Sermon: Do Not Judge: What Does it Mean?

#1790A
Clyde Finklea
Given 09-Nov-24; 30 minutes 2024-11-09

The subject I have for today is a subject that I have not spoken on personally in 18 years. Now I am not saying that nobody else has spoken on it because they most certainly have occasionally, but it is a subject that keeps popping up in the church. I have over 49 years in the Worldwide and in the Church of the Great God. There is no difference. It raised its ugly head up in the Worldwide and then we talk about it and then it settles down a little bit, and then it creeps slowly back in and it raises its ugly head again. So this is something that has to be actually talked about continuously, on an ongoing basis, as many things do.

Anyway, please open up your Bibles to Matthew the seventh chapter because we are going to talk about judging, mostly in terms of accusing and criticizing and condemning others. So if you would turn to Matthew 7, verse 1, we will begin there where the Lord is telling us,

Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that you will not be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

Now He says, "Do not judge." He does not say you should not. He just says, do not do it. What does it mean? Well, let me read to you this verse from The Faithful Version. It is translated there as, "Do not condemn others so that you yourself will not be condemned." The way that tells me is that if we condemn others, we most likely are going to be condemned too. So we have got to be careful of this and understand, look at these words very, very carefully of what Christ is saying. Because the word condemn actually means to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment, whether on something or somebody. I guess this could apply to anybody but especially of the brotherhood of the church, the brethren.

Most Bible commentators are pretty much agreed that He is warning us about a fault-finding spirit. In other words, a negative attitude that causes us to pick out or point the finger at somebody or others for the things that we do not like in them. And pretty much the one word that sums this up is criticism. Criticism is a way of life for us. It is actually an integral part of our society. We have movie critics, music critics, art critics, literary critics, sport critics, dance critics, drama critics, and we even have wine critics. (And we have wine critics in the church. Yes, we do. I might just be one of them.) We have critics associations, critics award programs.

We seem to be obsessed with criticizing and judging the weaknesses and the mistakes of others. And we are pretty much convinced that it is the right thing to do. You know, after all, it is our way of life.

We try to remake our mates, our children, by criticizing them. Now, hopefully, we do not do that, but there are those that do. And we can see from that former administration, all the criticism and all this stuff they threw at the Trump supporters, deplorables and all that stuff, and garbage. You know, that does not make people want to go on your side. It does not make people want to do what you want them to do. If you think that if you criticize them that will make them change, that does not work.

The sad thing is, is that we bring that same mentality into the church. We accuse, we judge, and we criticize others who do not measure up to our expectations. We find fault with our leaders who are not doing the things that we want done, and we keep telling ourselves that is the right thing to do, right? After all, it is our way of life.

Now, why did Jesus tell us not to emphasize the faults of others? Is He assuming that maybe most of us just have a tendency to do it? You know, He knows our hearts and evidently He knows that we all need this reminder to some degree. As a matter of fact, I believe that it might even be one of the most common sins amongst the brethren.

You know, sometimes we are maybe not even aware that we are accusing somebody or making critical judgments on them, just because we are so used to hearing it and giving it. Like I said, it just kind of seeps back in slowly and builds back up. In fact, it can become such a common practice we might wonder, well, what else are we going to talk about? The weather? And then you sit there and you go, Well, ok, let me tell you about so and so. Oh, now the ears perk up! So we tend to want to talk about others.

But why do we do it? One reason for accusing, judging, and criticizing could be our own inferiority. You know, sometimes that surfaces in the form of pride. Attacking someone else is kind of flattering to ourselves. Right? It gives us a feeling of superiority. If we can show others where they fail to measure up, it makes us feel as if we are a little bit smarter and better, a little more righteous. Is that not kind of like what the Pharisee did with the Publican? "Oh God, I thank you so much I ain't like him or like other men. I'm so perfect."

And there is another reason. It could be just simply envy and jealousy. You know, we may be jealous because someone is getting more attention than we are. We may even envy someone's position or rank thinking that we could be better at the job. "If they would just give me the opportunity. . ." Believe it or not, I have had someone talk to me about that one time. We were talking about sermonettes and he said, "Well, they've never asked me to give sermonette. Because I know I could do a lot better job than some of the men." I said to myself, quietly in my thoughts, "That's why they haven't asked you. You're too self-righteous. Come on! Too arrogant."

So why is criticism and judging and accusing others such a foolish thing to do? Well, let me just put it bluntly: it is sinful! It is the opposite, actual opposite, of love because it rises out of impure motives. It attempts to emphasize one's own "righteousness" at the expense of someone else's reputation. "Did you see what so and so did. I certainly wouldn't do nothing like that." Hmm.

