It has been said that Americans have a new favorite Bible verse. We have dropped John 3:16 in favor of Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” This is a half truth. When interacting with unbelievers or my friends (not that I actually have many) in the main-line churches, I encounter this pervasive philosophy. They instruct me that Jesus came to institute a religion of radical love, based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Judgment need not apply.
At this point I realize that the conversation is probably going nowhere fast. Any arguments I might make concerning the necessity of a high view of scripture or the need for a masculine pastorate are met with that belittling look that says, “You hate-filled, narrow-minded fundamentalists are so judgmental.” However, this is rarely said, for it only garners a retort of, “I find your condemnation of being hate-filled and narrow-minded a little, well, shall we say…judgmental?” The conversation fizzles and we go on our way. After all, no one has time for these little, logical mind games.
I have mentioned that the introductory sentence is only half true. There is a large contingency of conservative Christians who are quick to show that Matthew 7:1 can be countered with verses like John 7:24, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” Or I Corinthians 2:15, “The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.” There you have it. If you have a reasonable assurance that you know the pertinent facts and have yourself obtained a competent level of Biblical discernment, you are free; no, you are commanded to make judgment upon your brethren, their actions, their attitudes, and their motives. I must say; I am a huge advocate of this and do it all the time. After all, a narrow mind is terrible thing to waste.
Indeed, if the bounds of your mind are the narrow lines set forth by the Bible, you have a full right to that judgment, not only for yourself but for your church and community. I don’t advise it, but if ever you find yourself climbing Longs Peak in Colorado you will come across a section of trail called “the narrows.” The trail is narrow by necessity. A misstep will send you thousands of feet to your death. The same is true of the Bible. A step off the path of righteousness will result in spiritual injury to yourself, to your family, and to your church. It might not be immediate, it might not be obvious, it might not even be mortal, but it will result in a fall. God has given us laws to govern our conduct. No one really likes keeping these regulations. They are restrictive and exacting. Nonetheless, humanity is not its own lawgiver. Our only part is to accept the rules and their author or reject them and attempt to blaze our own path.
So there we have it, the Biblical rule of the matter; umm, maybe. I believe that all I have written thus far (minus the sarcasm) is true; however, I’m still not sure that we have got to the center of the matter. It seems to me that this concept is one of the more frequent themes of Jesus’ teaching. From the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:12) to the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:1,35), Jesus stresses this certain fact: Your judgment of others can never be done without an equal dose of self judgment.
Now I have some news to break to you. Please wait while I mount my soap box and preach a bit…Ok, I’m there now, ready, here we go. “Every single soul reading this blog is a miserable wretch. God has made a law and you have broken it. You are a sleazy, sin infested, abomination in the eyes of your God. You deserve hell and damnation. You are a greedy, lazy, prideful, lustful, self-righteous, scum bucket who thinks of nothing but himself. You have failed your friends, your employer, your country, your family, your church, and your God. You live a pathetic existence, deserve no mercy and what is more, it is high time you people know this.”
I am perfectly comfortable with saying this. That is until I have to proofread my own blog. And then I get a bit antsy, for if I am caught in a rare moment of honesty, I’ll have to admit that what is written above only scratches the surface concerning myself. The truth is that we are all sinners and the pockmarks we point out are only half of it, not only in others, but also in ourselves.
Mercy and forgiveness is the greatest need which we all have. And the greatest truth is that the one man, Jesus Christ, who was not in need of mercy and forgiveness, gives it to us. He who could with all authority, point out all our failures and judge us for them, does not. He gives us His righteousness, and forgives us upon that basis. For the Christian, condemnation is only a stop on the judgment train, the true destination is forgiveness. Is this not the point Christ is trying to get across to the religious leaders when he says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe the mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: judgment and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matt. 23:23)
Why are we so quick to deny to others what we depend upon for ourselves? The Bible puts forth this principle: judgment for sin committed, forgiveness for sin repented. This, no other, is the Christian rule. Let me ask you: wives if you gave your husbands; children if you granted your parents; friends if you allotted your neighbors even a part of the forgiveness that you expect from God, would not that solve many of your problems? The rule is simple yet difficult. But the next time your eyes run across another’s transgression; the next time your tongue lashes to call your friends and enemies out, wait a minute. Think back to Matthew 7:1 and remember the grace given to you. Remember the grace needed by others; and you might just find that you do, after all, have another favorite Bible verse.
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