Christ Condemns the Critical Heart

The measure with which we judge others determines the measure in which we are judged ourselves.

Jesus does not mean by His statement in verse one that we can escape judgment simply by being carefree. We know that everyone in the world will be judged before God someday. In fact Christ Himself will judge every person (John 5:22). We cannot escape judgment. The Bible is clear concerning this. We can, however, by our actions make ourselves more accountable on the Day of Judgment. Among the ways we can do this are:

* Assuming a teaching role in the church. James 3:1 says “ My brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation”.

* Causing others to sin. Matthew 17:1-2 says “ It is impossible but that offenses come: but woe unto him through whom they come. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea…”

* Having a judgmental spirit. Jesus says in verse two “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.”

We will consider Christ’s warning as it relates to the lost and the saved. Let’s begin with the lost. A judgmental spirit could be a sign of an unredeemed heart. Usually we are judgmental because we are self righteous. This was the problem with the Pharisees. The Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14 was the epitome of a self righteous judgmental person. He reveled in his own righteousness by claiming “I fast and I give”. He condemned others as extortionists, unjust, & adulterers. He thanked God that he was not like the tax collector who would not even look up into the heavens. Christ goes on to tell us that the Pharisee went home condemned and the tax collector went home justified. The reason was simple. The Pharisee clung to his own righteousness; the tax collector recognized his own sin.

A self righteous attitude makes God angry. For condemned sinners to condemn other sinners is not only ridiculous it is also dangerous. God promises a particular judgment for such people. He says in James 2:13 “for He shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no mercy..” Merciless judgment is promised to the self righteous judge. A desire to condemn others does not reveal a redeemed heart. Those who have been saved from their sins recognize their own unworthiness. To be quick to condemn and fault find is not a good sign. We should examine our own hearts to see if we are overly critical. A heart touched by God’s grace wants others to be touched by that grace as well.

Christ’s warning also relates to the saved. As believers we will stand before Christ in judgment as well (2 Cor. 5:10). Our actions on this earth can affect us. Disobedience brings the disciplining hand of God into our life (Heb. 12:6). It can also affect us eternally as rewards are lost (1 Cor. 3:15). I often say that within every Bible believing Christian there is a Pharisee waiting to come out. We must battle against self righteousness daily. We must constantly remind ourselves that we are what we are by the grace of God.

Paul dealt with overly critical believers in Romans 14. The entire chapter is a rebuke to overly critical Christians. They were judging each other on what they could/could not eat. They were judging each other on whether or not they should observe specific days or not. Paul urged the church to put everything in perspective. H e reminded them of some important truths:

* We will all be judged individually before God (Rom. 14:10).

* We should be careful that our actions are not causing others to sin. (Rom. 14:13).

* We should be willing to make sacrifices in the area of non-moral issues (Rom. 14:14-15).

* We should be more concerned about unity than condemning others (Rom. 14:19).

The church is often guilty of judging its own members with a self righteous attitude. If our brothers and sisters do not conform to our views on everything we sometimes look down upon them. When we do this we are only hurting ourselves. Would we be willing to pray “Lord judge me as I judge others”. Do we want God to show us more grace than we show other people? If so, we may need to make some adjustments.

We are to judge ourselves

In context, a “mote” is a piece of saw dust or a splinter. A beam is a large log. Jesus metaphor is a little amusing. Could you imagine a person walking around with a log sticking out of their head & giving others instruction on how to remove a speck out of their eye? Let’s consider some truths about the mote and the beam.

* The person with a beam sticking out of their eye needs immediate attention. He is in serious trouble. In fact he may lose his life! An object so large stuck close to the brain is a serious threat to one’s welfare. The person with the mote may have blurred vision. The one with the beam may lose an eye or his life!

* The person with a beam sticking out of their eye is obvious to everyone. No one is going to take the advice of this person. He is an obvious hypocrite. So it is with the self righteous. It does him no good to instruct anyone because his own moral decay is obvious.

