Don't Be Judging Me

“Don’t Be Judging Me”

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Someone has said that America has added an

11th commandment, and it has become her favorite commandment. In fact America loves his commandment so much she has put this commandment up in every classroom, courthouse, and City Hall in America. This commandment can be seen on social media, heard on talk shows, news programs, the Oscars, the Grammys, and in the movies and music of our society.

And that commandment is? “Thou shall not judge”

It is Jesus who that first spoke the words, “judge not, and you shall not be judged”?

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, we are not the ultimate judge; Jesus is the ultimate judge!

Jesus has just told his disciples that they are to love their enemies, and to be merciful, like God is merciful, and now He tells us not to get caught up in judging and condemning people.

One of the things that conservative Christians get blamed for; is being judgmental to those who have different views than we do. Is it true that all Christians are judgmental?

Is it true that Christians are intolerant and judgmental when they make a judgment call about something they deem right or wrong?

Does Jesus words “judge not, and you will not be judged”: mean that we are not to engage in ethical or moral evaluations?

Another question: Are Christians the only ones that engage in moral or ethical evaluations? Do irreligious people ever judge, make evaluations, declare something is right or wrong? Of course they do!

Both religious, and irreligious people make judgment calls on a regular basis. Living a life on this earth requires that you make evaluations, choices, judgment calls about how you’re going to live life and what you will and will not accept.

So it is not fair, or true, to say that only Christians judge, make decisions about people and issues in our society.

The basis of all judgment is some truth that a person believes in.

There can be no right or wrong, or judgement unless there is truth.

If the Bible is the objective, concrete truth for everything in life, then anything that is contrary to the Bible is wrong. Who made that judgment call? Not me, I’m simply sharing what God’s word says about that issue. If the Bible is the ultimate truth, and it is; what the Bible says about human sexuality is the truth about human sexuality!

The Bible declares that sex is a wonderful gift from God for man and woman in marriage. Fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are wrong, and a sin against God. When I declared that, I am not judging, I’m sharing the clear truth of God’s word.

But to say that adultery, promiscuity, abortion or homosexuality is wrong, is not tolerated.

The only sin in America today is calling sin, sin. When you say that the Bible is the truth, and that it is the standard for spirituality and morality, and what it says is the absolute truth you will be called judgmental, ignorant, bigoted, racist, insensitive and intolerant.

By the way; that is what you call being judged.

The tolerant, aren’t very tolerant.

You say pastor are Christians supposed to be tolerant; yes absolutely; if you use the word tolerant correctly.

Tolerance means, people have a right to their opinions.

Tolerance means, where to allow other opinions.

Tolerance means, we are to forbear, and love others who differ from us. But we have a new-tolerance today; one that says only what we believe and say is right or allowed. The new-tolerance says we must endorse all opinions as morally equivalent, which is impossible for a Bible believing Christian to do.

The new-tolerance says, we must affirm, and approve, that which the Bible says is wrong; which a Bible believing Christian can never do.

As Bible believing Christians we cannot, we must not accept anything and everything as okay!

So the idea of judging, evaluating, making decisions based on truth; is not just a one-way street. Both religious and irreligious people live their life based on moral, ethical evaluations every day.

Is Jesus telling us we no longer have a right to make any judgment call, or discern what is right and what is wrong? No he is not! There is a right kind of judgment, and a wrong kind of judgment. And the way we know right judgment, and wrong judgment is by the context that is used in.

In this context Jesus is bidding the wrong kind of judgment.

Jesus says when it comes to judging:

1. Avoid Having a Critical Spirit!

V:37-38.

Jesus is not telling us that we’re never to discern what is right and wrong, good and bad!

We are to judge what is good and bad, right and wrong; and were to teach our children to discern, evaluate what is right and wrong. And we teach them to turn from that which is bad, and choose that which is good; that’s making a judgment.

There are many life situations that demand we make a decision, a judgment. Parents are called to make decisions when their children have conflict.

Teachers have to evaluate their students, and grade them. Managers evaluate their employees, and perform year in reviews. Judges render verdicts in courts of law every day.

The rest of the Bible makes it clear that “judge not” is not a prohibition against any and every form of judgment. Whenever we are called to make moral or theological decisions, it is irresponsible for us not to judge. Jesus himself taught us to judge.

There are numerous verses in the New Testament, that tell us that we are to judge, discern, evaluate issues that are right and wrong, and people that are good and bad.

-“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment”.

-“You know a good man because he brings forth good fruit; and you would know a bad man, because he brings forth bad fruit”.

In this same chapter he says, you can discern, judge a good man or a bad man by what they do, the fruit they bear. -“Believe not every spirit, but test the spirits, try the spirits, judge the spirits, whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world”.

Jesus says you better judge between what is true and what is false; your eternal destiny depends on it!

Not everybody can be right teaching contrary things. Somebody is telling the truth and somebody is not! You must discern, judge and find out.