Love is actually reluctant to believe the worst and it is actually hopeful for the best.

In I Corinthians 13, we have kind of referred to it as the love chapter. You do not have to turn to it, I am just going to kind of paraphrase a little bit for you. Paul says love is patient. Actually, that word is longsuffering. There is a difference. You might want to look into it. It says love is kind. Our God is a loving, kind God. And is not jealous, love does not brag, it is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, nor is it rude. When we criticize and accuse and judge others because of our impatience with others, just accusing others and criticizing them is certainly not being kind. And it is often provoked, again, as I said earlier, by envy and jealousy. We do it sometimes to exalt ourselves above others, which is just pure arrogance.

You see, judging others in criticism and accusing is unbecoming and it is very rude, and all of this is absolutely the opposite of what love is. And we know that, but yet we will still do it. I think we are all guilty to some degree here. You see, love seeks to conceal unrighteousness, not expose it.

If you will turn over to I Peter chapter 4, I want to read a couple of verses there to show you what Peter said about this.

I Peter 4:7-8 But the end of all things is at hand [That was almost 2,000 years ago. How much nearer are we today?]; therefore [because it is really near] be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."

Another reason it is kind of stupid and foolish to do these things is because it distorts our perspective. You know, Satan, who is the originator, the master of accusing and criticizing, he accuses us before God day and night, day and night. He just never stops. The first example of this is in the Garden of Eden when Satan accuses and criticizes God of lying to Eve. This caused Eve's perspective of God to be distorted and led to sin. Then Adam was brought into this, bless his heart, and his perspective of God was distorted and led him to sin.

Another example of this is in the Old Testament. We will go through this one a little bit. And then we will see how God reacts to the accusations and the criticizing of one of his anointed leaders.

Numbers 12:1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

And according to the language experts, here the verb, the sentence is in the feminine form. So what that indicates is that Miriam was most likely the main speaker for the two. Now Miriam criticizes Moses to Aaron and then causes Aaron's perspective to be distorted, and he follows her lead. It is like Adam followed Eve's lead.

Miriam and Aaron are envious of Moses' leadership. But they used the occasion of him being married to an Ethiopian woman to criticize. You see, sometimes the criticism is simply a surface issue for much deeper issue or problem.

Numbers 12:2-4 So they said, "Has the Lord only spoken through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" [listen to what happened] And the Lord heard it. [I wonder how many times He hears us when we speak about others? And I do not think He was very happy with this either. He said] (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!"

I do not think this was like, "Would y'all please come out? I need to meet with y'all." No, I think it was a command. "Get out here now!"

Numbers 12:4-8 So the three came out [because they were scared by this time. They were probably shaking in their shoes, sandals, or whatever they had on.] Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. [It is like they lined up and He says, all right, Miriam, Aaron step forward!] And they both went forward. Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings. And he sees the form of the Lord. [notice the question he poses out] Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?"

You see, when our perspective is distorted, we tend to lose our proper fear and respect of God.

Numbers 12:9-14 So the anger of the Lord burned against them [I wonder how many times His anger has burned against us?], and He departed. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron looked toward Miriam, and she was a leper. So Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin upon us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb!" So Moses cried to the Lord, saying, "Please heal her; O God, I pray!" Then the Lord said to Moses, "If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out the camp seven days, and then afterward she may be received again."

Now notice that it was Moses' prayer that resulted in God's forgiveness. Where have we heard something like this before? Oh, that great man Job. That blameless and upright person that God said was blameless and upright and perfect. Boy, so many people have tried to make him look like he was some great sinner or something. "Oh, he had to have some kind of sin!" But you know, I think that maybe if we just looked at this a little differently, at Job, and not look at so much of what we think Job may have done, you know, according to our "righteousness," but more so go in there and study and see that a good portion of that book is what his three friends said about him.

Remember, at the end of the book, He was fixing to wipe them off the face of the earth unless they made a sacrifice, an offering, and have Job pray for them. And you go read about what they said and it sounds what? So "righteous," does it not? People just glimpse over that and go straight to attacking Job. I am going to tell you what. I do not know, but God did not like his three friends doing that. This is one dude that ain't going to do it.

Numbers 12:15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again.

Miriam's accusations and criticisms not only led her to sin, but it also caused Aaron's perspective to be distorted which led to his sin. And it also affected the entire camp. You see, the journey to the Promised Land was delayed until Miriam was restored.

