“Judge not, that you
not be judged. ”
When Jesus made the statement quoted above, what did He
mean? The following verses give us much
clearer understanding – they say, in essence:
“In the same way &
with the same measure you judge others, you will be judged. Before you try to
take the speck of sawdust out of someone else’s eye, take the 2x4 out of your
own.
Jesus challenges His disciples not to take a harsh,
critical, nitpicking attitude towards others, especially if they haven’t first
examined themselves to address & repent from the sin, wrong attitudes,
& behaviors in their own lives. And
if the time comes to address an issue of wrong in someone else’s life, it has
to be done in a manner that reflects Christ: with great love, compassion,
humility, & mercy.
Something else that can help us get what Jesus meant when He
said, “Don’t judge” is a better understanding of what “passing judgment” means:
Passing judgment involves making a final pronouncement of “guilty” on another
individual/group - think: a judge in a courtroom smashing his gavel down while
saying “GUILTY”. In that situation, it’s over. It’s done. All that’s left is the sentencing. That role, ultimately, belongs to God (see
Revelation 20) & “Judgment Day” isn’t here yet – now is the time for
healing, restoration & salvation (2Corinthians 6). So, if
we pass judgment on someone, we are, in essence, writing them off as
hopeless cases. That’s not how God sees them (or us).
