“Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:1-5 ESV
Most Christians are familiar with this verse, and often it is interpreted to mean that Christians, also known as sinners saved by grace, are not to judge the actions of others.
To some extent, this is correct. True judgement is the Lord’s, and that sinner’s Judgement is based on the gift of salvation, through the blood of Jesus.
But is this really the meaning of these verses? This passage is referring to the sinner that seeks to judge the righteousness of another sinner. It doesn’t speak of the judgement of their actions, it speaks of judging the worth, or righteousness of the other.
We are indeed to judge actions, whether they be righteous, or unrighteous. Many Christians believe that this passage dissuades the christian from determining the righteousness of actions. They are emboldened, instead to pass judgement on the Christian who has the courage, and integrity to differentiate good from evil.
Does this behavior really satisfy the standard of not judging? Does it rather enable the doer of evil, while passing judgement on those who recognize, and oppose that evil?
Who is it that has recognized the log in their own eye? Who has chosen to ignore the log in their eye, while pronouncing judgement, and criticism of the speck in their brother’s eye?
How do these judgements compare with the standard set forth in Isaiah 5:20?
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
Isaiah 5:20
God bless you, Dave
I invite you to become active in the preservation of our great nation, through political activism. Let’s preserve, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Please join us at, COS Action, and sign the Petition for a convention of states.