Matthew 7:1-5

Matthew chapter 7 continues the same theme as we have seen throughout the entire Sermon on the Mount. Jesus continued to address how a true disciple should live, and follow Him. The Lord wanted those that followed Him to have a righteousness that exceeded that of the Scribes and Pharisees by allowing Him to change their hearts. Jesus constantly stressed throughout this sermon that they must have an internal righteousness and transformation, that would prove that Christ was truly enthroned within them. This was why Jesus warned the disciples of the judgement of others, and how to keep to the narrow path that would surely lead to eternal life.

In the first five verses of chapter 7, Jesus addressed the critical subject of the self-righteous judgment of others, because He knew how condemning others would cripple and stumble any believer from ever experiencing His transforming love, and the life He intended for them. This is why Jesus commanded, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or, how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck out of your eye’, and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:1-5). Now, to make this study more applicable to your personal life, I want you to think about a recent argument, or a long-standing disagreement you have had with someone, and apply these principles that I am about to explain to that conflict.

Defining what it means to be judgmental.

To understand this concept of being judgmental, we must define the word judge. One of the great problems I have found over the years within the church, is the lack of understanding of what it means to judge. Because there is a good judgment that we are commanded to make, and an evil judgment that God forbids. In this particular context, this word judge is a very general word that means to censure or to condemn someone. Jesus clearly forbids this kind of judgment. Probably the best way to define a word is to look at how it is used throughout the Scripture. So, lets consider this idea of judgment as Jesus used it in Scripture.

First, in Luke 6:37, Jesus declared the same truth as in Matthew 7:1, but He added one more defining sentence in this passage in Luke. He said, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.” In this passage, the word condemn is the defining word for what it means to judge. This is what’s called a synonymous parallelism. A synonymous parallelism is where Jesus makes a statement, and then immediately gives a similar or synonymous statement that declares the same truth, but using different terminology. He first commanded them not to judge others, and then He gave a similar command not to condemn others. When men condemn others, they are self-righteously pronouncing someone guilty, and to pass sentence on a person, as if they were God, and knew others hearts. However, God is the only one who knows the hearts of men (2 Chron. 6:30; Ps. 44:21).

The correct form of judgment.

To find the balance on this concept of judging, let me ask you a question. Does this commandment of Jesus not to judge, mean you should not make any judgements or determinations about what is right or wrong in any given situation? When someone makes a truth claim or questions a moral behavior, would you be able to judge whether what they said was true or false? If you did make a determination that what they have stated is false, would you be judging them?

To answer this question, let’s look at another verse of Scripture. In Luke 12:57, Jesus asked His disciples, “Why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?” In other words, Jesus was asking His disciples, “Why aren’t you making a judgment concerning what is right?” This question by Jesus, made it clear that they must judge between what is right and wrong. This is a judgment of determination, and not of condemnation. This kind of judgment is one that we must make on a daily basis.

Jesus also used this word judge to teach Simon the Pharisee about critical thinking. Jesus had gone to his home to eat, and Simon had condemned Jesus in his heart, because he had allowed a certain woman to anoint His feet. In Luke 7:40-43, Jesus told him a very simple parable about a creditor and two debtors. Jesus said, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So, he said, “Teacher, say it.” There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Now, Jesus would never have said, “You have rightly judged,” unless you should rightly judge what a correct or incorrect behavior would be. Jesus taught him how to think critically by deciding what was right. If you fail to rightly judge in this manner, you will end up making terrible decisions in life.

In another example, to prove this point I am making, Paul wrote to Titus and said, “When I send Artemis to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (Titus 3:12). The word decided in this verse is the same Greek word translated in Matthew 7:1, for judge. In other words, Paul was saying that he had decided, or judged, that this was where he needed to stay for the winter. This passage in Titus makes it absolutely clear that the word judge has several different meanings.

