Message from the Mount (26)

Matthew 7:1-6

Matthew 7:1–6 NKJV

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

In 1985 Cher starred in a movie called Mask. She played the biker mother of Rocky, a teenager with a severe facial deformity. Possessed of a gentle nature, Rocky volunteers to help out at a camp for blind kids. If they can’t see his face they’ll judge him on who he is, not what he looks like.

During the camp he develops a romance with one of the blind teenage girls. Blind since birth, she doesn’t know what Rocky means when he talks about colours or clouds. Rocky is determined to communicate these things to her, and has a brilliant idea on how to do it. He leads his girlfriend into the kitchen and over to the refrigerator. He takes out a rock he has placed in there earlier and places it in her hands. “That’s blue” says Rocky. He then takes her to the oven and pulls out a rock which has been heated. Placing it in her hands she comments on how hot it is. “That’s red” says Rocky. He then pulls out a bunch of cotton wool balls and places them in her hands. “That’s what clouds are like”. The two of them grow excited as this young blind girl feels that for the first time she understands what colour and clouds are.

Of course she never sees colours and clouds as they really are. Rather, by comparing them to something she already knows she is able to gain a sense of what they’re like.

When it comes to describing realities beyond our direct observation the bible adopts a strategy similar to Rocky’s. How could we possibly understand exactly what heaven and eternity in it will be like if we’ve never experienced that kind of life yet. So the bible draws pictures in terms of what we already know as familiar: a brilliant city, a beautiful garden. In painting such pictures we may not get a literal picture but like Rocky’s blind girlfriend, we get a sense, and the sense of it is all we need.As Christians God has called us to live our lives alongside one another. We are instructed to serve one another, pray for one another, encourage one another and work together for the sake of the Gospel. But of course, we are sinners and so this life together is not always easy.

One of the sins that often creeps in and divides us is the sin of judgmentalism. We are prone to self-righteousness and pride and we are often tempted to be critical, condemning and harsh toward one another. To further complicate matters, often we excuse our behaviors under the guise of helping a brother or sister who is in sin.

Thankfully, Jesus has gone to great lengths to help us see our sin and teach us how to rightly serve one another. As we continue our look at Matthew 7:1-6 Jesus warns us against hypocrisy. He shows us the difference between self-righteous judgmentalism and God-honoring accountability. He shows us the difference between sinfully judging and lovingly confronting or correcting a brother or sister. He calls us to love and to avoid the pain that comes when we fail to walk in love.

Galatians 5:13–15 NKJV

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Context – The Sermon on the Mount

It’s important to remember that this well-known passage lives within a context. Jesus has been telling His people what it means to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God. While there were many who claimed to be the people of God, religious hypocrisy was rampant.

After instructing us on how to avoid hypocrisy and live with true hearts before God, this passage seems fitting and timely. Jesus is helping us know how to interact with others in a way that pleases God.

A Vivid Metaphor – Logs and Specks

In order to teach us Jesus uses powerful imagery. He describes sin as something being stuck in a person’s eye – something that keeps them from seeing clearly. The problem, however, is that often we are quick to see something in someone else’s eye before we consider what’s in our own – even if what’s in our own eye is much larger.

Jesus uses this imagery to show us the deceitfulness of sin – judgmentalism in particular. Often our own sense of self-righteousness is like a log in our eye. We are quick to see the speck in another person’s eye, but slow to see and confess our own sin.

Log Removal – A warning against hypocrisy (7:3-5)

We are often blinded by our own sin. It’s common for us to overlook our own sins and be quick to see the sins of others. But judgmentalism has a unique way of distorting our vision. It blinds us to our own pride and need for mercy and highlights the faults of others. It’s like a log that we ignore, all the while seeing another person’s speck.

It’s true that God has called us to help one another. We are called to go and help our brother or sister who is caught in sin. But first, we must check the condition and motivation of our own hearts. Do we truly desire to serve, or is this a way of showing our own righteousness? Before you go and try to help your brother get that speck out of his eye, check that you don’t have log in your own.

The work of restoration (7:5)

Our responsibility – As brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to correct, admonish and restore those who are in sin. But before we go, we must check our own eyes for logs. Once we have done that work, we should be eager to help those who are caught in sin. The gentle and careful work of speck removal – The metaphor that Jesus uses continues to be helpful because there aren’t many parts of our bodies that are more sensitive than our eyes. Eye work must be gentle and careful work. In the same way, the Bible tells us that we are to do the work of spiritual restoration with gentleness.

Galatians 6:1 NKJV

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

***Play video by Casting Crowns***

Application – We should have a hatred for sin and a love for the truth, but neither of these can be excuses for being harsh or unloving. We must remember that restoration isn’t meant to push others down, it’s meant to build them back up. Gentle restoration isn’t hurried or harsh, it’s patient and persevering, and done in love.

A word of disclaimer – Recognizing when to let a person go (7:6)

The context continues – While it may seem that verse 6 is unrelated to verses 1-5, it actually serves to broaden and clarify Christ’s teaching on judgementalism and shows us that there are in fact times when careful discernment is needed. Understanding the metaphors – Using the imagery of dogs and pigs, which were seen as scavengers and pests, Jesus teaches that there are some who when they are confronted with the truth will reject it, trample on it and attack the one who presented it. In some cases, there does come a point when we are to leave that person to their sin and trust that we’ve done all we can do.

Matthew 10:14–15 NKJV

And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

Acts 18:5–7 NKJV

When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

Titus 3:9–11 NKJV

But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.