The Weekly Show - Episode 91: Study Thirteen: Not Judging Others

Join Tim and John as they study how to judge Biblically. Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/ Introduction Few verses in the Bible are quoted more often—or misunderstood more badly—than Matthew 7:1: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” This verse is frequently used as a conversation-stopper. Anytime someone questions behavior, beliefs, or choices, the response is quick and confident: “Jesus said you shouldn’t judge me.” But that use of the verse turns Jesus’ words into a shield against accountability. It treats “do not judge” as meaning never evaluate, never disagree, or never call sin what it is. Jesus did not mean that. If He did, much of the rest of Scripture would make no sense—and Jesus would be contradicting His own teaching only a few verses later. To understand what Jesus did mean, we must first understand what He didn’t mean. Only then can we apply His words correctly and faithfully. 1. What Jesus Didn’t Mean Jesus was not telling His followers to abandon discernment or moral thinking. He was not saying that truth doesn’t matter. He was not teaching moral relativism. And He was not calling His disciples to silence when faced with falsehood or sin. In fact, later in the same chapter, Jesus says: “Beware of false prophets.” — Matthew 7:15 That command requires evaluation. To “beware” means to watch closely, test carefully, and make judgment calls about teaching, character, and fruit. You cannot obey Jesus here without making judgments based on truth. Jesus also taught that the church has a responsibility to lovingly confront a believer who continues in unrepentant sin (Matthew 18:15–17). This process is not harsh or hateful—but it does involve assessment, accountability, and discernment. So clearly, Jesus is not forbidding all forms of judgment. He is not saying: “Never think critically about behavior or beliefs.” “Never call sin what the Bible calls sin.” “Never warn others about harmful teaching.” “Never correct someone who is walking toward destruction.” If Jesus meant that, then Christians would have no way to: protect the church from false teachers guide believers toward repentance distinguish truth from error or live faithfully in a morally confusing world Jesus is not removing moral clarity. He is correcting how and why we judge—not eliminating discernment altogether. 2. What Jesus Really Meant Jesus is not condemning discernment— He is confronting hypocritical, self-righteous judgment, the kind the Pharisees were famous for. To expose this, Jesus uses a deliberately exaggerated picture: A person notices a speck in someone else’s eye while ignoring a beam in their own. The image is almost humorous, but the message is deadly serious. The Pharisees were experts at identifying other people’s sins. They could spot flaws instantly— mistakes, failures, and shortcomings in everyone else. But they were blind to their own deeper problems: pride hypocrisy spiritual arrogance lack of mercy and unrepentant hearts They judged others harshly while excusing themselves. Jesus had already said that His followers must have a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. That greater righteousness does not begin by pointing outward—it begins by looking inward. True righteousness starts with self-examination. That is why Jesus calls His disciples to: take honest stock of their own hearts deal truthfully with their own sin repent humbly before God and only then help others grow The order matters. Jesus does not forbid helping others remove the speck— but He insists that the beam must be addressed first. Before correcting someone else, Jesus wants us to ask: “Am I submitting to the same standard I’m using on others?” “Have I dealt honestly with my own sin?” “Am I speaking from humility or from pride?” Only then can correction be loving rather than destructive. 3. The Danger of Being Judgmental John Newton once asked what good it does for a person to win an argument if they lose the humility and gentleness that the Lord delights in. Jesus issues a serious warning to those who judge harshly: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.” — Matthew 7:2 This does not mean that God becomes unfair or arbitrary. God is always just. But it does mean that God takes our attitudes seriously. If we are: harsh unforgiving eager to condemn quick to criticize slow to show mercy we should not be surprised when we experience the same treatment in return. The standard we use on others becomes the standard we invite upon ourselves. Jesus is not threatening His followers— He is warning them. Judgmentalism hardens the heart. It poisons relationships. It destroys witness. It replaces humility with superiority. That is not the way of the kingdom. Jesus calls His followers to a ...