DO NOT JUDGE BY MERE APPEARANCES John 7:24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but INSTEAD JUDGE CORRECTLY.” NIV One of the most quoted statements in Christianity is: “Do Not Judge.” But what if Jesus Christ was not forbidding discernment altogether? What if the real issue was not whether we judge, but HOW we judge? Because according to Scripture, believers are not called to be spiritually blind, naïve, or incapable of discernment. Rather, we are warned not to judge by mere appearances, human sentiment, social consensus, or natural perception. Instead, we are called to judge correctly (John 7:24). But how can human beings, whose perception is often flawed, discern rightly? That is where the Holy Spirit comes in, and that's what this study is all about. RECAP This study is the follow-up to the article “Do Not Judge”, which was an exposition of Matthew 7:1-5. In the prequel, we established that Jesus Christ wasn't warning His followers not to judge so as to avoid being judged, as most people would assume from the first verse (Matt 7:1). But instead He was showing that one needed to be in right-standing first before they can administer justice (Matt 7:3-5). This is a pattern all through Scripture that whoever judges, or is used as an instrument of judgment, is going to be judged by that same measure if they are found wanting ({Deut 9:4-6, Lev 18:24-28, [2 Kings 17:7-9, 12-15, 17-20], [2 Kings 21:2, 6, *9-16*, 23:26, 24:1-4, Jer 15:4]}, ***Rom 2:1-3***). So Jesus Christ was giving this warning in Matthew 7:1-5 to help people get right, so that after they serve as judges or instruments of God's judgment, they would not be liable to judgment (1 Cor 9:27, 11:31-32, 1 Peter 4:17-18). By the way, serving as judges is part of our priestly ordination ([**1 Peter 2:5, 9, Rev 5:9-10**], [Lev 10:10-11, Malachi 2:7, 2 Chron 15:3, Deut 17:8-13, **Ezek 44:23-24**]). From that study we learnt that when a person is made righteous through Jesus Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:21, John 7:37-39); then they are in a position to make judgment on all things without fear of being judged (1 Cor 2:15, {1 John 4:16-18 — Love is the fulfillment of righteousness [Matt 22:37-40, Rom 13:8-10], hence the one who truly loves can judge from that righteous position without fear of being judged}). That said, one must judge in righteousness and love. So what the previous study and Scripture firmly established was not that we should refrain from judging, but rather that we should judge everything and discern between good and evil (1 Cor 2:15, 1 Thess 5:21-22, Heb 5:14). And even as we're going to be God's effective tools in judging others, both in the natural and spiritual realm (*1 Cor 14:24-25*, Eph 6:12, *3:10-11*), we must submit ourselves to judgment, both internal (i.e. personal evaluation, and that of the Church), and God's evaluation (*1 Cor 14:19*, [Matt 18:17-20, Gal 2:2], **2 Cor 13:5**, ***Ps 139:23-24***, 1 Peter 4:17-18). We're going to pick it up from there in this study. Here we'll get to understand HOW we're expected to carry out judgment, and what this responsibility is all about. (It would be really helpful if you study especially the highlighted Passages in asterisk **. They give depth and meaning to this post) ALL JUDGMENT BELONGS TO GOD It is important to begin by recognizing that we are not free agents judging however we please. All judgment belongs to God; we are merely the agents and instruments through which He manifests it on Earth (Deut 1:17, Matt 6:10, 7:21). For instance, God can use you, via the Spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10), to pass judgment on people, thus revealing hidden things and convicting them to REPENT (1 Cor 14:24-25); but this kind of judgment does not originate from you, because prophecy stems from the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). And on the spiritual side, God can use you to judge spiritual entities, just as He used Moses to judge the gods of Egypt (Ex 12:12); but again this is something that He must lead you to do otherwise, the consequences can be disastrous. People who judge solely based on instinct or logic often bite off more than they can chew, especially when they pass judgments on spiritual entities, when God did not send them (Acts 19:13-16, **2 Peter 2:10-12**, Jude 1:8-10). So it is not in your place to come up with any judgment concerning a person, place, or even spiritual entities. We are not free agents judging however we please. Our responsibility is to discern the verdict of God by the Holy Spirit and follow that. THE WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE VS GOD'S PERSPECTIVE In so many ways, a lot of things in the world are upside down relative to the perspective of God as revealed by Scripture. It is for this reason that we are taught not to solely rely on our senses but put our trust in God (Prov 3:5-7). The definitions of things such as marriage, morality, etc. by cultures and societies all over the world have been fluid and subject to change from generation to generation; but God does NOT change like that (Num 23:19, 1 Sam 15:29, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17), nor does His Word, which endures forever (Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:23-25). Hence if we go by the flow of humanity, we are at some point going to be at odds with God (1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4). It is for this reason that God encourages us to be mindful of the pitfalls of wrongful perception, and He redirects our focus back to Him. 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. NIV Isaiah 8:12-13 “Do NOT call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do NOT fear what they fear, and do NOT dread it. @13 The Lord Almighty is the ONE you are to REGARD AS HOLY, HE IS THE ONE YOU ARE TO FEAR, He is the One you are to dread. NIV THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND JUDGMENT Naturally, I would have used this opportunity to deeply discuss “the fear of the Lord,” but that would be a rather lengthy detour. However, there is something very important worth highlighting. Isaiah 8:13 above clearly shows that we are to “fear the Lord”. What I find remarkable is that of all the dimensions of the Holy Spirit that were bestowed on Jesus Christ, His “delight” was in the “fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:3). And then immediately the Passage goes on to speak of how He would execute judgment (Isaiah 11:4-5). We'll discuss this further in the next section. Anyway, I believe this shows a strong connection between judgment and the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord isn't just the access point to wisdom, but it is the means by which one shuns evil (Ps 111:10, Job 28:27-28, Prov 16:6, 14:16). The primary responsibility of one who judges is to discern between good and evil, and then to uphold the good, and resist that which is evil. The fear of the Lord caters to both of these requirements (*Ps 34:11-22*, Prov 10:27, 14:26-27, 22:4, *Isaiah 33:6*). And if you're wondering whether “the fear of the Lord” is just an Old Testament concept, then take a moment to study the following, and also note that the fear of the Lord is very compatible with the love of God (Psalms 33:18, 103:10-13, 2 Cor 5:11, 14): Luke 12:4-5, Heb 10:26-31, 11:7, 1 Cor 10:20-22, *Acts 9:31*, 1 Peter 1:17, 2:17, Jude 1:22-23, Rev 14:6-7… The fear of the Lord isn't a bad thing. It helps maintain a consciousness of God in everything one does, knowing fully well that NOTHING escapes His attention (Prov 24:11-12, Heb 4:12-13). This consciousness is absolutely necessary for anyone who serves as a judge, because it is a reminder that they are serving on behalf of God, and His will supersedes theirs (**2 Chron 19:6-7**). This is the consciousness that Jesus Christ embraced while on earth. He came to fulfill the will of the One Who sent Him, hence He resolved to do only that which pleased the Father (John 5:30). We are in that same position here on earth. We are in service to Jesus Christ, Who sent us (John 20:21). Our goal is not to please people, or ourselves, but rather to please Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:9, 15, 2 Tim 2:3-4, *Gal 1:10*). Hence our judgments must not originate from self, but rather the Holy Spirit, Who is the only effective means for us to please the Father and Son (John 16:13-14, *Rom 8:7-9*, [Matt 3:17, Gal 4:6, John 15:5]). JESUS CHRIST JUDGED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT Jesus Christ was destined to be Judge, and to usher in righteousness and justice (Isaiah 42:1-4, John 5:22). Nevertheless, since He was going to enter our framework to be made fully Man (Phil 2:7-8, Heb 2:14, *17*), He could not rely on human senses to discharge His judicial responsibilities. It was for this reason that He was FULLY endowed with the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16-17, John 3:34); and everything He did was channeled to Him by the Father through the Holy Spirit ([John 8:28-29, 7:16-17], *6:63*). The free book “Early Steps in Christianity”, and some other posts (links at the end), adequately address the fact that Jesus Christ, while on earth, was simultaneously fully Man and fully God. I'll address this briefly here, but I'd have to refer you to those resources for further study. Jesus Christ voluntarily laid aside the privileges and glory of His Divine status to enter the world fully as Man (Phil 2:7-8, John 17:4-5). And He had to be fully Man, otherwise it would have been impossible for Him to be tempted. This would have prevented Him from gaining the necessary experience to adequately mediate for us when we're tempted (James 1:13, **Heb 4:15, 2:18**). So He was fully Man, but at the same time, He was baptized with the Holy Spirit, Who remained fully Divine (2 Cor 3:17, John 4:24, Phil 3:3 NKJV — these proving that the Holy Spirit is One with God; and also showing that it is by the Spirit that we can serve God Acts 17:24-25, Rom 8:7-8; hence, in the same way Jesus Christ rendered His service to God by the Holy Spirit and not the flesh – **Heb 9:14, 10:29**). I'll have to leave it at this and refer you to those other materials so that we don't get off track. The point here is that Jesus Christ did not depend on His Human faculties to execute His assignments on earth, He depended on the Holy Spirit (John 8:15-16, 1 John 3:24 — to show that the Father was with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit). And as Christians, which literally means “followers of Christ”, we are to follow His example (Matt 16:24, John 13:15, 1 Cor 11:1). The example He set for judging was that one needed to be first filled with the Holy Spirit. And then when judging, one must not just depend on one's physical senses. I believe the Passage below illustrates this. Isaiah 11:1-5 @1 A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. @2 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL REST ON HIM— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge AND FEAR OF THE LORD— @3 and HE WILL DELIGHT IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD. He will NOT judge by what He SEES with his eyes, or decide by what He HEARS with his ears; @4 BUT WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS HE WILL JUDGE the needy, WITH JUSTICE HE WILL GIVE DECISIONS for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His Mouth; with the breath of His Lips He will slay the wicked. @5 Righteousness will be His belt and Faithfulness the sash around His Waist. NIV The prophecy above shows that first of all Jesus Christ would be fully endowed by the Holy Spirit. And then secondly, He would not depend on human senses to pass judgment. It ought to be the same with us. We need the Holy Spirit so that we can connect to the Divine, and gain the perspective of God (2 Peter 1:3-4, John 3:5-6, 1 Cor 2:11-12). And then in submission to the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14, Gal 5:24-25), we are then able to judge all things (1 Cor 2:15). Just to be clear, “judge all things,” does not mean believers become infallible or omniscient and at liberty to do as they please without consequence (Gal 5:1, 13, 16-18). But rather that spiritual discernment becomes possible through the Holy Spirit. And then it is by this discernment that we evaluate or judge everything. The issue is not whether Christians judge. The issue is whether we judge by the Spirit of God, or merely by human perception. In other words, you're not at liberty to judge as you please, instead all judgment must be carried out by the revelation that the Holy Spirit gives. WE MUST JUDGE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT This is the anchor point of this study. We are not at liberty to judge however we choose or feel. Rather, we are called to administer the judgments of God (Ps 149:6-9 NKJV). And this is only possible by the wisdom and insights that the Holy Spirit gives (1 Cor 2:10-12, [2 Chron 19:6-7, Deut 1:17]). When Moses was burdened with the task of judging all Israel alone (Ex 18:13-18, Num 11:10-14), God addressed the issue by depositing the Holy Spirit on the 72 elders so that they could assist Moses in the administrative task of Israel (Num 11:16-17, 24-29). This illustrates the fact that God did not leave the administration of His justice system to human sentiments, but rather He sent His Spirit to guide the judges on what was right (Ps 143:10, Isaiah 11:2, Prov 8:12-17). They were not alone when passing verdicts, because God was with them; and they were to turn people from sin and teach them the laws of God (2 Chron 19:6-10). This illustration is even stronger when we consider the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. He sought to please God alone (John 8:29, 15:10), and God was with Him all the way (*John 8:16*). In like manner, our goal is to please God. And in our service to Him, proclaiming the decrees of His Kingdom (i.e. The Gospel), He stands with us all the way (*Matt 10:19-20*, 2 Tim 4:16-18, [Acts 6:8-10, 7:55-60], Heb 13:5-6). WHY DISCERNMENT REQUIRES THE HOLY SPIRIT Our struggle on earth is not merely against natural things that our senses can perceive; we are in contention with spiritual forces (please read Eph 6:11-13, Rev 12:17, 2 Cor 10:3-5, 2 Tim 4:7). For this reason, our discernment cannot be limited to the natural, we must be able to judge or distinguish between good and evil spiritual forces, and their influences (1 Cor 12:4, 10 NKJV, 1 John 4:1-3, 1 Thess 5:19-22). Our natural perception of good and evil can be quite misleading if we try to juxtapose it with spiritual realities. Because even the devil masquerades himself as being “good”, and his agents do the same (2 Cor 11:13-15). They may say and do the “right” things on the outside, but deep down the spirit driving them is evil (Acts 16:16-18, [Matt 23:2-7, 25-*28*, John 8:39-47]). So then what happens when something appears righteous externally, while the spirit behind it is corrupt? Your guess is as good as mine. If you're led by sight, and you judge by mere appearances, then you'll be susceptible to deception (2 Cor 5:7, Matt 24:23-25, 1 Tim 4:1-2, 6-9). That's why you must pass judgment from the Divine perspective driven by the Holy Spirit. This doesn't just apply to discerning and judging things pertaining to the spiritual unseen realm, it applies to everything. HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE VERY DECEPTIVE Jeremiah 17:9-10 @9 “THE HEART IS DECEITFUL above all things, And desperately wicked; WHO CAN KNOW IT? @10 I, THE LORD, SEARCH THE HEART, I TEST THE MIND, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. NKJV Human beings are very complex. Even the prophets of God had a difficult time reading people going by appearances (*1 Sam 16:6-7*, 2 Kings 4:27); they always needed God to step in and paint the full picture (*Jer 12:6*, 9:4-6, Ezek 33:30-32, Prov 26:22-28, Ps 28:3, 12:2). If you depend solely on appearances, you'll quickly find how challenging it is to discern and judge people (Prov 18:17, [2 Sam 16:1-4, 19:17, 24-30]). This was why Solomon prayed for wisdom; it was primarily so that he could administer justice (1 Kings 3:5-12, 28). THE CHURCH’S DISCERNMENT PROBLEM One significant issue in the Church is a practical lack of discernment and the adoption of political correctness as a guiding principle (2 Tim 4:3-5). The Church was never established for political correctness, it was established to stand for Truth. The issue is that a lot of Christians don't understand that the handling of Truth requires discernment, or else one is prone to abuse the Truth (Matt 4:3-7). For instance, Christians understand all too well the need to show love and grace, and be hopeful that sinners will repent as a result (Rom 2:1-4, *1 Tim 1:12-16*). But one danger in the modern Church is an approach to Grace that avoids confronting sin for fear of appearing unloving or intolerant (Isaiah 26:9-10, Jude 1:4). This political correctness ignores the fact that God is going to judge sin, and He is warning people so that they won't have to face His wrath and judgment provided they repent (please read **Eph 5:5-7**, **Prov 28:13**, John 3:16-18, *36*, Rom 5:8-10). And on the other extreme, you have Christians who are overly judgmental, and condemnatory, without any show of empathy, mercy, and Grace (James 2:12-13, Matt 9:11-13, 12:7, John 8:3-9). The truth, however, is that there is a time for everything and a balance to everything (Eccl 3:1-8). And we need to discern by the Holy Spirit what is appropriate in any given situation. We cannot just assume that we are to be welcoming and accepting of everything, because that is “nice” or politically correct (1 Cor 5:1-3). And we cannot also assume a stance of being closed off and judgmental out of fear, or to protect the familiar and convenient status quo ([2 Cor 2:5-8, 7:9-10], Acts 9:26-27). So on one hand we may end up fostering that which we're called to reject. And on the other hand, we may reject what was intended for good, or reject those whom Jesus Christ is in the process of reforming (Acts 9:10-16, [{13:5, 13, 15:36-39}, {2 Tim 4:11, Col 4:10}]). So in everything we need the discernment of the Holy Spirit to rightly judge, because ultimately God knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19). Jesus Christ was loving, welcoming, and gracious to sinners (Matt 9:10-13, 11:19, Luke 4:22, 7:37-*48*, 19:5-10). But He also confronted hypocrisy (Matt 23:13, 27-28, 33); and He encouraged sinners to abandon sin (John 5:14, 8:11 NKJV). He was balanced in everything, so must we. Truth without love becomes cruelty. And Love without discernment becomes compromise. GOOD AND EVIL ARE NOT ALWAYS BLACK AND WHITE This is a mature subject matter that I won't be able to fully address here. But hopefully, this would be sufficient enough groundwork to facilitate a necessary paradigm shift. This is to illustrate and buttress the fact that human perception isn't always reliable (Prov 3:5, 