Matthew 7:1-5
1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
3 And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First, get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
Judging, as we understand it in a courtroom, is making a decision about someone’s case. In verse 1, Jesus tells us to correct others in love rather than acting as their judge. God should be the judge in this situation.
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”
Luke 6:37
“God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?”
James 4:12
We must practice Love and refrain from judging others as Christians (James 4:12). Since Jesus Christ did not judge anyone, neither should we.
Our lives should reflect the character of Christ. When the prostitute was brought before Christ in the Bible, He commanded the person who had not sinned to cast the first stone, and they all left dissatisfied. (John 8:1-11).
This will bring us back to our main chapter (Matthew 7: 1–5), where God instructs us to put ourselves first and regularly assess whether our lives are still agreeable to God before looking for flaws in the lives of others.
The greatest commandment is love, so we should practice tolerating others and correcting them in love in order to promote harmony and unity within the body of Christ.
When Jesus came and died for our sins, we were wallowing in sin. This was an act of love; instead of condemning us, he found a means to reconcile us back to the Father.
How are you reconciling that friend, neighbor, or coworker back to Christ? Or do you hold the person in judgment and condemnation? Do you discuss the person in the rear and spread rumors about them?