Greetings on this Lord’s Day morning and welcome to the Berean Break.  My name is George Sinkie and I am so glad that you have joined us today.  You will need your Bible for this program because I encourage you to check out what I say by the word of God.  As we begin let’s go to God in prayer,

Great God in heaven.  We thank You for this day in our lives.  And for the many blessings that You give to us.  As we go into the fall of the year thank You for the harvest and for the beauty of the fall colors.  Help us to remembert hat there is a great harvest coming, in which You will gather all of Your people out of this world and you will separate the wheat from the tares.  May we each obey Your will so that we can be your wheat.  In Jesus Name we pray,  AMEN!!

     “Do not judge lest you be judged.”  Those words, recorded in Matthew 7:1, are perhaps among the most quoted of all that are found in the Bible.  Unfortunately, these words are also among the most misunderstood of all that are found in the Bible.
     A preacher one time said concerning Matthew 7:1-5, “There is one passage of scripture that is known by every reprobate and enemy of Christianity.  They may know nothing else of the Bible, but be assured they know this one:  “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1).  It is used as a weapon by the worldly, the lukewarm, troublemakers, unbelievers, and false teachers in an attempt to disarm faithful children of God.  We are told that condemning sin is judging.  Reproving, rebuking, and exhorting is judging.  Preaching and practicing the Bible doctrine of separation from the world is judging.  Refusal to bid Godspeed to false teachers is judging.  Attempts to obey Bible teaching on church discipline are branded as the most shameful judgment of all.”
     Another preacher has made the following observations concerning Matthew 7:1-5:  “This passage has erroneously been used to suggest that believers should never evaluate or criticize anyone for anything.  Our day hates absolutes, especially theological and moral absolutes, and such simplistic interpretation provides a convenient escape from confrontation.  Members of modern society, including professing Christians, tend to resist dogmatism and strong convictions about right and wrong.  Many people prefer to speak of all-inclusive love, compromise and unity.  To the modern religious person those are the only “doctrines” worth defending, and they are the doctrines to which every conflicting doctrine must be sacrificed.”
     Friends, whenever a person’s sinful behavior is mentioned, you can be sure you will hear someone say, “Watch out!  Why, you’re no better than anyone else!  Don’t you remember what Jesus said:  Do not judge lest you be judged.”
     Whenever a person exposes a false teacher and attacks his error, the following sentiment is often heard:  “What makes you think you are so righteous?  You just tend to your own affairs and leave everyone else alone.  Why, it was Jesus who said, Do not judge lest you be judged.”

     But friends, can this really be what Jesus meant?  Was Jesus really teaching we are never to judge another person?  Did Jesus really mean we are never to judge others in matters of morals?  Certainly not!  If Jesus’ was teaching in Matthew 7:1 that we are never to judge another person, then Jesus was contradicting His own teaching found elsewhere in the scriptures.
     A little later on in Matthew 7 (verses fifteen and sixteen) Jesus taught we are to beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  Concerning the false prophets, Jesus said:  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.  Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?”
     Again in verse twenty Jesus said:  “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
     We can beware of false prophets by listening to what they say and then judging them accordingly, comparing those things they say with those things we find written in the scriptures.

     Consider Jesus’ words in John 7:24:  “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
     Did you notice the last phrase in that verse?  Judge with righteous judgment!  Righteous judgment is commanded and therefore not an option!  Did Jesus contradict Himself?  No, He didn’t.

     Friends, if Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1-5 teach we are to never make any judgments concerning another person, then Paul went against Jesus’ teaching, when he admonished to be subject to civil governments.  In Romans 13:1-2, Paul wrote:  Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God;  and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
     Being subject to civil governments includes recognizing those judgments that are carried out by civil courts.

     Let’s look for a moment at Matthew 7:1-5, and see what Jesus was really saying, “Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 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.”
     When we closely look at Jesus’ words and consider them in their context, it becomes obvious Jesus is not condemning any and all types of judging.  But Jesus is cautioning against improperly judging others.  Jesus is condemning the judgment that comes from someone who is in a worse condition than the person he is judging and is making no attempt to improve himself.

     How is it possible for us to improperly judge others?  First, we improperly judge others whenever we judge without mercy and love.  Consider the inspired words of James, recorded in James 2:12-13:  “So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.”
     Friends, James’s words teach that those persons who judge others without mercy will not receive mercy when they are judged.  This is in accordance with the ancient law that Paul wrote on in Galatians 6:7:  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;  for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”
     An old indian saying sums this up appropriately “let me not judge another until I have walked in his moccasins a moon or two.” or another way I have heard it is, “until I have walked a mile in his moccasins.”

     Second, we improperly judge others whenever we judge without self-examination.  Notice Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:3-4:  “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?”
     Jesus’ illustration of two men, one with a speck in his eye and the other with a beam in his eye, may appear to be somewhat humorous to us, but is makes a very important point.  Jesus is cautioning against criticizing another person for a relatively minor fault while at the same time failing to recognize our own faults.

     Unfortunately, it is often easier for us to see the faults of others than it is to see our own faults.  For example, we may look upon another individual as being arrogant or conceited.  But when we display the same characteristics and type of behavior, we justify ourselves by calling it “self-respect.”  We may criticize another person for worrying or being overly anxious.  But when we display those same characteristics in our own lives, we simply say we are “concerned.”
     In Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia, he encouraged those brethren who were spiritual to restore a brother who was overtaken in a fault.  Notice Galatians 6:1:  “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;  each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.”
     Friends, did you notice the last phrase in that verse, “looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.”  Before we judge others, we ought to first examine our own selves.  None of us has ever, nor will we ever, reach a state of sinless perfection.

     Third, we improperly judge others whenever we judge without self-discipline.  Notice Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:5:  “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.”
     Friends, did you hear what Jesus said?  Those are pretty strong words!  Jesus called the man who fails to first correct his own faults a hypocrite!

     Thayer’s Greek Lexicon indicates the word that is translated hypocrite means an actor.  Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words indicates the word means a dissembler, or pretender.  The Christian who judges others without first correcting his own faults is simply “acting out” the role of a Christian, pretending to be something he’s not.  To use a phrase common to us today, we might say that person is like the pot calling the kettle black!
     Consider Paul’s words in Romans 2:21-23:  “you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?  You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?  You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?”
     Friends, before judging others with their faults, we ought to first recognize our own faults.  That is, we need to be working on our own lives as well.

     Do not judge lest you be judged!  Friends, the next time you hear that phrase, remember what it doesn’t mean as well as what it does mean.  Jesus expects, in fact, requires, us to make certain judgments.  However, while it is necessary for us to exercise good judgment, we ought to be careful that we never judge others improperly.  We judge others improperly by judging in a harsh or unkind manner, by judging without first examining our own selves and considering our own shortcomings, and by judging without first working our own faults.
     As Jesus said in John 7:24, I encourage you to judge me, and this lesson, with righteous judgement.  Compare it to the Scriptures and see that it is truth.