“Don’t judge.”

“Don’t judge.”

Perhaps one of the most infamous, and most misquoted, Bible verses of the last 25 years.

It has become a slogan used to excuse sin, silence correction, and affirm what God calls evil as “good.”

I've had conversations with people from woke “Church” gatherings where I've asked questions about issues like abortion and sexual morality. And I heard the same response: “We aren't called to judge.”

But is that actually what Jesus meant when He said, “Judge not”?

Did Jesus forbid Christians from declaring sin sin? Did He command His followers to abandon moral standards? Or have we taken one sentence from Matthew 7 and ripped it completely out of its context? 

(Matthew 7:1-5) says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”

Many people read this verse as a way to escape God's judgment: “As long as I don't judge other people, God will not judge me.”

But by thinking this way, they not only take the verse completely out of context; they also turn Christianity into a works-based approach to salvation.

“All I need to do to get to heaven is not judge.”

But this is foolish. Our interpretation of Scripture, our understanding of salvation, and God’s commands to man should not be based on one isolated phrase. When studying Scripture to discover God’s truth, we should read each passage in the context of both the surrounding verses and the Bible as a whole.

So back to the question, what does Jesus actually mean when He says, “Judge not”?

Well, the following verses explain it perfectly. Verse 2 explains that everyone is being judged by the same standard:

“For with the judgment you use you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2)

Jesus is not telling us to never judge. Rather, He is confronting the hypocritical judgment of His day, particularly among the religious leaders. He points out that the same standard applies to everyone.

The Pharisees were known for their outward displays of righteousness. They prayed long prayers, followed religious practices, and looked down on those they considered beneath them. Jesus tells the story of a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple to pray.

The Pharisee thanked God that he was not like other men, while the tax collector simply cried out, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” Jesus says the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified before God. (Luke 18:9–14)

The problem wasn't that the Pharisee recognized sin. The problem was that he could see everyone else's sin while remaining blind to his own. 

Then verses 3-5 explain this idea in even more detail. 

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)

Jesus gives us a clear picture of what He means: a man with a log in his own eye trying to remove a tiny speck from his brother’s eye. 

 The point is not, “Never help your brother with the speck.” The point is, “Deal with the log first.”

Don't become so focused on other people's sins that you become blind to the problems and sins in your own life. Jesus calls us first to examine ourselves, repent of our own sin, and then help our brother with his.

And the reality is that if you are trying to help someone else while you have a massive sin problem in your own life, you will do more damage than Good

We as Christians must remain humble and pay attention to how God is using every situation in our lives to sanctify us. Even when a brother sins against you, our first response should not simply be, “How do I correct him?” but rather, “Lord, how can I glorify You in this situation? What are You teaching me through it? Is there something in my own heart that I need to deal with first?” And then, after you have humbled yourself and are in your right mind, go and address the problem. 

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19–20) 

~The Watchman