In addition, Jesus taught the religious leaders who constantly condemned Him, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Jesus was clearly teaching them that an unrighteous judgment was to judge by appearance, and to condemn someone without regard to the facts. The facts concerning the life of Jesus should have convinced the Pharisees that He was the true Messiah. Therefore, an unrighteous judgment would be to judge only by appearance or a superficial view of the facts. There are righteous judgments that you must make, and there are unrighteous judgments you should not make. Do you see the difference between the two? It is essential that you understand this concept. There are condemning judgments, and there are discerning or determining judgments. You must make discerning judgments, and condemning judgments you must not make.

Judging false prophets.

Even the supernatural gift of discerning of spirits is determining, or judging, what is of God, and what is not (1 Cor. 12:10). Notice that right after Jesus taught the disciples not to condemn others in Matthew 7:1, He turned right around in Matthew 7:15 and commanded them, “Beware of false prophets.” But, how can you decide if someone is a “false prophet,” if you don’t make a discerning judgment? It is impossible not to make a decerning judgment in this case. This is why getting a full understanding, and a balanced view of this vital truth is so very important. Each of us must be ready and able to make that determination of what is true, and what is a false teaching that we hear. Failing to make this judgement is why the church today is so weak and easy prey to false teachers. Now that we have given you the balance of what it means to judge, let’s get back to the topic of judging to condemn another. Why should you stop your harsh judgement of others?

Why should you stop being judgmental?

The prohibition against judgmentalism was truly a critical part of Christ’s message for the disciples so that they would become different from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus gave five reasons not to be judgmental and condemning right here in this text. May you take these truths to heart!

1. You should stop judging and condemning others, because Jesus commanded it! The simple answer to why you should stop judging others, is simply because Jesus said so! He commanded, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” His command is about as clear as you can say it. It’s a direct command from Jesus to all of His disciples. Stop condemning others in your heart! If you are condemning someone right now in your heart, stop it! It is sin to disobey a direct command of Christ! His command should be enough. You must either choose to obey this command, or reject it. If you choose to reject His command, it will directly affect your spiritual health and growth in your relationship with Him. If you obey His command, you will experience His love flowing through you to others. Which experience do you want?

2. You should stop judging, because God will measure back to you the same judgment. This thought should put a holy fear of God into you. Jesus said, “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matt. 7:2). The word use and measure are the same root word in Greek. So, whatever judgment you measure out to others, is the same judgment that will be measured back to you. What you give out to an individual is exactly what you will get back. How does the Lord measure back to you what you are measuring out to others? It’s a simple truth called the sowing and reaping principle that is taught throughout the Scripture. Paul taught, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). There are many passages in Scripture where you see this principle taught. Right here in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that if you don’t forgive others, then He will not forgive you (Matt. 6:15). What happens if the Lord does not forgive you? Believe me, your spiritual life is going to dry up. You will feel dead inside. You will just be going through the external motions of trying to be a Christian, but something will be missing. You do not want to reap this result!

However, sowing and reaping also has a positive side. In Luke 6:36-38, Jesus taught the same concept. He said, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Notice how Jesus taught what you should do instead of judging. You should be merciful, and giving just as your Father is toward you. If you measure out mercy and giving to others, your Father will measure back to you the same. If you graciously give to others, your God will supply all your needs (Phil. 4:18-19). My pastor, Chuck Smith, used to say, “You can never out give God, because He will never be your debtor.” How do you want the Lord to treat you? Treat others the same way!

There is also an eternal recompense of sowing and reaping. The Lord revealed this principle in Revelation 18:5-8, when He spoke about mystery Babylon the great, and the judgment that would come upon this Christ rejecting world system. John records, “For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' Therefore, her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” Notice that Babylon’s sins reached to heaven, and God remembered her iniquities. He will render to her just as she rendered to others and repay her double according to her works. In the same measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, will her torment and sorrow be measured back to her. So, there is an earthly sowing and reaping, and an eternal recompense as well. The Bible’s point is clear, do unto others as you want others, and God to do to you.