16:1-5, 12:15). On average, if multiple people judge or examine a situation based on observable facts, they may arrive at the same consensus. But majority consensus doesn't automatically mean that such judgment would hold true in every situation. Understand that the human legal system is heavily dependent on “precedence”. Meaning the judgments from previous cases serve as the blueprint for how similar cases in the future would be judged. So what I'm saying is that this guiding principle that shapes a lot of justice systems would not hold in the Biblical context. For instance, if you ask people if “sorrow” or “fear” is good or bad, the consensus view may likely see it as being bad. And if you ask whether “love” is good or bad, the majority may lean towards it being good. This consensus is then applied to future decisions. And this is how human sentiments shape judgment. For example, if “sorrow” and “fear” are viewed as being bad, hence one's natural judgment would be to absolutely avoid these things, or whatever may cause or produce them. So to avoid facing the source of sorrow or grief one may try to cheer themselves with entertainment, or substances, or various forms of escapism. And to avoid fear, they may convince themselves to be fearless and unyielding. However, from a Biblical perspective, there are dimensions of these same things, i.e. “sorrow” and “fear”, that are judged as being beneficial. For example, Godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Cor 7:9-11); and there is a wisdom that is most effectively obtained in the soberness of grief (**Eccl 7:2-5**, Lam 3:26-33 – **v31-33**). With regards to “fear,” we've already discussed the benefits of the fear of the Lord. But it is also worth noting that for our survival, God put in us the natural fear-triggered fight-or-flight response which surges us with adrenaline to help us in dangerous situations. So if you judge solely by appearances or feelings, your natural judgment would be to avoid “sorrow” and “fear” at all costs. But if you have spiritual discernment, you'll be open to the reformative effects of grief and sorrow that God permits, and the life preserving effects of the good kind of fear (**Heb 11:7, Prov 19:23**). Could it be that some things we instinctively avoid are sometimes the very things that God intends to use for our transformation? That's something worth pondering. And this saying comes to mind, “what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger.” Either-way, balance and discernment is key. It will not be prudent to assume or accept every situation with a predefined disposition. Like assuming from our perspective that everything that looks and feels good must be from God, while the others must be from the devil. Most things are two-sided, and we must be careful to discern each side and the Spirit/spirit driving it (please read – Matt 16:15-17, 23). For instance, without a healthy dose of fear, i.e. speaking of someone who is entirely fearless, that person will proudly walk themselves into avoidable troubles (Prov 22:3-5, 14:15-16). But at the same time being timid and overwhelmed by fear isn't good either (Heb 10:38-39, Rev 21:7-8). However, in walking by the discernment of the Holy Spirit you can obtain balance (*2 Tim 1:7 NKJV*, *Acts 4:29-31*, Matt 14:27). Furthermore, the overarching sentiment is that “love” is good. The seemingly unquestionable wisdom that some people offer is “do what you love,” or “follow your heart.” This elevates passion as the guide and driver of one's life. “Love”, or I should say passion, is generally a powerful force capable of propelling people to accomplish incredible feats. Nevertheless, your heart and mind, which fuel your passions, cannot be trusted (Jer 17:9, Prov 28:25-26 NKJV, 21:2, Gal 6:3). Hence the fact that love or passion is involved doesn't automatically justify anything. The Holy Spirit is to be our guide, and not our feelings, regardless of how “good” that feeling is. Being led by “love” or passion can easily lead one astray, if the Holy Spirit is not there to regulate the person. That's why self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (**Gal 5:22-23, 1 Thess 4:3-8**). Without regulation by the Holy Spirit, the power of “love” and passion will destroy an individual or cause needless suffering. For instance, Ammon harbored a forbidden love for his half-sister Tamar. He became ‘love-sick’ and his best friend essentially advised him to “follow his heart” or passion. In other words, that he should fuel his passion and satisfy his urges by whatever means. This led to the tragedy of him raping his sister; and then immediately afterwards his love and passion turned to extreme hatred (2 Sam 13:1-20). And then subsequently Absalom killed him in revenge (2 Sam 13:22, 28-32). How his love turned to hatred shows how deceptive or unstable one's heart can be. Furthermore, Solomon loved his wives so much that he turned away from God to worship idols (1 Kings 11:1-6). This is another example of love leading someone astray. So what happens when passion contradicts wisdom, truth, or obedience to God? What path must we choose?... Hence, the one who embraces the sentiment or judgment that love or passion is always good, may find themselves justifying all sorts of things in the name of love, or making foolish decisions because of it. But judging by the Holy Spirit can save you from this powerful pitfall. Love is not something to be trifled with (Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, 8:4). It is powerful, and something that has the potential of being incredibly good or extremely hurtful (Song of Songs 8:6-7). It is therefore important that we properly channel our passions and affections (1 John 2:15-17, Matt 10:37, 6:24, 1 Tim 6:10, 17-19). So in short, our way of thinking is not like that of God (Isaiah 55:8-9). Hence, if we depend on our paradigm, chances are we will be at odds with God (Luke 16:15, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4, 7-8). So we cannot simply judge based on societal perception or human sentiments. We must submit our judgment to the Holy Spirit. IN SUMMARY: • Judgment itself is not forbidden in Scripture; • Unrighteous and fleshly judgment is what is condemned; • Human perception is often unreliable; • Spiritual discernment requires the Holy Spirit; • Christians are called to judge rightly, not superficially; • Truth and love must work together; • And ultimately, all judgment belongs to God. So in short, the Christian is not called to abandon judgment, but to abandon fleshly judgment and become yielded to the discernment of the Holy Spirit. FINAL EXHORTATION The Church has been entrusted with a priestly mandate (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9, Rev 5:10 NKJV), and this includes the responsibility of discerning between good and evil, and passing the appropriate judgments (Ezek 44:23-24). This responsibility is what has the potential to reshape the world for good (Matt 5:14-16). However, if we fail to rise up to this responsibility, things in the world would deteriorate; and the blame for our sufferings and the sufferings of the world would rest on us (Matt 5:13, Prov 25:26, Rom 8:19, *Jer 29:7*). Furthermore, the authority and power that we wield are not for us to do whatever we please. Even in doing the “right thing” we would find no justification if we do not execute the will of God (Matt 7:21-23). Our service is for His pleasure, and not a show to make us feel pious or good about ourselves (1 Cor 13:1-3, Col 2:23), or make people perceive us in a certain light (Matt 6:1-6, 23:5-7, 2 Cor 12:6, *Rom 12:3*). But if we walk in Love and in the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-25), then we can effectively judge all things (1 Cor 2:15). And the decrees and pronouncements that leave our mouth would not fall to the ground, but be accomplished (1 Sam 3:19, Isaiah 44:26, Job 22:27-28 NKJV), because we have spoken the very verdicts of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 4:11). The angels are not directly obligated to us (Josh 5:13-15), they heed the commands of God (Ps 103:20-21). It just so happens that God has sent them to minister to us (Heb 1:7, 14); nevertheless, they ultimately operate under God's authority rather than independent human command. And God is not obligated to perform whatever we decree, nor accomplish whatever we imagine (Ezekiel 13:2-3, *6*, 22:28, [Jer 23:20-22, 25-28, 31-32, 36], Jer 29:8-9). He is only obligated to fulfill His words (Jer 1:12, Isaiah 40:8, Matt 5:18, *Mark 16:20*). So it needs to be said, and intimately understood that: *** Our authority is derivative, not autonomous. *** (John 14:12-14, 16-19 — everything we are is because of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit). So the sooner you discern what God is saying, and receive the revelation of His will through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:11-12, Col 1:9), then the sooner you'll be able to experience the joys of praying with authority and making declarations that come to pass (1 John 5:14-15). The things we pray and declare are executed on our behalf, because we are an extension of God's heavenly will, and His judgments manifested on earth (Matt 6:9-10, [please read – Matt 18:18 AMPC, 16:19 AMPC]). Again, I repeat that we are not to be autonomously operating on earth. Rather, as ambassadors of Christ, we're to sync with the Kingdom of Heaven and proclaim Its judgments. Note that the words “prayer” and “petition” are both legal