DO NOT JUDGE / MATTHEW 7:1

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Jesus condemns the habit of criticizing others while we ignore our own faults. Believers must first submit to God’s righteous examination and to the standards of His Word before attempting to evaluate and influence the conduct of others – particularly other Christians (Matthew 7:3-5). Judging in an unjust or unqualified manner also includes condemning or rejecting someone who is doing wrong without sincerely desiring to see the person turn to God and receive forgiveness (Luke 6:36-34). It is an attitude that would prefer God’s judgment on people before they respond to His mercy.

This passage is often abused and taken out of context to defend behavior that is immoral and clearly contrary to the instruction in God’s Word. However, Christ is not denying the need to exercise discernment or make value judgments with respect to sin in others. We certainly must do this in order to avoid the sin ourselves. There also are times when we must speak out against certain behaviors that defy God and corrupt society – especially when those behaviors make their way into the church. Jesus commands us to identify false ministers within the church – those whose message is not consistent with God’s Word (Matthew 7:15). He also expects us to consider how a person’s character compares with the standards of truth given in God’s Word in order to avoid associating with people who lack integrity and could influence us to disobey God (Matthew 7:6; John 7:24; 1 Corinthians 5:12; Galatians 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 4:1).
This verse must not be used as an excuse for not exercising church discipline (Matthew 18:15). God does not expect us to tolerate continual sin in our own lives or in the lives of people in the church because it will cut off the flow of the Holy spirit’s work in and through a congregation.

Jesus follows His warning about making undue judgments by saying that we should “not give dogs what is sacred” or “throw pearls to pigs” (Matthew 7:6). He is saying that there is no use trying to teach or correct a person beyond their ability to understand the truth. This explains why it is usually ineffective for God’s followers to attempt to correct sinful behaviors in the world by “attacking” those who are still enslaved to sin. This only leads to greater opposition, and they react by choosing to “trample” on the truth.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my Daily Devotion
Blessings,
Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace

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DO NOT JUDGE / MATTHEW 7:1

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Jesus condemns the habit of criticizing others while we ignore our own faults.

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Margarita Crews

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Guided By Grace

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START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION