Matthew 7:1-5 Powerful Words About First Judging Ourselves

Talk about packing it in tightly!  Boy, my commentary sure did it with these five verses!  In the first verse, Jesus says, "Don't judge other people, or you will be judged."  My commentary says this was directed primarily at the Pharisees and scribes, who maintained a false righteousness about themselves, using ministry as a device to cover up sin in themselves.  These verses are about our judgment of ourselves.

"Before we judge others, we must judge ourselves.  The tense of the verb judged signifies a once-for-all final judgment.  If we first judge ourselves, then we are preparing for that final judgment when we face God ... Not only will God judge us at the end, but people are also judging us right now, and we receive from people exactly what we give.  The kind of judgment, and the measure of judgment, come right back to us."

"The purpose of self-judgment is to prepare us to serve others.  Christians are obligated to help each other grow in grace.  When we do not judge ourselves, we not only hurt ourselves, but we also hurt those to whom we could minister.  The Pharisees judged and criticized others to make themselves look good.  But Christians should judge themselves so that they can help others look good."

"If we do not honestly face up to our own sins and confess them, we blind ourselves to ourselves, and then we cannot see clearly enough to help others."

"Jesus used the illustration in v. 22-23 to teach us how to have a spiritual outlook on life.  WE MUST NOT PASS JUDGMENT ON OTHERS' MOTIVES. We should examine their actions and attitudes, but we cannot judge their motives -- for only God can see their hearts ... When we stand before Christ at the judgment seat, He will examine the secrets of the heart and reward us accordingly."

"We must exercise love and tenderness when we seek to help others ... we should minister to people we want to help with tender loving care.  We can do more damage than a speck of dirt in the eye if we approach others with impatience and insensitivity."

When examining ourselves, "we must avoid two extremes -- first, the deception of a shallow examination ... The second is a perpetual autopsy ... we should not look only at ourselves, or we will become discouraged and defeated.  We should look by faith to Jesus Christ, an let Him forgive and restore us.  Satan is the accuser, and he enjoys it when we accuse and condemn ourselves."

"After we have judged ourselves honestly before God, and have removed those things that blind us, then we can help others and properly judge their works.  But if we know there are sins in our lives and we try to help others, we are hypocrites.  In fact, it is possible for ministry to be a device to cover up sin.  The Pharisees were guilty of this, and Jesus denounced them for it."

Thank You for such wise words today, Father.  I particularly liked the warning about the perpetual autopsy and Satan being the accuser.  Don't let him try that on me!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford