The Danger of Judging--Pt 2

What kinds of judgment are there?

Final, Eternal Judgment

Judgment we receive b/c we are children of God (1 Cor 11:27-32)

Judgment of rewards (1 Cor 3; 2 Cor 5; Gal 6:5) Rom 14:10

Faulty judgment—rendered from “censorious” spirit

So judgment can be good, godly, essential for the believer

But there is a judgment that is poisonous to the believer and the church (judgment that stems from the kind of spirit that is quick to condemn—we’ll look at that in greater detail later; often combined with blindness to one’s own failings)

What that spirit looks like:

self-righteous

censorious (critical of others—readiness to be derogatory) (Stott) “The censorious critic is a fault-finder who is negative and destructive towards other people and enjoys actively seeking out their failings. He puts the worst possible construction on their motives, pours cold water on their schemes and is ungenerous towards their mistakes.”

Stott, J. R. W., & Stott, J. R. W. (1985). The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 176). Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

superiority (pride)

legalistic (define: gaining a right relationship with God or maintaining thru performance of laws, rituals, ceremonies, works, etc…)

Contempt toward others

hypercritical

jealousy, envy

prejudice

Where would a proper balance be?

1 Cor 13;

Rom 14:1-13;

Judging actions vs. the person

Problem with Pharisees:

Misinterpreted the Law

Boastful and demonstrative in giving of alms

Boastful of praying on street corners

Announced they were fasting to be seen by men

Materialistic in outlook with regard to things of the world

Lk 18:9-14 “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.””

1. Prohibition

lit “stop judging” that is with the critical, censorious spirit. This spirit is expressing its ultimate desire to be God (who is the supreme judge)

2. Explanation

Reasons not to judge:

A. We will be judged ourselves (vs 2)

B. We set the standard for our judgment

Luke 12:35-48;

Rom 2:1;

James 3:1;

James 2:13 NASB95

For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

The Principle

Lev 24:19

Judges 1:6-7;

Obadiah 15;

Luk 6:36-38;

3. Illustration

vv 3-5

Driving home His point: If we were truly concerned about righteousness and true judgment we would deal with it in ourselves first.

Eye is most sensitive organ (touch it with finger—reaction). draw the parallel spiritually—addressing the importance of the soul.

Jesus Christ: His Sermon on the Mount The Terms about Objects

“the whole expression [about the mote and beam] is evidently a proverb intended to bring into strong contrast by a figure, little faults and great faults” (Ryle).

How does the believer do this?

(how does one remove the log/beam)?

Luke 6:39 NASB95

And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?

What’s worse than a blind man leading a blind man? A blind man who is an eye doctor?

What word does Jesus apply to those who attempt to judge without first looking at self? (Hypocrite).

Barclays 3 reasons to withhold judgment:

We never know the whole facts or the whole person (Hillel do not judge a man until you yourself have come into his circumstances or situation).

Nearly impossible to be strictly impartial in judgment (courts and supreme court)

no man is good enough to judge any other man.

Butler has this to say:

Jesus Christ: His Sermon on the Mount (3. The Teaching in the Parable)

The four ways we note here about how one should not judge are hypocritically, officiously (they show a presumptuous intruding into areas of judgment of which one is not assigned), gleefully (Many delight to find fault especially if the fault is in a rival or enemy or someone whom they want to get even with because of some previous aggravation), or inaccurately (Prejudice makes judgment inaccurate).

4. Application

vs 6

very difficult expression—taken several different ways (including who you should and shouldn’t preach the gospel to or invite to participate in Lord’s Supper).

There must be wise, Xn discernment (judgment) if we are to follow in obedience. Jesus is not teaching we should never oppose wrong or confront wrongdoers.

What were dogs and swine in biblical times?

(unthinkable for Jews to thrown an holy piece of meat—consecrated as a sacrifice in the temple—to unclean dirty dogs)

Swine especially unclean (sacrifice of pig on the altar and forcing priests to eat it by Antiochus Epiphanes was abomination.)

Jesus is teaching that there are certain things and truths and blessings of our faith that should not be shared with those antagonistic to the things of God.

Proverbs 9:8 NASB95

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

Titus 3:10–11 NASB95

Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

With Regard to fellow believers: Romans 14:1-13;