To Judge or not to Judge?

The Issue of Matthew 7 deals with judgment.   The subject of judgment is certainly a touchy one to say the least.  Jesus was giving some instruction on right judging and wrong judging.

Many people want to focus in on chapter 7 verse 1.  “Do not judge, or you will be judged.”  But I think it is important to look at verse two also.    Jesus said, "Whatever judgment you use you will be judged by the same standard, with which you judge."  What is the standard?  It is Jesus Christ and his righteousness. 

One day we all will be judged by that measuring stick.  Every word which He has spoken will come to shed light on the dark corner of our lives.  As a follower of Christ, I have been born again by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  I am glad that I will be judged in God’s only son and not myself.  

In verse number 3 he brings up a bit of an illustration.  He says before you deal with a speck of sawdust and someone else eye, you might want to deal with a 2 x 4 your own.    But then in verse 5 he says once you deal with your own 2 x 4 week and then see clearly to remove the speck from our brothers eye. Therefore, Jesus seems to me to say it is not that we refrain from making judgements, but we do so in the right spirit, the right way being right ourselves.  

 I like to think of it this way:  We must make moral judgments concerning right and wrong, without being judgmental regarding the ones involved.   There is a difference in making moral judgements and being judgmental about the behavior.

Then in verse 6,  Christ is encouraging us to exercise wisdom in these matters.  Christ wants us to distinguish between what is of great value and what is not. No one would want to give their dog what is sacred, or valuable. In the same way no one would want to cast their fine jewelry underneath the feet of pigs for them to trample under, thus devaluing what is important.

So, the idea of wisdom is clearly on the mind of Jesus. All through out the scriptures the appeal of wisdom and its importance is highlighted.   Yet, here it is more than that.   We must be wise enough to discern and identify dogs and pigs.  It is not just the necessity of making proper judgments Jesus is teaching about here, but that we should be able to acknowledge and correct our own,  even greater failures  first and foremost.

I will say this, many today believe it's inappropriate to make judgments concerning anything.    I do not think that's what Christ teaching, I believe He is telling us to make sure that we are clean and right before we point out the mistakes of others.  

That is the principle and lesson to be learned.  Also, as a side note, we can make positive or negative judgments concerning situations, people circumstances and morality.