Three Fundamentals to use in Dealing with Others

Matthew 7:1–6 (NLT)

1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.

2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

INTRODUCTION:

How are we to respond to the actions of other people? What should be our attitude?

Our tendency is commonly to develop a condemning, critical spirit.

What does the Lord Jesus Christ teach us we are to do?

Note three fundamental principles Jesus gives us to use from our text.

I- REFUSE TO HAVE A CONDEMNING SPIRIT TOWARD A CHRISTIAN BROTHER OR SISTER. (Matthew 7:1-2).

Matthew 7:1–2 (NLT)

1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.

2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

A- The required attitude (Matthew 7:1):

Matthew 7:1 (NLT)

1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.

(Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε·)

κρίνετε = to judge a person to be guilty and liable to punishment—‘to judge as guilty, to condemn, condemnation.’

1- What does this verse mean?

a- It does not mean that we are not to make the judgment of what is right or wrong. (see 1 John 2:4-11, 15; 3:9-10)

1 John 2:4–11 (NLT)

4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.

5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before.

8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness.

10 Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.

11 But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

1 John 2:15 (NLT)

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

1 John 3:9–10 (NLT)

9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

b- It does not mean that we tolerate doctrinal error or sinful behavior.

2- What this does mean:

a- Don’t judge someone’s motives.

b- Don’t draw conclusions why a person performs certain actions.

*My grandmother used to even draw conclusions based upon the type of paper and ink someone used to write her a note.

B- The reasons why (Matthew 7:2):

Matthew 7:2 (NLT)

2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

(ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε, καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.)

κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε = with the same judgment / condemnation you use on others, you will be judged / condemned.

μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν = With the same standard / measurement you measure others, will be measured.

1- You don’t know where another person is coming from.

background

thoughts

motives

problems

2- You will be placing yourself open to the same criticism.

a- To the same degree with which you criticized. (vs. 1b-2)

II- REMOVE YOUR OWN FAULTS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH THOSE OF OTHERS. (Matthew 7:3-5).

Matthew 7:3–5 (NLT)

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

A- Look for your own faults before trying to find another person’s. (Matthew 7:3)

Matthew 7:3 (NLT)

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

(τί δὲ βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ δοκὸν οὐ κατανοεῖς;)

κάρφος = speck, splinter.

δοκὸν = beam of wood—‘beam.’

1- If you are going to go on a fault-finding expedition, look inward.

a- Use the searchlight of scripture. (James 1:22-25)

James 1:22–25 (NLT)

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.

24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

b- Ask the Holy Spirit to examine your life. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Psalm 139:23–24 (NLT)

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

B- Deal with the faults you find in your own life before you attempt to deal with those of other people. (Matthew 7:4-5).

Matthew 7:4–5 (NLT)

4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

(4 ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ;

5 ὑποκριτά, ἔκβαλε πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ τὴν δοκόν, καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις ἐκβαλεῖν τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου.)

ὑποκριτά = hypocrite, pretender

ἔκβαλε = get rid of, jettison.

1- How is your love-life with the Lord Jesus?

2- How much fruit are you bearing for Christ?

3- How are you doing in discipling others?

4- Do you have the same fault you see in a brother or sister?

5- Do you criticize those who are busy doing God’s work and are not busy yourself in His work?

(Romans 14:4)

Romans 14:4 (NLT)

4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

III- REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE IS NOT ON THE SAME SPIRITUAL LEVEL OF MATURITY. (Matthew 7:6).

Matthew 7:6 (NLT)

6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

(Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.)

ἅγιον = pertaining to being dedicated or consecrated to the service of God—‘devout, godly, dedicated.

κυσίν, = one who is a sexual pervert or possibly one who is sexually promiscuous—‘pervert. ‘a wicked person’ who might have complete contempt for what is holy

A- Be sensitive to the spiritual condition of lost people. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

1- The lost person can’t understand spiritual matters. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

2- Discussing spiritual matters with the lost can only lead to ridicule.

B- Don’t give spiritual babies deep things to digest nor give them tasks beyond their ability. (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).

1 Corinthians 3:1–2 (NLT)

1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ.

2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,

1- Holding them responsible for too much can be harmful.

(1 Timothy 3:6)

1 Timothy 3:6 (NLT)

6 A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.

2- They must grow in spiritual maturity. (2 Peter 3:18)

2 Peter 3:18 (NLT)

18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

CONCLUSION:

How do we respond to others?

I- REFUSE TO HAVE A CONDEMNING SPIRIT TOWARD THEM.

II- REMOVE YOUR OWN FAULTS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH THOSE OF OTHERS.

III- REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE IS NOT ON THE SAME SPIRITUAL LEVEL OF MATURITY.

The key to following these fundamentals is found in Ephesians 5:18. Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, living under His controlling influence.

Ephesians 5:18 (NLT)

18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,