* The person with the beam sticking out of their eye will not get close enough to anyone to help them. Their will always be a barrier between them and the person with the speck in their eye. One of the amazing things about Jesus is that He was totally righteous yet He was a friend of sinners at the same time. He ate with them and slept in their homes. Through His love He was able to draw close enough to them to instruct them in the way of righteousness. The Pharisees were not this way. They were completely unapproachable and at a distance from the people. Self righteousness will keep a lost world too far away from us to help them.

Jesus commands us to cast the beam out of our eye. That is, we are to remove the self righteous attitude that causes us to be so critical of other people. Let me offer some ways I believe that will help us remove a self righteous attitude.

* Remember that pride is the root of self righteousness. We judge other people because we feel we are superior to them. We think we are better Christians so we look down upon them. For example, a couple with young children may look at an older couple with wayward kids and think “Boy, they must have been lousy parents”. We may assure ourselves that our kids are so much better and therefore we must be better Christian parents. However, we don’t know if our kids will be any better than theirs or not. They may act worse when they get as old as the other couple’s children are. If they do not, the grace of God should get the credit, not the parenting of two sinners!

* Make it my priority to overcome my own sin. The casting out of the beam refers to the removal of sin. James says in 1:23-24 “If any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass, For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” As Christians we are hearing the word of God regularly. We hear the preached word at church and on the radio. We hear the written word as we study the Scriptures personally. We hear the spoken word as God speaks to us through His Spirit. That being true, we should constantly be making adjustments in our life. Conviction, confession & repentance should be a regular part of the believer’s life. Sadly, it seems that many of us stall out at some point. We grow hardened to conviction. We justify ourselves by recognizing all the progress we have made. This attitude will lead to self righteousness.

When is the last time I recognized a sin in my life and determined to remove it? It could be a sin of attitude, action or maybe even apathy. A tender heart and conscience can only be kept as we remain broken and sincere about being transparent before the Lord. If some time has passed since we have recognized, repented of and removed sin we are close to finding ourselves on the path of the hypocrite if we are not already there. The truly righteous person will constantly recognize his need to grow in grace and cast out sin. I want to challenge us all to identify our own sin. Look at it. Think about how terrible it is. Than ask ourselves “Have I made it a priority to overcome sin or am I satisfied with my spiritual state?”

* Watch for the warning signs of self righteousness. Self righteousness is deceptive. Therefore we must be very careful when we consider it. The first thing that may pop into your mind when I mention it is “I’m not self righteous!” Can I say that that is exactly what any self righteous person would say! Watch for these warning signs:

* Self righteous people are tale bearers. When we are young self righteousness may be revealed as we become a tattle-tale. When we are older it is revealed when we become a gossip.

*Self righteous people are always looking for the wrong in others. No matter how far the person has come, the self righteous person will find something critical to say.

* Self righteous people seldom weep over their sin or speak of their own spiritual lack.

* Self righteous people want to be perceived as overly spiritual and as an example of godliness. They would much rather lead than follow.

* Self righteous people will always find an excuse for the sin others point out to them.

It is our responsibility to seek the Lord about our own sin. We should pray as the Psalmist “Cleanse thou me from my secret faults” (19:12). We should recognize also what the Psalmist said in 90:8 “Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance.” God knows our hearts. It is foolish to try and impress Him with self righteousness. People know our testimony. They are convinced we are not perfect, therefore we should not act as if we are. Let us do as the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:31, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

We are to judge others in humility

Jesus does not tell us to cease judging altogether. In fact, He tells us just the opposite. We are to cast the mote out of our brother’s eye after we have gotten the beam of self righteousness out of our own eye. In fact in verse 6 He tells us to judge and determine the sheep from swine and dogs. In verses 15-20 He tells us to judge men by the fruit they bear.

