless must not be quick to condemn them when they fail, but remember their own many errors and how painful reproof feels, teach with words of hope and courage and tangible help in hard places, and show desire for them to reach the highest standard with readiness to help them reach it. Black brethren and sisters are not to be quickly condemned when objectionable things occur or in any failure, nor separated from the work for misdoing, but treated with the wisdom of Christ, exact and impartial justice, tender compassion for the suffering, sympathy for the unfortunate and generous consideration for misdemeanors, since judges cherish evils themselves they would not tolerate in others and must give no occasion for hatred, for kindness accomplishes more than censure. Managers and workers who have been reproved and still need thorough sanctification of soul, body and spirit are not to be judged by harsh, overbearing, rash, impetuous, sharp and thrusting pen or word that presses brethren into hard places and hurts the judger, but won by mellowing, courtesy that gains everything and loses nothing, and kind, patient, graceful speech that represents Christ.
In daily relations the concern is saving souls rather than being easily wounded over feelings and reputation, so little differences need not disturb fellowship with Christ even when others think or act badly. Under wrong, self is to be restrained instead of condemning another, judgment being remembered to return in kind, silence kept when irritated, and victory over uncontrolled passion and self prized above all other victory. No one is placed on the judgment seat, so humility cherished in the heart must shape words into Christlike tenderness and care, with correction never neglected but given as the Master's message in the Master's spirit of love. Followers are not appointed to sit in judgment on a suffering or fallen brother or sister but to help heavenward with words bringing peace, rest, comfort and hope, never using judgment to oppress and darken hearts, and such treatment of the needy reveals what is in the heart and whether first love remains alive.
Christ's command forbids setting up one's own opinions, standards, and ideas of duty as the measure by which to test and condemn others in the heart. It forbids judging conscience, motives, and hidden worth that belong between the soul and God, for no human can read the heart, and that work of judgment belongs to God and is committed to Christ. The measure used toward others will be measured back, with mercy withheld from the merciless and severity returned to the severe according to light and knowledge. Before helping a brother with a small fault, each must first examine and remove the greater fault in self, for quickness to see a mote is often a sign of blindness to a beam. This does not forbid loving reproof or the church's duty to warn, restore, and deal faithfully with sin, but requires it to be done directly, tenderly, humbly, and without harsh severity or public exposure.
Sermon Setting and Audience
The command belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, spoken especially for the disciples while the gathered multitude also listened. In that listening crowd were both disciples and multitudes, including people ignorant of the way of life and in error. There Christ set out the principles governing the kingdom of divine grace rather than promising the earthly power and national restoration many expected.
In that sermon He disappointed hope of worldly greatness and sought to undo false education by giving a right conception of His kingdom and of His own character. The command makes no direct attack on the errors of the people and presents no vivid delineation of wretchedness caused by sin, but teaches something infinitely better. It tells the conditions of entrance into the kingdom of God without combating ideas about that kingdom, leaving hearers to draw their own conclusions as to its nature. The truths it teaches are foundation principles of the kingdom of God, no less important now than to the multitude that followed Him.
That sermon contradicted the self-righteous teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. Their teaching portrayed God as a stern judge without compassion, mercy, or love, and Christ corrected that misrepresentation by revealing God's paternal love. The sermon teaches the far-reaching principles and spirit of God's law, which must be in the heart because the state of the heart shapes the life and character. It is part of pure gospel teaching explaining God's holy law and setting the standard for Christian character in loving God and neighbor, so that unjust gain fails its standard. Failure to walk in the light God gives separates people from Him, and darkness comes in proportion to the light rejected.
Meaning of Judge Not
Do not set yourself up as the standard for others, making personal opinions, views of duty, interpretations of Scripture, limited standards, and personal ideas of what others must be to be accepted the test by which they are measured and condemned in the heart. Do not make a practice of judging and criticizing, for attacking faults provokes resistance, does more harm than good, and fosters faultfinding in the one who reproves, and instead of picking at errors or treating personal opinion as a test, teach better habits by good example. Do not fix thoughts on objectionable things or make a brother an offender over a word.