3. You should stop judging, because it is hypocritical. What is the first word Jesus used in verse 5? It was the word, “Hypocrite!” Doesn’t that word sting your soul when it is used against you? Jesus meant the word hypocrite to be direct and to sting their conscience. He wanted to arrest the attention of His disciples, so they would see the foolishness of being judgmental. Why is it foolish to judge others? Because it means that you are blind to your own sin, because you have done the very same things in the past. Therefore, when you condemn someone else for something you have done, or are doing, that is hypocritical. You somehow think that you are different, and better than, the person you are judging? Why are we just like other men? Because we are all sinners by nature. That means that we are all the same. You may not be committing that specific sin right now, but you have in the past, or you have committed that sin in your heart (Matt. 5:22; 28). It is self-righteousness that blinds us to our own sin. Remember what the self-righteous Pharisee said to God in prayer? He foolishly declared, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11). But the fact is, we are just like other men, and that is why we should never judge and condemn others. If you do so, you are a hypocrite.

Paul warned the Romans of this same self-righteous judgmentalism. He said, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” (Rom. 2:1). I would encourage you to put your name into this verse, so you will get the force and intent of Paul’s words. Therefore, you are inexcusable, O _____, whoever you are who judge, _____ you condemn yourself; for _____ you who judge practice the same things. You must realize that you fail in the exact same way as those that you condemn. So, when you see someone fail and think to yourself, I would never do anything like that. May God convict your heart immediately, because you have either done it, or thought about doing it, or you are doing it right now. So be careful. “Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). May your heart be humble, because you need His grace to enable you to stand, just as much as anyone else! 

4. You should stop judging, because judgmentalism will spiritually blind you. Jesus said, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:3-5). This illustration that Jesus used in relationship to judgmentalism is a clear hyperbole. What is hyperbole? It is an obvious exaggeration to make a point, so you won’t miss the truth that is before you. Jesus used hyperbole throughout His ministry many times (Matt. 5:30; Matt. 18:8; Luke 14:12-13). Why would Jesus use this way of teaching? Hyperbole is a perfect rhetorical device that uses exaggerated statements for emphasis and effect, in order to get your attention. Jesus definitely wanted His disciple’s attention on this matter of judgmentalism, because He wanted them to stop judging others. He then used this illustration to help them see the absurdity of trying to take a tiny speck out of another person’s eye, when they had a 4 x 4 stuck in their own eye. How absurd would this be? You obviously could not help someone else with a speck in their eye, when you couldn’t see you own problem. But please note that Jesus had a solution to this problem, which He gives in verse 5. He commanded, “First remove the plank from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Clarity to see any conflict as it really is, will always requires you to first examine yourself and your own faults. Therefore, in the next conflict that you have with anyone, first ask yourself, Where have I failed? How could I have responded differently? Where did I not listen? Was my attitude wrong in the way I spoke with them? Did I react in an unloving way? Acknowledge these faults before God, then ask His forgiveness. Then go and confess your fault to the person that you had the conflict with (James 5:16). Doing this is what is required to remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to fully resolve the issue with your brother.

Now, if there is anything that would describe and characterize the Pharisees, it was spiritual blindness. Jesus called them, “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel” (Matt. 23:24). Please notice that Jesus was again using hyperbole in this statement. Obviously, no one could ever swallow a camel. So, what did Jesus mean by this statement? The Pharisees would take small strainers, and they would strain any liquid that they drank to make sure that they would never consume the tiniest gnat, because a gnat was considered an unclean animal. They did this, because they were meticulous in their observance of the law to not eat any unclean thing. But Jesus told them that in reality they were swallowing a camel, which was also an unclean animal. In other words, Jesus was saying to them that they were nit-picking the smallest detail of the law, and judging others who didn’t live as they did. This constituted the greater violation of swallowing a camel, because of their self-righteous and unloving behavior towards others (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42). In addition to that, they had missed the most important truth that they were called to love, show mercy, and do justice to all. They were not to engage in judging others. Their self-righteous condemnation of others is what literally caused them to become spiritually blinded. If you are judging others, then you too will miss the whole point of the Christian life. So, the essential truth here is, ask God to reveal to you if you have any planks in your own eye. If you remove them through this self-examination, it will keep you from ever becoming a Pharisee. 

