Matthew 7: 1-6
Story & Lessons
"Judge not, that you be not judged" (1).
Many have misunderstood this verse.
It is not an excuse to turn a blind eye to wickedness or to avoid church discipline.
We must judge those who continually reject the gospel truth and those who are false prophets or teachers.
We must use our judgment and test the spirits, comparing what we are taught with the teaching of Scripture.
The apostle Paul reminds the Corinthian church, 'He who is spiritual judges all things' (1 Cor. 2:15).
We must support church discipline against those who are sexually immoral and we must lovingly seek their restoration.
*******
This verse is a warning against having a critical and censorious spirit.
It is very easy to find fault with other believers, especially where they are weak in those things where we imagine ourselves to be strong.
The Lord Jesus used a humorous illustration in His warning.
The hypocrite sees a speck of dirt in his brother’s eye and wants to remove it, while having a plank of wood in his own eye.
No Christian is perfect! We all have our faults, some of them sticking out in our lives like great planks.
We are not to be irritating busybodies; we are to busy ourselves in sorting out our own lives and repenting of our own sins.
Reflection...
The word of God says, Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
The Lord has placed pastors in the church to lovingly guide, rebuke and help us.
Do not try to be a ‘mini-pastor;’ it does not work!
We can only put others right if we have earned their love and respect.
In such cases, we will not be resented, but will be thanked for our care and counsel.
We must also be certain that we can take rebuke as well as give it.
— "Judge not, that you be not judged."
Story & Lessons
"Judge not, that you be not judged" (1).
Many have misunderstood this verse.
It is not an excuse to turn a blind eye to wickedness or to avoid church discipline.
We must judge those who continually reject the gospel truth and those who are false prophets or teachers.
We must use our judgment and test the spirits, comparing what we are taught with the teaching of Scripture.
The apostle Paul reminds the Corinthian church, 'He who is spiritual judges all things' (1 Cor. 2:15).
We must support church discipline against those who are sexually immoral and we must lovingly seek their restoration.
*******
This verse is a warning against having a critical and censorious spirit.
It is very easy to find fault with other believers, especially where they are weak in those things where we imagine ourselves to be strong.
The Lord Jesus used a humorous illustration in His warning.
The hypocrite sees a speck of dirt in his brother’s eye and wants to remove it, while having a plank of wood in his own eye.
No Christian is perfect! We all have our faults, some of them sticking out in our lives like great planks.
We are not to be irritating busybodies; we are to busy ourselves in sorting out our own lives and repenting of our own sins.
Reflection...
The word of God says, Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
The Lord has placed pastors in the church to lovingly guide, rebuke and help us.
Do not try to be a ‘mini-pastor;’ it does not work!
We can only put others right if we have earned their love and respect.
In such cases, we will not be resented, but will be thanked for our care and counsel.
We must also be certain that we can take rebuke as well as give it.
— "Judge not, that you be not judged."
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