Do not pass judgment and sentence on one another in matters that belong between the soul and God, including conscience, hidden motives, hidden moral worth, and whom God approves or condemns, for human beings have not been given power to read hearts and have not been placed in the judgment seat. Do not guess at motives, accept accusations as truth, scrutinize brethren instead of humbly examining Scripture, or intrude on conscience to condemn one another, but attend to one's own spiritual life and to work that builds up self and church. To criticize another is to pass sentence on oneself and to join Satan the accuser, while the proper work is to examine and judge oneself and test whether one is in the faith, which keeps one from being judged. Those who criticized instead of honestly examining their own hearts injured their character in God's sight, and awareness of human ignorance should make people careful not to think or speak evil of brethren.
Do not judge rashly, hastily, harshly, impatiently, or extremely, for the judgment and measure used will be applied back. This forbids fault-finding over motes while blind to the beam in one's own eye, criticizing, censuring integrity of purpose, imagining evil, warring against and weakening one another, questioning motives from mistaken impressions or appearances, and pronouncing on a brother what one would not wish to receive. Love in the heart excludes both flattering and glorifying others and harshness and impatience toward them, and calls for being doers of the Word, jealously guarding one's own spirit and character, guarding the interests of others, and treating them as one would wish to be treated. It forbids carrying even right condemnation of evil too far, treating favor or goodwill toward temperance workers as a crime, cherishing hatred and bitterness, oppressing souls by forcing them onto one rigid standard that stretches the short and cuts off the long, pressing the thorn deeper when earnest effort has failed and one already distrusts himself, and unfair comparisons such as assuming American believers more capable or consecrated than Australian believers.
Do not judge after one's own mind to condemn another in order to carry out one's own plans, for such work is not righteousness. Do not use judgment to oppress, create strife, darken hearts, exercise human control, lord over God's heritage, rule brethren while not under the Holy Spirit but with self in control, deal in highhanded justice, or set up erring man to judge, dictate to fellows, and watch laborers. Such man-ruling with harsh words and domination dishonors God, hinders His work, counterworks His plans, spoils His work when churches become permeated with it, damages friendship and Christian love by denunciation and bitterness, and if persisted in leaves people to their own will, while heaven beholds every word of judgment and a judgment that seems right to the speaker may not be right in God's sight, so words must be guarded. A minister may give counsel only when under the sweet influence of Christ's Spirit and the direction of God's Spirit, otherwise he must keep silence, and the human voice and judgment are not to be the voice and judgment of God's people, who must look to God for wisdom.
Do not judge others by human rules and standards devised to make up for failure to keep God's law, which turn attention from God to self, weaken love for God and others, and foster narrow, selfish criticism, scrutiny, and condemnation. Do not judge from spiritual pride in one's own attainments and by a harsh self-exalting standard that assumes authority to rule others, but from humility about one's own weakness and gratitude for God's gifts. Do not become pharisaical but be Christlike to attract rather than repel, especially in schools caring for the young, where teachers must encourage and help with kindness and cheerfulness instead of suspicion, reproof, and condemnation.
Do not indulge a selfish, exacting, fault-finding disposition that arbitrarily censures the undeserving, makes no compassionate allowance as each case deserves, seeks its own pleasant interest without regard for the happiness, interest, and convenience of others, and mistakes peevish feelings for zeal, for this destroys influence and cripples usefulness. True correction belongs only when God lays the burden on, not when the burden is of one's own seeking, and severity toward a supposed wrong or toward one who does not exactly meet one's own ideas of right is false, especially when the censurer deserves censure more. Do not depreciate fellow workers through prejudice, jealousy, and carnal ambition to be first, communicating suspicion by hints, plain words, looks, mean smiles, or unadvised assertions that others repeat and enlarge until strong barriers divide workmen, for all workers are equally precious and each must guard another's reputation as his own and give him the same chance to gain experience and to think, plan, and act. Do not climb upon the judgment seat to censure, revile, and shut the heart against one supposed to have erred as though above temptation, calling evil surmising, jealousy, pride, envy, love of authority and desire for pre-eminence by the names of foresight, discernment, or zeal for truth, and do not watch for faults, misinterpret words and actions, exaggerate mistakes, pick flaws, speak evil, publicly expose faults, revisit forgiven wrongs, or judge those without light when many aloof live more faithfully than professed believers. Instead bridle the tongue, talk less and pray more, open the heart to kindliness, encourage kindly thoughts and holy affections, cultivate speaking well of others, confess wrong frankly, lift the downcast, see with clear eyesight and unselfish heart the good accomplished, commend it, and make the church a court of holy love showing Christ's pity and self-sacrifice.
