Luke 6:37-38 (3)

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Let me invite you (as always) to follow along in your Bibles.

We’ve come now to what is, arguably:

The most well known...

The most often quoted...

And most loved...

…passage in all of Scripture!

And, no, it isn’t:

John 3:16...

Or Philippians 4:13!

It’s Luke Chapter 6, Verse 37...

…and really only the first two words.

Now, as we (as a society) move away from moral relativism...

…and toward the embrace of a new:

baseless,

arbitrary,

emotionally driven system of morality...

…its popularity will likely begin to wane...

...but for the last 60-70 years...

…these words of Christ have been wildly popular in our society...

(But not for good reasons)

You’ll see why very quickly.

Let’s read it together...

…along with the verse that follows.

Luke 6:37–38 (ESV)

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

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Pray

Introduction:

-What I said before, that Verse 37-A...

…has been America’s favorite verse for the last 70 years...

…can be misleading if it isn’t qualified.

R.C. Sproul gives this very accurate qualifier:

Verse 37 of Luke 6 is possibly the most well known verse in the New Testament for those who are outside of the kingdom...

They may have never read the Bible, but they know it says, ‘Do not judge.’ — Sproul

-Now, in the original language...

…verse 37 actually begins with another conjunction:

“and,” or “also,” etc.

What that tells us is that it isn’t...

…entirely separated from the premise of the previous verses.

Remember them:

Luke 6:35–36 (ESV)

35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

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There, Jesus was instructing us regarding:

The proper treatment of...

The proper disposition towards...

…our fellow man.

I believe that this is the primary thrust...

...of today’s verses as well.

-The commands we find, here...

…are very simple.

The negative prohibitions consist of...

Two simple words (in the original)...

And the positive commands...

are given in one:

In other words (the structure is something like):

Judge Not

Condemn Not

Forgive

Give

-Let’s start by looking at the prohibitions...

…and the reasons given for them.

They’re almost synonymous.

First, Jesus says:

Luke 6:37 (ESV)

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged...

It’s interesting, here, that that phrase “will not” . . .

…is simply that two-word emphatic double negation that Paul often employs.

Certainly Not!

May it never be!

God forbid!

The point is that these are strong words, both...

In what they prohibit

In what they promise.

-Matthew’s account makes the “cause and effect” dynamic a little more clear:

Matthew 7:1 (ESV)

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.

“so that”

“in order that”

-The second prohibition:

Is simply an outworking of the first,

And it employs the same, sober language:

Luke 6:37 (ESV)

37 . . . condemn not, and you will not be condemned...

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So, if:

Our Judgment...

Our Condemnation...

…is somehow predicated upon our adherence to this principle...

…then, do you think it’s important that we...

...properly understand what He’s saying?

-Now, the reason the world delights in the first part of this verse...

…is because they take it to mean:

“You can’t tell me that what I’m doing is wrong!”

Or, the ever popular:

“Only God can judge me!”

The point being, that Jesus is telling you...

…that you can’t do or say anything that would...

…cause me to experience discomfort in my sin!

-Is this what Jesus is getting at?

-Is he saying that Christians:

Can’t assess the morality/immorality of actions?

Can’t ever stand in judgment of another human being?

Aren’t permitted to:

Pass down

Carry out...

…a sentence of condemnation?

If so, would this prevent Christians from:

Serving on a Jury?

Being a Judge?

Being a Cop?

Being a Soldier?

Being an executioner?

Some have thought so.

Some will contend, that...

…To judge and to condemn...

…are exclusively divine prerogatives:

(And in an ultimate sense, they’re absolutely right)

They’ll point to passages like:

Isaiah 33:22 (ESV)

22 For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king...

They’ll invoke passages like:

James 4:11–12 (ESV)

12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

That’s pretty specific, isn’t it?

But here again we are reminded of the necessity...

…of interpreting every portion of Scripture...

…in light of the rest of Scripture.

What do I mean?

Well, the Scripture is clear that...

…the majority of the time...

…God appoints men to execute His judgments for Him:

Psalm 149:5–9 (ESV)

5 Let the godly exult in glory...

6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,

7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,

9 to execute on them the judgment written!...

The same principle is found in the NT as well

Romans 13:1–6 (ESV)

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,

4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

Peter taught the same thing:

1 Peter 2:13–14 (ESV)

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,

14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

So, clearly, Our Lord does not outright forbid us...

…from becoming civil magistrates, and...

Making judgments...

And carrying out just condemnations...

…in the sphere of civil governments...

That is, of course, provided that you:

John 7:24 (ESV)

24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

-But, some might say...

-“well, that’s it, then”

-“That’s the only exception to this rule”

-“I mean, after all, we must have Law and Order.”

But, it’s still not even that simple.

There is another sphere where Christians are REQUIRED...

…to make righteous judgments.

1 Corinthians 5:8–6:3 (ESV)

11 ...I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?

13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

Jesus himself commanded:

Matthew 18:15–18 (ESV)

15 “If your brother sins against you (?), go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

We see a case study of this law in:

1 Corinthians 5:3–5 (ESV)

3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.

4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Brethren, the contemporary understanding of this command...

…simply does not align with what we see in Scripture.

Again, Paul says generically, that:

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 (ESV)

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God . . . because they are spiritually discerned.

15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.

16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Galatians 1:8–9 (ESV)

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

This is not a “live and let live” Christianity!

It requires:

Evaluation

Judgment

Censure.

Similarly:

Titus 3:10 (ESV)

10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,

John said:

2 John 10–11 (ESV)

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Again, we see these principles exemplified:

2 Timothy 2:16–18 (ESV)

16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

18 who have swerved from the truth...

“Judge Not, Paul!”

-Clearly, our society has misunderstood our Lord’s words here.

But, if that’s the case...

What do they mean?

What are they actually...

Forbidding...

Warning us against.

Well, in a word:

Pharisee-ism.

Lloyd-Jones offers this excellent analysis:

What is this danger against which our Lord is warning us?

We can say first of all that it is a kind of spirit, a spirit which manifests itself in certain ways...

It is a self-righteous spirit.

…it is always a manifestation of self-righteousness, a feeling of superiority, and a feeling that we are all right while others are not.

That then leads to censoriousness, and a spirit that is always ready to express itself in a derogatory manner.

And then, accompanying that, there is a tendency to despise others, to regard them with contempt...

The man who is guilty of judging . . . is the man who is hypercritical, which means that he delights in criticism . . . and enjoys it.

…he is a man who approaches anything which he is asked to criticize expecting to find faults, indeed, almost hoping to find them.

…I am not only describing the Pharisees, I am describing all who have the spirit of the Pharisee. — D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

You want to see the spirit of a Pharisee?

Luke 18:11–12 (ESV)

11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

-Now, What’s the antidote to Pharisee-ism?

Humility

Fear of the Lord

That produces a different type of person.

A person who is:

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV)

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

-This is the picture that Jesus is painting in our text.

It’s a portrait of an “anti-pharisee” if you will.

He’s portraying the antithesis.

He says:

Luke 6:37–38 (ESV)

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

38 give . . .

Then he adds this governing principle...

…which applies to all four commands:

Luke 6:38 (ESV)

38 ...and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

What that means is that...

…to the degree...

…and in the manner, that you:

Judge or withhold judgment

Condemn or withhold condemnation

Forgive or withhold forgiveness

Give or withhold generosity...

…to that exact degree you can expect to be:

Judged

Condemned

Forgiven

Given to.

These are frighteningly sobering words...

And we certainly don’t need to explain them away...

But we do need to remember that they are...

...primarily referring to a disposition of the heart.

A disposition of heart that looks like this:

Galatians 6:1 (ESV)

1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

The Pharisaical heart is given this warning:

Romans 2:1–3 (ESV)

1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

James gives this (more broadly applicable) warning:

James 5:9 (ESV)

9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

-I think Romans 14 may give us the clearest insights...

…into what disposition of heart...

…that He is commanding in our verses.

Romans 14:1–21 (ESV)

1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.

4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.

8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

This is the portrait that’s being painted by our Lord.

The JFB commentary summarizes it like this.

The context makes it clear that the thing here condemned is that disposition to look unfavorably on the character and actions of others, which leads invariably to the pronouncing of rash, unjust, and unlovely judgments upon them. - JFB Commentary

Final word goes to Mike McKinley:

Again, we cannot understand the point of these commands unless we see them in light of God’s character and disposition toward his people.

Despite our sin, he has loved and forgiven us; he has graciously declined to judge . . . us.

If that is true, then how can we have a judgmental or critical spirit toward others? - Mike KcKinley

Let’s pray for grace.