Remember what James taught in James 1:23-24. He warned us as believers, “If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” Never forget that it is so easy to take a magnifying glass to someone else’s sin, and forget to look in the mirror, and see your own sin. If you want to keep yourself from unrighteous judgment, I would suggest that you daily take look in the mirror. How do you look in the mirror? Open up your Bible, and begin to read it on a daily basis. The Word of God is the perfect mirror that reveals all things. You cannot read the Scripture, and not see yourself and your own sin, and come away without being convicted. If you do, you are not hearing the Word with your heart. The Word of God is a two-edged sword. It cuts, and it should cut you every single day. The more judgmental you are, the less you will see your own needs, and you will not grow as a believer. If judgmentalism is where you struggle, you must realize that you are in grave spiritual trouble. Ask the Lord for a radical change in your heart and mind in the way that you see yourself. Tell Him that you know you are blind to your own faults and failures, and ask Him to open your eyes to clearly see them. But, make sure you don’t go to the other extreme, and fall into self-condemnation. To be condemned is not the work of God, it is the work of Satan’s lies, and the twisting of His Word (Rom. 8:1; 1 Tim. 3:6). Keep your failures in the light of His grace, and be changed, not condemned. Then, keep looking into the mirror of His Word, which should keep you from taking a magnifying glass to others. 

5. You should stop judging, because if you continue, you really can’t help anyone else. When you judge and condemn others, as I have said before, you become a blind guide just as the Pharisees were. Dealing with someone else’s faults is a very delicate thing. It’s like eye surgery, as you take a speck out of someone’s eye. I don’t think you would want a blind surgeon taking a piece of metal out of your eye! I sure wouldn’t! Why would we then ever think that we could help anyone with their sins, if we could not see our own? Jesus asked the Pharisees this very question when He reproved them saying, “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39). The blind cannot lead anyone anywhere. Likewise, I have to first see myself as I truly am, and resolve the issues in my own life, before I could ever tell anyone what they should do in their lives. Only then, would I be able to see clearly to help my brother with his need. So be kind and sensitive, and move slowly when you start to deal with the speck in someone else’s eye.  

How can you make correct judgments?

Last, I would like to leave you with some practical ideas for how to correctly judge. Let me give you five very simple principles that will help you to make correct judgments. The Bible is very clear on this topic.

1. You first need to judge yourself. Jesus made this so clear in Mattthew 7:5. He commanded His disciples, “First remove the plank from your own eye.” If Jesus said to do this first, then this is where you must begin. Removing the plank from your own eye requires real self-examination. This is not easy, but it must be done. Ask yourself, where am I failing in my own life? Where am I struggling in my own discipleship and faith? Where am I living selfishly or pridefully? I believe self-examination is the fastest way to deal with any self-righteousness in your life. When you make the effort to do real self-examination, you see very quickly your own need before God. You cannot stay prideful or self-righteous for very long, if you hold yourself up to the mirror of God’s Word. This is the first step that will enable you to make correct judgments. 

I believe Jesus commanded self-examination, because it is the fastest way to feel compassion towards another individual. Compassion is one our greatest needs, especially when dealing with another person’s sins. We need to show compassion, just as the Lord has had compassion upon us. When Jesus instructed Peter on the subject of forgiveness, this is exactly how He dealt with Peter’s self-righteousness. In Matthew 18:33, Jesus told Peter a story of a man who had been forgiven much, and then refused to forgive a small debt. Jesus said, “Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” Why would you have pity or compassion on someone else? Because you see the compassion and patience that God has had toward you. So, if your heart is hard, all you need to do is pray, “Lord, show me my own sin, and how you have had compassion and forgiveness toward me.”