Judgment Returns in Kind
The judgment and measure used toward others will be applied and measured back to the one who judges, so judgment must not be rash, unfair, or hypocritical. Condemning another while neglecting self-examination and overlooking one's own faults is wrong, and before correcting a brother's fault a person must examine and correct his own greater fault like a beam before dealing with the small fault like a mote, so that he can then see clearly to help without hypocrisy. Each person's life record will come before God whose judgment is truthful, and judging another while doing the same things brings condemnation on oneself. This warning calls followers to pure, untainted service rather than focusing on a brother's small fault while ignoring one's own greater fault.
God will deal with people as they deal with one another, showing no mercy to the merciless and severity to the severe. Those who act toward others without mercy will themselves one day feel the need of mercy, and awareness of human ignorance and inability to read hearts and of one's own weakness and need for God's mercy should make people careful not to think evil, speak evil, pass judgment and sentence, or reject sinners, but to show compassion, forbearance, and meek restoration. Even when the censured person has done wrong, selfish and loveless merciless condemnation is unjust. To crush with severity one thought to have done wrong who has had less experience, less light, and fewer advantages invites the same severity from God, and if God dealt with the harsh judge as he dealt with his brother there would be no hope for his future. Plain truth may still be told to the erring to make them see error for reform, but always with pitying tenderness rather than harshness, remembering personal weakness and liability to temptation, and when the fault is seen and acknowledged grief must not be deepened but comfort given.
Judgment is measured according to the light and knowledge each one has had, and God excuses sin in one in a high position no more than in the weakest. Every word is heard, judgment used is registered in the books of heaven, and continuing in devising, reporting, and speaking evil blackens the record and doubles guilt, while the Judge stands at the door. Harsh judges will be brought over the very same ground of trial and discipline where their brother fell, tested on the very points where others failed, so they learn what indifference, contempt, and scorn feel like because when others failed they did not help, strengthen, and bless but turned away in heart. This applies when men in responsible positions employ a worker who does his best yet decays in his work so his wife and children suffer, and they pass judgment on him for lack of success and let his cry go up against them, for no excuse for neglecting the plain Word will stand, since God values the fallen brother as much as the leader and strips off outward tinsel to see true character. It also means evil reports must be held back rather than accepted and acted upon, lest the same judgment come back upon the judger, and instead all, especially the erring, must be treated kindly with the mercy and compassion manifested toward tempted souls.
Criticism reacts on the critic, so faultfinding toward others brings faultfinding in return and forbearance toward others brings forbearance in return. This choice creates the atmosphere around a person, making it fragrant with love and tenderness or dark with criticism and faultfinding. A condemning spirit leads people to watch brethren for faults to condemn and hurts the judger himself, showing the one calling a brother a sinner to be a sinner and setting a fierce spirit at war with one another out of harmony with Christian work. The proper course is to get up out of the chair of judgment, stop thrusting at friend or brother with scathing remarks that cannot help responsible people and may keep them in turmoil, leave cases with God since each must answer to Him and none is faultless, and help with gentleness and compassion while attending to one's own soul.
Judging Belongs to God
No man has been put on the judgment seat, and the work of judging a brother has not been placed upon any man, minister, or conference president. Judging after the desire of one's own mind to bring forward what will condemn another in order to carry out one's own plans is not righteousness, and embracing too much authority to set up erring man to judge and dictate to fellows, to watch God's laborers and exercise human judgment over them, to dissect work and character and sit in judgment, is forbidden. Judgment is God's prerogative, committed to Christ the Son who took humanity and lived perfectly, not to man nor to the Father nor to angels, and the voice and judgment of man is not to be the voice and judgment of God's people, who are to look to God for wisdom and counsel. A minister may give counsel to his brother only when under the sweet influence of Christ's Spirit and the direction of the Spirit of God, otherwise he must keep silence, and all correction of the erring must still be done, but in love, declaring the Master's message in the Master's spirit with the grace of humility cherished in the heart shaping words into Christlike tenderness and care. Church members must not take God's place as judges, especially by condemning or discouraging one who has repented and asks forgiveness, for he who takes it upon himself to judge and criticize others lays himself open to the same degree of judgment and criticism. Those ready to condemn brethren should examine their own works and character, and honest examination will reveal defects of character and grave blunders in work, for if the great Judge dealt with men as they deal with their fellow workers they would regard Him as unkind and unmerciful.