Humility clears up our eyesight. Jesus says in verse five that the removal of the beam will allow us to see clearly. He wants us to see the sin of other people. We must see it properly if we are going to help anyone. Let’s consider some points that will help us as we assist other people in overcoming their own sin.

* Sin must be pointed out. It is the responsibility of the church to be the light of the world. That means that we reveal sin. It is not an easy thing to do, but it is a necessary thing to do. Sin is far more dangerous than disease, crime, guns or automobiles. These things may kill your body but sin can destroy your soul. The church must identify sin.

* Sin must be pointed out through the eyes of compassion. The cancer survivor usually is able to give more compassion to the person newly diagnosed with cancer. The person who has been through a divorce can usually give more grace to the recently divorced person. In the same way, the person who battles with their sin rather than proclaims their righteousness can give much more compassion to the person struggling in sin.

* Sin must be pointed out gently. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself lest thou also be tempted.” We will never condemn anyone into getting right with the Lord. That is not our right or responsibility. We are to touch them gently with the hands of Gods love and mercy urging them to forsake their sin.

* Sin must be pointed out sincerely. It is important that we not put ourselves out there as more righteous than we truly are. People see right through that. No one is going to listen to a person that they believe is living a hypocritical lifestyle. We should not expect others to take sin seriously if we are not taking it seriously.

One of two things will happen when we confront others about their sin in humility. They will either repent of their sin or they will hold onto it. We have no power to determine how they will respond.

Some will get right with God. What a glorious thing that is! James 5: 20 says “Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins”. It is a privilege to know that God allows us to play a part in a person’s reconciliation with Him. This privilege also implies responsibility. What if we do not identify sin in other people? Are we somehow more righteous? No, it is exactly the opposite. We are accountable to point out sin and the cure so that others may find forgiveness. Ezekiel warned that the watchman who did not blow the trumpet and warn the town of the invading army would be guilty of the blood of the townspeople (Ezekiel 33). We should not expect others to forsake their sin and find forgiveness if we do not sound the trumpet. In fact, not pointing out the sin in others could prove to be the beam that is in our own eye! It is the epitome of hypocrisy to believe that others need to forsake their sin and yet refuse to warn them of the coming danger if they do not. Sinners will come to God for forgiveness and reconciliation as we gently point out their sin and the price Christ has paid for it.

Others will not receive the message. Jesus identifies these in verse 6 as “swine and dogs”. This verse has been a difficult one for many to understand so we let’s look at it closely.

The animals involved

Both animals, dogs and swine, were considered unclean animals by Jewish people. They were scavengers feeding off of anything given to them. For Jesus to identify people as these animals would be a very serious thing. Interestingly Peter referred to these two animals as well and spoke of them as unclean. In 2 Peter 2:22 he said “But it happened unto them according to the true Proverb the dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

Both animals were also generally untamed animals. Obedient Jews would not domesticate pigs. Much of the pigs were wild and free roaming. The dogs in that day were not the types of dogs we keep today. They were mongrels to be feared and shunned. Both were dangerous animals. They spread disease, destroyed crops and livestock and could inflict physical harm as well.

These animals represent unsaved people. God’s people are never called pigs or dogs. We are sheep. The fact that the animals are unclean is a metaphor for the person who is still filthy in their sins. The fact that they are untamed suggests that they are still in rebellion to God. In 2 Peter 2:12 Peter describes lost people as “Natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not and shall perish in their own corruption.”

The offering involved

Jesus forbids us to offer “that which is holy” and “pearls” to these people. “That which is holy” probably refers to meat that has been sacrificed to God at the Temple. Meat given at the Temple was either burned up completely before the Lord, eaten by the priests or taken home and eaten by the one who offered the animal. By no means was it ever to be given to an animal. Especially to a dog. That would be unthinkable.