Do these accusations and criticisms within the church maybe stunt our growth toward the Kingdom of God? Is that why Peter said, those who said He is a long time coming, he says, no, it is really because of His mercy that He gives us more time, because we all need to repent. And if you look at that in there where Peter says that about He wants everyone to come to repentant, I looked at this and studied that a little bit and saw some commentaries and some experts talking on this stuff, and listened to others, and they said in the language he is actually speaking to the congregation that he is talking to, He is giving you more time to repent. He is being merciful to us.

Remember all the seven churches in Revelation? For every one of them He says, you need to repent, you need to repent, you need to repent. This is one of the things that we need to be careful about. God has given us plenty of time to repent of it. And I think it is time we all take it seriously.

Now, another reason that judging, accusing, and criticizing our brethren is so wrong is because it is hypocritical. Remember the sermon that our pastor gave to us? It has not been that long ago. Everybody ought to still have it on the front of their mind there, about how we all are sometimes hypocritical, or hypocrites. Probably need to go listen to it again.

If you would, let us go back to Matthew the seventh chapter and we will pick this up again in verse 3. Continue on and see what Jesus says here. He says,

Matthew 7:3-4 "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?"

Jesus was good at stressing things by figures of speech. You know, He said (paraphrased), "If you don't hate your mama and daddy and all them in your own life, you ain't worthy of Me." Now, what He is saying is a figure of speech and He just tells us it is a matter of seriousness. Just like when He says, pluck your eye out and cut your hand off. Well, that is not going to keep you from sinning. It is a figure of speech to let us know how serious this is. And so here He is saying get that big beam out of your eye. He is stressing something really serious here. How can you say, let me remove that speck from your eye when you have got the big beam there?

Now, I imagine Jesus is probably being a little humorous here too. He does have a sense of humor; picturing a man with a large beam in his own eye attempt to remove a small speck of dust from another one's eye. That is kind of funny when you picture it in your head.

Anyway, the irony of this is that we often try to correct others when our own problems actually far surpass the errors of those we are trying to accuse and abuse and criticize. In verse 5, what does He say?

Matthew 7:5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Accusing and criticizing the brethren, as Christ is saying here, is hypocritical because it holds a double standard. You see, when we accuse and criticize others, we are often holding them to a very rigid standard but are a little more tolerant when we do the same thing. If only we were as tolerant, understanding, compassionate, and merciful with others as we are with our own selves. We need to examine ourselves a little closer first, right?

I want to turn over to Romans the second chapter and take a look at what the apostle Paul is saying here.

Romans 2:1-6 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you are condemn yourself [Is that not that what Jesus said?]; for you practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those who practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your own hardness and impenitent heart are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds."

Now, do you not think this is why Jesus said, "Do not judge" or do not condemn? And I think that maybe this is exactly the principle which is laid down in verse 12 of Matthew 7 when Jesus said,

Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

Did not Jesus say that the first and second great commandments that all the law and prophets hang on them? Loving God with all our heart and soul, strength and life; loving our neighbors as ourselves. And Jesus said, you need to love each other like I loved you. You should be willing to lay down your life for each other. All that hangs on the law and the prophets hang on those two commandments.

The Jews had an expression that was kind of similar to this, but they expressed it in a negative way. They said, "Do not do to others what you do not want done to you." But Jesus actually made it into a positive expression when He said, "Do unto others what you would want them to do to you." Because we know that we overcome evil by doing good.

So in verses 1 through 5 we are being taught by Jesus that we are to not to be critical, condemning, and judging of others. You know, standing over them as their judge. And then we have in verses 7 to 11, which we did not really go through, but He provides us there with an alternative. And I think it all sums up into [unclear] prayer because it is kind of supported by what He said in verse 11 of Matthew 7:

Matthew 7:11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?"

You see, there is nothing that puts out that fire or neutralizes that critical spirit more than prayer. Where does that spirit come from? Well, it comes from that one that we refer to as the prince of the power of the air. You see, if you are not discerning the spirits, you are going to respond to either God's Holy Spirit or your response will be to that evil spirit, the prince of the power of the air, like Adam and Eve did.

So anytime we begin to feel that urge that we "have just got to tell somebody this," go pray and ask God to remove it from you and have the right spiritual response from His Holy Spirit. See, the solution to overcoming is basically based in our continued relationship with the Father and with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instead of judging, accusing, and criticizing others, we all need to judge and critique our own selves and engage our own selves in some self-honest criticism or judgment. You know, when we are tempted to pick at the fault of someone else, just like I said, we need to pray, but we also need to pray, maybe, as David prayed.

Psalm 139:23-24 [David writes] Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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