Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 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? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:1-6 NKJV)
We live in a “Don’t judge me” world, with many who war cry, “I do what I want!” I hope people judge me by the book.
It is judging to look at someone’s life and examine if that one is a legitimate follower of Christ, but understand, as Jesus teaches, if I use God’s standards to judge who the dogs and swine and wolves and bad trees are, then I am judging correctly. It’s only when I judge with my standards that I’m in danger.
If I judge you by God’s Word, and approach you in a godly way because I am concerned about your soul and because you are my friend, my family member or someone about whom I care, and I make you angry – are you judging me for judging you? Judging by our personal standards is what Jesus condemns, but we all must differentiate between the false teacher and the teacher of truth by asking, “Does what the person says or does live up to God’s Word?”
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV)