There is absolute truth, and here it is- the word of God! Truth about salvation is found in this book, not in human opinions, philosophies, or the religions of the world; but in the Lord Jesus Christ alone! When I say- Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven; I will be looked on as intolerant, ignorant and judgmental.

When I say there's only one right sexual preference; and that is sex between a man and a woman who are married. I will be considered narrow-minded, bigoted, and insensitive and unloving; can you imagine that? As sweet as I am, bigoted, narrow, prejudice, arrogant, self-centered.

And there will be some who will say, judge not, that ye be not judged.

And my response would be that’s not my judgment! That's not my standard, opinion, or my rule or my teaching! I discern, judge, know what is right and wrong because of the Bible, it is not my own opinion, I’m not judging, God’s word is judging.

Adultery is wrong, because God said so.

Fornication is wrong, because God said so.

Homosexuality is wrong, because God said so.

Stealing is wrong, because God said so.

Lying is wrong, because God said so.

Murder, abortion, is wrong, because God said so.

There are those who say that this talk is unloving, hate speech. But to the contrary, to fail to speak the truth; and to affirm, and gloss over sin is the most unloving thing I could ever do.

-“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, you shall surely rebuke your neighbor”.

What God is saying, to rebuke sin is loving; to fail to rebuke sin is hate.

So when Jesus says, judge not, and you shall not be judged; what does he mean?

He’s not saying that we don’t judge, or discern right and wrong, and that we can never identify someone who’s living in sin.

What he is saying is; that were not to have a critical, harsh, unloving, unmerciful, self-righteous condemnation of another person.

The word judge has several shades of meaning in the New Testament. Sometimes it means to choose, select, determine, evaluate.

But in this verse it means to condemn; it is the word that means to condemn, to sentence, to punish.

As believers we are not to judge, condemn with a harsh critical judgmental spirit of condemnation other people. But we are to be loving, merciful, forgiving, seeking to lead that person to Jesus, and restoration.

V:37-“condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven”.

Christians need to keep in mind that apart from God’s grace, you would be no better than the vilest sinner on the earth.

We are not to judge, condemn other people in the court of our own heart and mind.

Our spirits are not to be critical, harsh and unforgiving.

Instead, we are called to forgive others and offer them grace; just as God has offered us grace.

There is a difference between confronting the sin and condemning the sinner. tells us about a woman who was caught in adultery. She was clearly wrong, the Bible says adultery is wrong. The Pharisees condemned her; each one had a rock in his hand to carry out the sentence. But Jesus confronted her, and said to the woman, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."

The Pharisees were guilty of self-righteous condemnation, they had no mercy, and offered no help or hope.

Jesus acknowledged her sin; but offered her salvation, if she would turn from her sin and trust in him.

It is never wrong to call wrong what God calls wrong. But it is not our role, to condemn, sentence to judgment someone else with a harsh, critical, unloving, unmerciful spirit.

Jesus calls on His disciples to be gracious to others.

Jesus calls on His disciples to forgive, because God has forgiven us.

We must be careful we don’t become like the Tin man in the Wizard of Oz; we have a strong armor, but no heart.

We declare the truth, stand on the truth; but we do with love. When we have a judgmental, critical spirit; it hinders people from hearing the gospel.

People say, what goes around comes around; Jesus said it in another way: V:38-Read.

This verse can either be taken positively or negatively. If we judge people harshly, condemning them, then we can expect to be judged harshly.

Jesus is calling us to be overflowing, in grace, love, mercy and forgiveness.

Jesus is gracious to the gracious, and generous to the generous, pouring out his blessings right into our laps.

This principle also applies to giving your money to the work of God. You can never out give God!

In his warning not to be judgmental and in his command to be generous, Jesus was telling his disciples to be like him. Jesus was the most forgiving, and giving man who is ever lived.

Secondly, Jesus says when it comes to judging:

2. Don’t Follow Unforgiving People.

V:39-40.

The meaning of this parable is obvious: we need to be careful who we choose to follow. If you follow the wrong leader, a person blinded by unforgiveness, a judgmental, critical spirit, you will end up in the ditch!

Don’t follow a teacher who is spiritually blind; don’t follow someone who doesn’t understand the forgiveness that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ and the cross! If you follow someone who was never experience forgiveness through Jesus Christ; and doesn’t teach and preach that Jesus is the Savior, that person will lead you straight to the pit of hell.

What Jesus said, certainly applied to the Pharisees, who were religious, but harsh and condemning. They could not see the truth about Grace, and therefore they let people down into the ditch of legalism.

In , Jesus called the Pharisees blind guides.

If you follow a teacher or preacher who is spiritually blind, you will end up in the ditch.

Spiritually blind guides:

· A spiritual leader who denies the deity of Jesus Christ,

· A person who tells you to leave the church.

· Any teacher who adds works to faith as a basis for your salvation.

· Any person, who says the Bible is not the word of God.

Their blind guides, and they lead to destruction.

This picture that Jesus paints of a blind man leading a blind man, is to warn us to be careful who we follow. Don’t follow the counsel of a spiritually blind person! Don’t listen to the advice, of a person who instructs you opposite of the word of God.

A person who doesn’t walk with Jesus, read their Bible or pray, or attend church, or serve God or give; cannot give you advice about how to walk the path of a disciple.

If you follow that person who is spiritually blind; you will end up in the ditch in your relationship with God, your marriage, your family, and your finances!

This is also a warning to be careful how you lead!

If you’re blinded by unforgiveness, bitterness, hate anger, lust, greed; you’re not qualified to lead anyone.

In order to lead someone, you have to be able to see!

· See the Bible as a perfect word of God.

· See the holiness, and majesty of God.

· See the sinfulness of our own hearts, and our need for mercy.

· See Jesus crucified and risen from the dead.

· See the need to repent and believe in Jesus.

· See the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit.

Only then can we lead our children, family and friends in the right way!

Jesus is the great spiritual optometrist; and if you ask him today, he will give you spiritual sight to see the path of life.

Jesus is the spiritual guide each and every one of us need; if you follow Jesus you will never fall into the ditch!

The second part of this parable is, V:40, if you follow the right guide, teacher, Jesus and those who walked with him, you will become like your teacher.

Who you choose to be your teacher, who you choose to listen to, is a kind of person you will become.

So we need to use good judgment in choosing which teacher, guide to follow. Of course in this whole sermon Jesus is calling his disciples to follow him, learn from him, and be like him.

Jesus is encouraging us to pick the right teacher, follow the right people! The way that we become like Jesus, is to spend time with Jesus; the way to have an unforgiving spirit, is to let the unforgiving spirit of Jesus rub off on you.

Jesus has perfect vision and never leads anyone astray; let Jesus lead you through life, he knows the way, He is the way! Follow his example by showing forgiveness.

Thirdly Jesus says when it comes to judging

3. Remove Your Own Faults First.

V:41-42-Read

Jesus finishes up what he has to say about judgment with this famous illustration.

One of the reasons that we tend to be harsh, critical and condemning, is because of the sin that’s in our own hearts and lives. Jesus paints the picture of this critical judge who’s concerned about the splinter in someone else’s eye, when he has a huge beam protruding from his own Eye.

This is an absurd, hilarious picture; a guy with a

4 x 4 sticking out of his eye, is trying to help a guy with a splinter in his eye. Someone with major problems in their life, judging someone who has minor problems in their life. Jesus says they are a hypocrite; a hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something that they are not. We are in danger of hypocrisy when we pretend that we are not selfish, greedy, proud, or guilty of any log-sized sins; but quick to see the sins of others.

We are hypocrites when we minimize our sin, pretending that it is smaller than it actually is.

Jesus does not say, that were not to help our brother get the splinter out of his eye; Jesus says, that we are to remove the log that’s in our eye first.

If I asked you, do I have a speck, splinter in my? There’s no way you could know, unless you came real close and look.

And when it comes to the faults in other people’s lives, if you look hard enough you will find them! All of us have flaws, faults, specs and splinters in our lives. And people generally see what they’re looking for.

You remember the little poem, kitty cat, kitty cat, where have you been, I've been to London to see the queen. Kitty cat, kitty cat, what did you see, I spied a little mouse under her chair. Isn't that something? There's the Big Ben, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and this cat goes to London, what does it see? It see a mouse under the queen's chair, not the queen, but a mouse under the queen's chair. Why did the cat see a mouse under the queen's chair? Because that's what the cat was looking for.

Do you know what you'll find this morning, what you're looking for?

We often see, and judge in others what is in our own hearts and lives. Remove the beam that’s in your own eye; then you can see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

I heard about an old grandmother who would go into the house and she would dust and then dust again and the dust again, kept on dusting the furniture and polishing the furniture because she said it's dusty, finally she took off her glasses and they were covered with dust.

There are many in this building today, you're dressed so nicely, you look so nice, you have a Bible, you're glad to judge the thief, the prostitute, the murderer, the pimp. The drug pusher, the pervert, you wouldn't do any of those things, but your heart is full of hatred, pride, self-righteousness and your judging other people.

Take the log of sin out of your own first; and then in love, grace, and mercy you can minister to others.

Jesus is calling us to get right with God, confess our sin; so in love and grace you can share the gospel, and help others! It is tempting to spend less time in prayer confessing our sin; and more time talking about what’s wrong with other people.

Would you pray today this prayer; search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my ways and see if there be any wicked way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting.

Jesus does not say that we can never help anyone else was spiritual problems. In fact, he assumes that there will be times when we will be called to remove someone else’s speck. But not until we removed the sin from our life first!

When our hearts have been broken by our own sin against God, then we will have the grace and mercy to lead other sinners to repentance.

Our judgment was taken by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross; that by faith in Him you can be pardoned, you can go free! , "There is therefore now no condemnation, not judgment, to those who are in Christ Jesus."