Each person's life record will come before God, whose judgment is truthful, and each must answer for himself. Another's wrong cannot excuse one's own, others are not the standard, and God's law and conscience guide conduct, while no one is faultless. Judging another while doing the same things condemns the judge himself, and remembering one's own serious mistakes, which may be greater in God's sight than those condemned, should restrain sharp censure. Before correcting a brother's fault a person must examine and correct his own serious fault like a beam before touching the lesser fault like a mote, and only then can he see clearly to help his brother without hypocrisy. Criticism and scathing remarks about responsible people cannot help them and may keep them in turmoil, and criticism reacts on the critic, so the proper course is to leave others' cases with God and help them with gentleness and compassion while attending to one's own soul.
God permits people to hold positions of responsibility and Himself can correct or remove them when they err, so their errors give others no authority to condemn them. Others' mistakes may be judged too quickly before their burdens and trials are understood, and experience of bearing similar burdens can replace censure with sympathy. David's tender, courteous, and patient treatment of Saul, even though Saul was disobedient and sought David's life, shows that Saul's faults did not give David the right to harm or condemn him, for David left judgment to God. The warning therefore calls each person to remember that his own life will be reviewed by God and that those who judge others are themselves accountable for their own wrongs.
First Remove Own Fault
Do not attempt to correct a brother's small fault as a mote while neglecting a greater fault as a beam in yourself, for self-examination and correction must come first and only then can you see clearly to help without hypocrisy. This holds especially for rulers and for those who seek authority over others, who must not condemn faults in others while ignoring their own but must first correct themselves so they can see clearly when helping another. It holds also for those who condemn another while doing the same things, for such judgment condemns the judge himself and the judgment and measure used toward others will be applied and measured back to the one who judges. Each person's life record will come before God whose judgment is truthful, so unfair judgment and spreading suspicions as if they were facts bring judgment in return. Before correcting another each must examine and correct his own faults so as to act without hypocrisy, in pure untainted service, with a church member's errors addressed within the church and not made public property, while the reputation of ministers and members is guarded and accusations are not extended to others without clear evidence.
Discovering a small fault in a brother is a sign of a greater fault and blindness in oneself, for one quick to discern a mote is often blind to a beam. A person quick to see a brother's errors may be more at fault and blind to his own, and those who condemn without mercy may have made mistakes far more grievous in God's sight than those they condemn. Seeing another's faults is no reason to withdraw or to associate only with those thought nearly perfect, for those who struggle need love, sympathy, help, and prayer, and each must consider his own weakness and liability to temptation. Those who act like Pharisees may condemn sins while committing sins greater in God's sight, so they must examine themselves rather than rashly censuring a brother and questioning his integrity of purpose as they would not wish to be suspected or censured.
Educating the mind to look for defects removes safeguard after safeguard from the conscience, leaves the soul unguarded, unfits it for communion with God, and bars freedom and sanctification. The very act of looking for evil in others is a leaven of evil that develops defects in those who look, and the judgment used will be measured back again and is registered in the books of heaven. Dwelling on others' imperfections and faults instead of looking to Christ changes you for the worse, breeds harshness, pride, and self-centeredness, and a heart filled with selfishness, envy, suspicion, or malice leads to sitting in judgment over others whom God may regard as better than yourselves. Spending attention on correcting others while neglecting one's own spiritual life allows precious graces to die and contributes to darkness and strife in the church, and faultfinding and talk about others' defects spread a spiritually harmful influence in the home and harm weak faith, for even when right on some points one's own views may be distorted and unable to withstand criticism. Suspicion can turn imagined slights into false accusations, so restraint and self-examination are required rather than a censorious spirit.
The remedy is thorough critical examination of thoughts and feelings, tempers, purposes, words and deeds in the light of God's Word, to war constantly against personal sinful corruption and to test whether you are in the faith and an example of Christian holiness. Being earnest about a brother's wrongs does not make your own case right, and self-love will give too good an opinion of yourself unless you search diligently, take heed to yourself, and remove the faults within your own heart by God's law before judging another. Those who refuse that examination cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, and those who accuse their fellow believers misuse time, turn people from seeking Christ's character, and should instead humble themselves, confess their own sins, and seek God's grace. Criticizing another when you cannot discern motives passes sentence on yourself and makes you a participant with Satan the accuser of the brethren, while Christ pleads for tempted souls, and judging yourself keeps you from being judged.