But, beware of self-examination because you can take it to an extreme. There are two traps you can fall into in this area of your walk with Christ. The first is that you don’t look deep enough into your own heart, and you become superficial in your self-examination. I’ve seen this trap when people come in for counseling, and they tell me some action they have taken, and I’ll say to them, “Now you know what you did was a direct disobedience to God’s Word.” But their response is to simply rationalize, excuse, and blame-shift for why they sinned, which causes me to realize they have no conviction at all for what they have done. This is the result of superficial self-examination.

The second trap of self-examination is when people get so self-critical, that they condemn themselves, and go into a deep depression when they see things that are not right within them. Why do people fall into this trap? Because they have taken the speck in their own eye, and made it into a plank, to the point they can’t see clearly at all. So, both extremes are dangerous and unproductive for good decision-making. If you don’t look honestly at yourself, you will surely deceive yourself. If you become too self-critical, you will stumble yourself. Balance is vital. 

2. Don’t judge motives. If you want to make correct judgments, never judge or think that you can discern someone’s motive. Why? Because you cannot see a person’s heart. In fact, it is impossible to know someone’s heart, because only God can see within us. Paul taught in 1 Cor. 4:5, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.” Our problem is that we arrogantly think we can see a person’s motives, but you should never assume anything. If you want to know a person’s motivations, you can simply ask the person why he or she made a particular decision. Then you can know their motives, because they have verbally stated what they are. But, remember, you are not God. He is the only one who can see someone’s heart clearly and completely. How many times, after you have judged a person’s motives, only to get further information, and realize you were totally wrong. So, don’t be so quick to judge, or be harsh in judging others. Wait for further information. 

3. Only make judgments based on the facts and eyewitness testimony. Facts and eyewitness testimony are critical principles in making good judgments. Judge only using the facts that are absolutely certain. This is one of the most important principles our judicial system seeks when they attempt to determine the truth of falsehood of an accusation. This is why our courts do not accept hearsay testimony. When someone declares, “This is what someone else told me, but I didn’t witness it myself.” That’s hearsay testimony. If the person who told you this information is not in the courtroom, and cannot be questioned as to the truth of their testimony, then it is not an established fact. What the court wants are facts, which comes from eyewitness testimony. The court wants to know, did you actually see it take place? Did you hear them make these statements yourself? This is how you establish facts.

I have had people come to me on a regular basis and ask, “What do you think about what this person did?” And I respond, “I didn’t know that they did what you assert. Did you see them do it?” They respond, “No, so and so told me that they did this thing.” A red flag goes up inside me! I tell them, “If you weren’t there, you didn’t see this thing occur, and you didn’t hear them yourself; you are actually spreading gossip right now.” Why? Because all that was told to me was hearsay. This is not a wise thing to if you want to make a correct decision. What was actually said? What was actually done? What was actually observed? These are the facts that can only be provided by an eyewitness. That is the only basis upon which you can make a righteous judgment.

Jesus explained in John 14:10-11 the basis upon which people should make a judgment about Him, and whether or not they should believe in Him. Jesus taught, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.” Jesus was telling His disciples that they need to listen to what He has said, and look at the works that He has done. These were the facts. This is how to make a righteous judgment of Him.

Jesus also taught at another time, that if anyone wanted to know the condition of another person’s heart, they should listen to what came out of their mouth. Jesus said, “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Matt. 15:18). So, listen to a person’s words, because these come from their heart. Jeremiah 17: 9-10 also gives some insight into this subject. God spoke these words, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doing.” The Lord knows the deceitfulness of men’s hearts, so He only judges based on the fruit of men doings. God tells us that the heart is difficult to discern even during personal self-examination. But He who knows the heart of man, declared that He judges according to a man’s ways or actions. The bottom line then for each of us who are trying to make righteous judgments, here is a summary of all these passages of Scripture. Each of us should listen to what a person says, and then watch what they do. These two facts are the best way to make righteous judgments.

