Notes + Questions: Of Logs and Specks: Judge Not!

Introduction: 

Barna & Pew Research Survey of Non-Christians: Which 3 words describe Christians?

1.Judgmental

2.Hypocritical

3.Anti-Gay

Judge not… - Motto of our culture!

What is Jesus talking about? 

KRINO - 

•Decide

•Evaluate

•Judge

•Condemn

Does Jesus really forbid evaluating and discernment? 

•John 7:24 - do not judge by appearance, but judge with right judgment

•Matthew 7:15-16 - beware of false prophets,…, recognize them by their fruit…

•Matthew 18:15 - if your brother sins against you… tell him his fault…

•1 John 4:1 - test the spirits…

•1 Corinthians 5:3-13 - sin in the church 

—> Clearly Judgment and Discernment have their place.

Jesus forbids hypocritical condemnation: 

Do not judge others by standards that you only pretend to keep.

Examples:

1.James 4:11-12

2.2 Samuel 12

KRINO - Observe - Evaluate - Judge - Condemn

Mercy + Love + Humility: 

Matthew 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged.

•we need mercy, not justice!

•we need redemption, not condemnation!

Beware Hypocrisy: 

Matthew 7:3-5 

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.

Only Jesus can condemn, and yet Jesus does not condemn us!

•John 8:11 - “neither do I condemn you…"

•John 3:17 - "God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."

Discernment: 

Matthew 7:6 

Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

•Proverbs 9:7-8

•Proverbs 23:9

•Matthew 10:14

Application: 

•Serious Self-Reflection

•Humility

•Communion