Correction Without Condemning
“Judge not” does not forbid loving reproof and correction, for the erring person and the church still need to be helped to see error and reform. Correction must be given in Christ’s merciful, corrective way and in His Spirit, with pitying tenderness rather than harshness, severity, coldness, accusation, or a crushing spirit, and with patience, humility, sympathy, care, and love. No one is put on the judgment seat, so grace of humility cherished in the heart must shape words into Christlike tenderness and care, declaring the message in the Master’s spirit and never neglecting the Master’s work of correction. Plain truth and facts are to be told so the fault can be seen and acknowledged, with kindly benefit of better judgment and remembrance of personal weakness and liability to temptation. When the fault is seen and acknowledged, grief must not be deepened but comfort given, and such loving care can soften the heart and create a gracious spirit in the church.
Self-examination and correction of one’s own faults must come first, so one can see clearly to address another’s fault wisely rather than hypocritically, hastily, or harshly. One quick to discern a small fault like a mote in a brother’s eye is often blind to a far greater fault like a beam in his own eye, and the judgment and measure used return upon the judger. The prohibition of personal judgment does not remove the responsibility placed on the church in its organized capacity toward members who fall into sin to warn, instruct, restore, reprove, rebuke and exhort. The church must deal faithfully with wrongdoing and call sin by its right name by declaring what God has said about it, addressing wrongdoing according to God’s word, and its censure is to be removed when the person confesses and repents, since remission of sins belongs to God alone.
Correction must go directly and openly to the person thought to be in error, rather than by secretly plotting against them on the strength of accusations, impressions, reports, or matters not carefully investigated. Evil reports must be held back rather than accepted and acted upon as truth, accusations must not be extended to others without clear evidence, errors of a church member are not to be made public property but addressed within the church, and private matters must be kept from those they do not concern. If in error, the person should be approached tenderly so restoration is possible; if not in error, the innocent should be defended and vindicated, and rebuke directed at those doing wrong. Harsh public criticism can turn people away from truth, so those tempted to speak hastily should keep silent, and appointed workers should deal with error kindly, wisely, and discreetly under Christ’s Spirit. In place of condemnation, the mercy and compassion Christ has manifested must be shown to all, especially the erring, remembering that Christ died to save tempted and tried souls.
This failure was seen in the dispute over the law in Galatians at Minneapolis, where brethren were condemned without knowledge of motives or religious standing, human opinions were treated as God’s voice, and unjust judgments and unsanctified talk harmed both personal religious experience and the conference. Instead judgment must be suspended for prayerful Bible study and humble search for God’s guidance, without prejudice or envy and without authority to sit in judgment on neighbors and broadcast verdicts about them. Taking a firm stand for truth does not justify condemning people, making charges against them, or personal attacks, which can promote division and imperil souls. A needed message exposing wrongdoing is still permitted, but with care not to attack or condemn people who have less light and opportunity, since those knowingly neglecting great privileges may be more guilty before God than those mistaken about doctrine who sincerely seek to do good. Care is required not to condemn a work of the Holy Spirit by wrongly attributing it to evil agencies, not to misjudge men God is leading, and not to leave upon other minds the impression that they are guilty when God does not pronounce them guilty, such as holding brethren accountable for the death of Sister Magan. Hating and reproving sin remains, yet those who correct must show Christlike patience and love toward the sinner while clearly confronting error, lest excessive leniency excuse sin or undue severity and harshness condemn those who are right.
Speech and Daily Practice
The gift of speech is too precious to be wasted on criticism, faultfinding, evil thinking and speaking, denunciation and bitterness, for such words stir the worst passions, breed antagonism and retaliation, obstruct the work, damage friendship and weaken the church. A judgment may seem right to the one who utters it and yet not be right before God, every word is heard and must be accounted for, continuing evil-speaking blackens the record, and the Judge stands at the door, so words must be guarded with care and chosen to meet divine approval and strengthen the weak in faith. Motives are never to be questioned, evil never to be surmised, and brethren never to be misjudged or assailed with unkind and passionate speech, but the tongue is to be bridled, talking lessened and prayer increased, the heart opened to kindliness, kindly thoughts and holy affections encouraged, and the habit of speaking well of others cultivated. Pride and self-righteousness must not block frank confession of wrong, love for those for whom Christ died proves love for Christ, cherishing unworthy thoughts and misjudging brethren taints worship so that prayer is unheard, and approaching one believed to be in wrong must be done in meekness full of mercy and good fruits.
Each person is to attend faithfully to the work assigned and carry personal responsibility instead of dissecting the work and character of another, for no one is appointed to sit in judgment, measure others and pronounce sentence. The seventh chapter of Matthew is to be studied critically again and again for one's own enlightenment and not to prove supposed faults discerned in fellow members, and instead of examining one another Scripture is to be studied humbly until imagined grievances are dispelled and accusation and discord give way to love, compassion and respect. Absorbing the thoughts with the faults of others reveals very serious defects and, without decided conversion, makes professed lights into stumbling blocks, while taking it upon oneself to point out faults and set everyone right hinders doing one's own work nobly and well. Those who cannot labor without sitting in judgment should decline that responsibility, and disciples must heed this lesson in the churches in days of peril and trial.
Mistakes of fellow workers are easily judged too quickly before their burdens and trials are understood, yet bearing similar burdens teaches sympathy and replaces censure, so cases are to be left with God and the downcast lifted by seeing the good, commending it, and helping gently with hope and courage. Eagerness to replace workers who have erred and assumption that one could do better in their place are forbidden, for one may avoid some errors yet make grave blunders difficult to remedy, bringing confusion and greater harm to the work than the mistakes criticized. Criticism and scathing remarks about responsible people cannot help them and may keep them in turmoil, criticism reacts upon the critic, no one is faultless, each must answer to God, and God Himself can correct or remove those in responsibility when they err, so their errors give no authority to condemn. Undervaluing what fellow workers have done, thinking their places should be taken, and claiming the work could be carried forward successfully without mistakes is premature reforming of what only looks faulty.
Harsh and extreme judging is forbidden, including carrying even right condemnation of evil too far, treating favor or goodwill toward temperance workers as a crime, cherishing hatred and bitterness toward them or toward supporters of the red-ribbon clubs, misusing religious counsel, and oppressing souls by forcing them onto one rigid standard that stretches the short and cuts off the long. Hasty judgment from appearances is forbidden, as in assuming believers in America more capable, intelligent or consecrated than believers in Australia, when those in Australia through sincere and determined service can be shaped into vessels of honor. Helpers of the poor, disheartened, unemployed and homeless must not be quick to condemn them when they fail, but remember their own many errors and how painful reproof feels, teach with words of hope and courage and tangible help in hard places, and show desire for them to reach the highest standard with readiness to help them reach it. Black brethren and sisters are not to be quickly condemned when objectionable things occur or in any failure, nor separated from the work for misdoing, but treated with the wisdom of Christ, exact and impartial justice, tender compassion for the suffering, sympathy for the unfortunate and generous consideration for misdemeanors, since judges cherish evils themselves they would not tolerate in others and must give no occasion for hatred, for kindness accomplishes more than censure. Managers and workers who have been reproved and still need thorough sanctification of soul, body and spirit are not to be judged by harsh, overbearing, rash, impetuous, sharp and thrusting pen or word that presses brethren into hard places and hurts the judger, but won by mellowing, courtesy that gains everything and loses nothing, and kind, patient, graceful speech that represents Christ.
In daily relations the concern is saving souls rather than being easily wounded over feelings and reputation, so little differences need not disturb fellowship with Christ even when others think or act badly. Under wrong, self is to be restrained instead of condemning another, judgment being remembered to return in kind, silence kept when irritated, and victory over uncontrolled passion and self prized above all other victory. No one is placed on the judgment seat, so humility cherished in the heart must shape words into Christlike tenderness and care, with correction never neglected but given as the Master's message in the Master's spirit of love. Followers are not appointed to sit in judgment on a suffering or fallen brother or sister but to help heavenward with words bringing peace, rest, comfort and hope, never using judgment to oppress and darken hearts, and such treatment of the needy reveals what is in the heart and whether first love remains alive.