4. Don’t judge prematurely. Judging prematurely is one of the easiest things for all of us to do. We hear from a person we love and respect about some evil done to them, and we immediately decide who is right and wrong. I remember when I started counseling married couples’ years ago, and I was dealing with my first couple that I counseled. They had all kinds of problems after they got married, and the wife came in to see me, and began to tell me all of the terrible things her husband was doing. I immediately thought to myself, This guy is a real jerk. Then the husband came in to see me and I thought, I had better listen to him a little while before I started reproving him for all the terrible things he had said and done to his wife. But, as I listened to what he told me about his wife, I began to think, What a witch she is! I’m sure glad I’m not married to her. Then I got the two of them together, and I realized my fault. I had made a terrible mistake. I had prejudged both of them, before I had heard both sides of the conflict. This is so dangerous to do. My associate pastor has always helped me through the years to hear both sides before I make any decisions. He always used to say to me, “Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt.” Oh, that is such good advice. Scripture clearly teaches to hear both sides of an argument before you make your decisions. In Proverbs 18:17, Solomon reminds us, “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.” Therefore, until you have heard both sides of the story, do not make any determination, and especially, do not condemn someone even if you do know all sides of the story. You should only make a determination of what was right, and what was wrong. Then give them biblical counsel concerning how to resolve the issue.

So, when people come and ask me, “What do you think about what this person has done to this other person?” I usually ask them, “Have you talked to both parties?” If they say no, then I tell them, “You don’t know the whole story.” Sometimes I can give them the other side of the story if the parties have given me permission. Other times I can’t, because of privacy concerns. I just tell them, “Look, you don’t know all the facts; all I can tell you is that you should be careful in making judgments here, because I do know all the facts.” Sometimes that satisfies a person, and other times it does not, because the person has already prejudged. Do not be this person! If you don’t want to hear both sides, then just pray for them both, and stay out of the situation completely. 

5. Make judgment only according to His Word. The last principle that helps you to make correct judgments, is to always make judgments that are in agreement with God’s Word. Don’t make judgments based on your ideas, your values, your morals, or your perceptions of what you think took place. Take the facts, and go to God’s Word. This principle is taught in Ezekiel 44:24. God instructed His priests that, “In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments.” Note that God is clearly talking about when there are controversies among God’s people, He commanded them how to make good judgements. Notice also that God is emphatic that the decisions that they make must be in agreement with His judgments, and His truth. If Scripture declares that some behavior is sinful, no one should ever declare that it is not sinful. If Scripture teaches that something is good, no one should ever command you to stop it. If the Scripture declares that certain beliefs or behaviors are left to your own discretion, then no one should try to force you to do what they want (Rom. 14:1-5). Whenever someone tells you that you should do anything, ask them where that is taught in the Bible. Then read it for yourself, in its context, to determine if the Bible is actually teaching what they have asserted. Always examine the context carefully. This was exactly what the Berean church did in the Book of Acts. Luke records for us that these believers, “Were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Remember, your first responsibility is always to obey God, and uphold His truth even in the face of opposition (Acts 5:29; Eph. 4:15). 

If the Pharisees had governed their decisions by the Word of God, and had remained sensitive to their own personal faults, they would have never rejected Jesus. They would have sensed God’s conviction when He preached, and they would have followed Him. It is obvious then that these principles are essential for your personal spiritual growth and discernment over the questions that will arise in your life, and in the lives of those you love.

These principles are also essential for you that you might have compassion toward others, and to be free from judgmentalism. Paul taught in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” If you want someone to show compassion on you when you stumble, shouldn’t you show compassion on others when they stumble? Be gentle and loving toward them. This is how you would want to be treated! But, so often we forget God’s compassion toward us, and we become harsh, insensitive, and anything but gentle. Yet, compassion is what motivated the heart of Jesus. Matthew declared of Him that, “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). Jesus also said of Himself in Matthew 11:29, “For I am gentle and lowly in heart.” If you are to be His disciple, let God work in your life this compassion, gentleness, and humility. Let Him change your thinking so that you may have His mind over any controversy you encounter. May these principles I have addressed above transform you into a truth driven, compassionate, and humble servant of God.