Pearls were rare and expensive jewels in Jesus day. In fact the gospel is even likened to a pearl. In Matthew 13:46 it is identified as “the pearl of great price”. If rare and valuable pearls were thrown down before a pig, do you know what that pig would do. It would probably just eat them up. It would not recognize the worth of the pearl. It would not perceive the beauty of the pearl. It would simply hope it tasted good.

I believe the offering and the pearl refer to the sacrifice of Christ and the gospel of the kingdom. If that is true, then Jesus is saying that there are some people that we should not offer the gospel to. There are some people who we should quit pointing out their sin and need of forgiveness to. That sounds very harsh but it is exactly what Jesus is saying.

Clarifying the hard saying

Such a teaching must be clarified. Let’s consider first what it is not saying.

*It is not saying that everyone cannot be saved. Paul reminded us in Titus 3:2 “For we ourselves were also sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared”. He also said in 1 Cor. 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived : neither fornicators nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God”. Anyone willing to turn from their sin and trust Christ may be saved.

* It is not saying that we should not share the gospel with everyone. How would we know if a person would trample the gospel unless we first offered it to them? We should be careful not to be the judge on how people will respond to the gospel. Certainly many would have thought that Saul of Tarsus was an unworthy candidate to share the gospel with. He was doing everything in his power to destroy it. Yet Christ captured him with grace.

Now let’s consider what it is saying:

* It teaches us that the gospel will not always be received. Some will see the gospel as foolish and unnecessary. They will be convinced it is a fable.

* It teaches us that some people will harm us because of the message we bring. The word “rend” means “to tear to pieces”. Christ warned that we would suffer physical persecution because of the gospel. A wild dog will gobble up the holy meat you give it and then turn and attack you. In the same way there are many who will attack us despite the fact that we are offering them something that will benefit them greatly.

* It teaches us that there is a time when we should not offer holy things to unholy people. In Matthew 10:14-15 Jesus told His disciples “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city”. The text shows us how to know when that time has come. When a person begins to mock the gospel (trample it under foot) and attack us (rend) we should leave that person alone. It is foolish to continue on with them.

1) If God is not dealing with them we cannot help them.

2) We will only grow more frustrated trying to teach a pig how to stay clean.

3) We give the devil more opportunity to mock Christ and the gospel.

4) We may put ourselves in harms way unnecessarily.

What do we do then? Do we just give up? Well, first we are to make sure that we are not being self righteous. We are to pity that person. As we point out the fact that he or she has forsaken the way of the cross we are to be full of compassion over them. As well, we should pray for that person. There is no heart so hardened that God cannot break it. God’s Spirit is far more powerful than our testimony or our words.

As we end this section let’s consider again the promise Jesus gives us. Remember the promise? We will see clearly. Self righteousness and a judgmental spirit keep us from seeing people clearly. Casting out that beam enables us to help others. If we are experiencing this promise we will see people in the way God wants us to see them. This clear vision allows us to have discernment. We can apply this in several ways:

* We can see people as God see them. God wants us to see the lost and the saved in the way He does. One is condemned and the other is beloved. Seeing people in this way allows us to love the church and seek the lost.

* We can see the needs of others. It would be difficult to see a mote. It would be a speck. I can almost imagine someone saying to a friend “It feels like I have something in my eye, Could you look at it for me?” The friend would then respond, “I think I have found the problem, it’s right here. Let’s get it out”. That’s how confrontation of sin should be. A brother or sister says, “You know I’ve had some discomfort in my life, do you think you could help.” The spiritually mature friend responds “I think I see exactly what it is, let’s get it out!”

*We can be trusted by others. People do not trust hypocrites. Hypocrites are liars. No one will trust the self righteous person with their problems. When we have removed self righteousness, however, people will allow us to get close enough to them to help them overcome their sin. They may even allow us to touch something as sensitive as their eye.

* We will see ourselves clearly. When we see ourselves properly we will not have to worry about being self righteous. We will view ourselves clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We will know assuredly that without Him we can do nothing.