Log Eyed

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from Matthew chapter 7.

Matt 7:1-5

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

⁴ Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

⁵ Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

When you judge something it means to form an opinion or a conclusion about something. When we make judgments in the church, it always needs to be done with respect to the teachings of Christ.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Apostle Paul had the church judge fornication that was going on among them because the people of the church felt that the behavior was acceptable and okay. They were glorying in what was going on among them. Even though there was fornication going on among them later on it was later forgiven.

Whenever judgments are made in the church they have to be made with the understanding that you yourself are also a sinner. All of us have come short of the glory of God. We can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need to get forgiven by God but you have to understand God does not want division within the church.

God wants us to be joined perfectly together in one mind and one Spirit. God wants us to accept the truth of what’s right and what’s wrong. Remember that when a brother says I repent or apologizes for what they have done we are required in the church to forgive them. If you cannot do this you yourself will not be forgiven by God.

The Lord Jesus teaches us judge not lest you be judged. If you’re going to judge somebody else and you’re going to be unforgiving and bitter towards them then you are going to enter into God’s judgment because He is not going to forgive you in your heart. When we judge things in the church it needs to be done meekly and with humility. The reason why is because we are all the same. We are all equally sinners in the eyes of God.

Sometimes I think of it as dealing with a couple of children on the playground. How would you treat them? I’ve said for many many years that a pastor, a preacher, minister or priest are all encompassed with sin. Only by God’s grace could they enter into Heaven someday.

When you make judgments in the church you have to understand that you are a forgiven sinner with Christ. Without mercy and forgiveness, all it amounts to is judgment.

God wants us to be merciful with each other because He is merciful He wants us to forgive and to forget and reconcile. He wants us to forget the mistakes and the misdeeds that we’ve committed against each other.

The Lord teaches us judge not that ye be not judged. What judgment you judge you shall be judged and with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again. As we talked about in a study the other day, the Old Testament was set forth to show us that we’re all sinners who need God’s forgiveness. The New Testament is a testament of God’s mercy and forgiveness towards us all.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: The Christian life is about treating others exactly the way that you would want to be treated in the same situation.

When Jesus was upon this Earth there were numerous religious leaders who were trying to judge him and find fault with him. They tried to judge him for not observing the law or keeping the Sabbath. They were judging him for helping and healing people. Ultimately they judged Him and sent him to the cross. Jesus didn’t do anything wrong to anybody.

Many people want to stand in judgment over others not because it helps the offending party, but because they like to be in control. The truth is, that the God of all control and authority has taught everybody on this Earth to be forgiving and merciful with each other. We need to love one another. Instead of judging others, we need to judge ourselves.

Many people were just trying to find fault with the Lord Jesus Christ. They were trying to find any kind of infraction that they could to use against him. Rather than taking a look inside of their own hearts and minds, they stood in judgment over Jesus.

Imagine if the entire world took a few days to look inside of their own hearts and minds rather than pointing the finger at everybody else the difference that could result in society. The way of this world is to look down on others but the way of Christ is to lift others up. That will only happen when everybody recognizes the fact that they are a sinner.

Many people want to look down on others but the way of Christ is to lift others up. Everybody is a sinner. All of us have weaknesses. All of us have come short of the glory of God. What each of us need to do in the church is to help others to overcome problems. That’s what it means to not be a stumbling block. We want to lift other people up.

If you are truly going to treat somebody the way that you want to be treated, wouldn’t you be forgiving with others? After all, isn’t that the way that we want to be treated by God? A person can stand in judgment over others all day long but what it takes is God’s mercy and forgiveness to forgive and they help others.

Jesus teaches us that before taking a look at somebody else’s sin, we need to take a good look at our own.

Rom 14:10-13

¹⁰ But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

¹¹ For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

¹² So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

¹³ Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

A pastor or priest all have to accept the fact that they are forgiven sinners and God expects us all to be forgiving with each other. To receive forgiveness all one needs to do is to admit fault. Many people do not want to do that.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from preaching for the last 20 years is that God does not want to stand in judgment over others as much as he desires to forgive us. His desire is that all men come to repentance.

Will you forgive the way that God forgives? Will you take a look at yourself before you take a look at others?

That’s where I’m going to stop right now, but Lord willing we’ll talk some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.♥️

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