terms that are still being used in our human courts. It just so happens that we have access to the Heavenly courts, where: God sits as Judge; Jesus Christ as our Mediator and Intercessor (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 7:24-25); and the Holy Spirit serves as our other Advocate (John 14:16-17, Rom 8:26-27); while satan is the opposing counsel bringing accusations against us (Rev 12:9-10). So prayer is not merely religious speech. It is participation in the government and judgments of God. When God pronounces judgments in the Heavenly Court, we are His ambassadors and agents here on earth to then pronounce and enforce His will (Matt 6:9-10, 2 Cor 5:20, *Ps 149:4-9 NKJV*). These pronouncements we make on earth are God's verdicts, hence they give the angels an occasion to act on the declarations we make (Ps 149:5-9, 103:20-21). That's part of the way we carry out our role as priests and judges, who are agents, or instruments of God's judgment. This is how the Kingdom of Heaven gets manifested on earth, i.e. when God’s will is done (**Luke 17:20-21, 11:20**). But don't forget these two vital lessons from the series: • As we learnt in the first part, “Do Not Judge,” any agent or instrument of judgment must be found righteous otherwise they would be judged. So ensure that you are right with God just as Jesus Christ (1 John 3:3); • And as we've covered in this study, you're not to judge by mere appearances (John 7:24), but rather you are to judge all things as guided by the Holy Spirit. Once again I pray that you rise into everything that God ordained you to be (Eph 2:10); and I pray that you're not carried away by the things happening on earth, being limited by the discouraging picture the natural world presents (Luke 8:14, 21:25-26); but instead you receive Divine insight and encouragement to forge ahead and maintain a spiritual and Heavenly paradigm (Luke 21:27-28, 2 Cor 4:17-18, Col 3:1-4). Where people see dryness, may God reveal lush fruitfulness (Gen 26:1-6, 12-13, 21:15-19): where people perceive darkness, may God cause His light to shine through you (John 12:35-36, *2 Cor 4:3-6*); and where people see hopelessness, may God revitalize you with hope and vigor that will not fail (*Rom 15:13*, Heb 6:18-20). Be blessed as you resolve to yield to the good plans of God for your life. Shalom! Link for the Current Post: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/DO_NOT_JUDGE_BY_MERE_APPEARANCES/ Previous post, “Do Not Judge”: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/DO_NOT_JUDGE/ For Free PDF Books 📚: "Early Steps in Christianity" 📖: https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity "The Biblical Festivals of God" 📖: https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod For Paperback or Hardcover copies 📒📕: "Early Steps in Christianity": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N "The Biblical Festivals of God": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J Follow-up Post to the book, "The Biblical Festivals of God": https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Biblical_Ciphers_Part_One/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Biblical_Ciphers_Part_Two/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/ Other recommended articles: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ROLE_OF_WOMEN/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/ #BibleStudy #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod #DoNotJudge #DoNotJudgeByMereAppearances #JudgeCorrectly #BiblicalDiscernment #RighteousJudgment #Discernment #HolySpirit #JesusChrist #FollowChrist #TruthInLove #FearOfTheLord #ChristianLiving #SoundDoctrine #KingdomPerspective

DO NOT JUDGE - AN EXPOSITION ON MATTHEW 7v1 (See comments for .docx file with each citation hyperlinked to open the Bible App for a fluid study experience) ‘Do NOT judge’ may be one of the most quoted — and most misunderstood — statements in modern Christianity. Many Christians quote Matthew 7:1 to avoid judgment altogether. But is that really what Jesus was teaching? What if Jesus never meant ‘Do NOT judge’ the way most people use it today? The issue was never judgment itself—the issue was judging while spiritually blind. Refusing to judge EVIL does not produce love—it produces blindness. I encourage you to read this post fully before reacting. I believe that the deeper you delve into the Scriptures discussed in this post, the clearer the intent of Jesus’ words becomes. Matthew 7:1-2 @1 “DO NOT JUDGE, or YOU TOO WILL BE JUDGED. @2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. NIV I think the first reason why people adopt the absolute idea of “Do NOT judge” to apply to everything is because of the second part of the verse about being judged if you judge. Like everyone else, no one wants to be judged. So their interpretation is that in order NOT to be judged, they must refrain from passing judgment. However, we need to honestly determine if this was Jesus’ intent behind the command. Because the fact is that regardless of whether we refrain from judging or not, our every action or inaction is going to be judged by people (2 Cor 8:20-21, Rom 12:17, 1 Tim 3:6-7), and likewise Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:10). So I'll say it again, you will inevitably be judged, hence the fear of being judged is needless (1 Cor 4:3, **1 John 4:16-18**). Meaning that the fear of being judged is NOT a justification to refrain from judging. Your focus however should be that in judgment, you use a righteous-Biblical standard, and live by that standard, so that there is no fear when it is used on you, either by God or people (Matt 7:2, **12**). So Biblically speaking, the statement in itself ‘Do NOT judge’ does NOT absolve or free anyone from judgment, whether from the judgment of people or from God. That being the case, we must then try to figure out the actual meaning and intent of what Jesus Christ said in the quoted Passage above. Thankfully from the next couple of verses, in connection with the rest of Scripture, we can discern what Jesus Christ was actually teaching. Read the following Passage carefully, and I’ll explain what I mean: Matthew 7:3-5 @3 “Why do you look at the SPECK of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to THE PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE? @4 HOW can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the SPECK out of your eye,’ WHEN all the time there is a PLANK in your own eye? @5 You hypocrite, FIRST take the PLANK out of your OWN EYE, and then you will SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK from your brother’s eye. NIV Now from the above Passage, we see that v1&2, which were previously quoted, make perfect sense, and we can discern the kind of people that Jesus Christ was telling NOT to take it upon themselves to judge others. I mean someone who is NOT in right-standing is NOT in a position to judge another person who is apparently guilty. But Jesus Christ did NOT end the conversation there; instead, He invited people to FIRST get in right-standing (i.e. be righteous) by getting rid of their own guilt, and then they’ll be in a position to HELP their brother who has a “speck” of guilt (v5). So Jesus Christ was NOT just saying ‘Do NOT judge’ to absolve people of the responsibility of passing judgment on things, but instead He was showing that for someone to SAFELY be an instrument or agent of judgment, they must FIRST be righteous, otherwise they themselves will fall into judgment. Shortly, I'll illustrate what I mean by “SAFELY”. Clearly, from the Illustration above, which Jesus Christ used to explain His initial statement in v1&2, both men are shown to have a foreign object obstructing their sight or blinding them, and this is demonstrative of sin (John 9:39-41). The first man obviously judges the other, and his verdict is accurate, that the other man has a problem, a “speck” in their eye. Jesus Christ did not dispute the man's judgment or verdict. What Jesus Christ showed was that the one passing judgment needed to FIRST of all address his own shortcomings, before he could be in a position to address the shortcomings of someone else (Luke 6:39). Jesus’s intent was not for both men to remain blind, but that they both receive sight and the fullness of light (Luke 11:34-36, Rev 3:17-19). But if we take the approach of “Do NOT judge” to mean an absolute refusal to identify the “specks” that cause blindness, and we choose to leave people in darkness simply because we fear being judged ourselves due to the sins in our own lives, then it becomes clear that such an interpretation does NOT align with Jesus’s intention. Sooner or later, the “plank” in your own eye will take its toll, and the “speck” in your brother’s eye—which you may have been able to help remove—will also take its toll on him. So refusing to judge righteously will NOT spare you from judgment, because either way your “plank” must be dealt with; and also you are responsible for your brother whom you see fall into sin, or is about to fall (Ezek 3:17-21, Prov 24:11-12, Lev 19:15-18, James 5:19-20, 1 Peter 4:8). You cannot be like Cain who refrained from being his “brother’s keeper” (Gen 4:9). Even concerning your enemy, you have a responsibility to show kindness to him or that which concerns him (Exo 23:4-5, Matt 5:43-48, Rom 12:20); so how much more are you responsible for your brother when you see the “speck” in his eyes. Ignoring it by claiming you won't judge, so that you won't be judged, is NOT in line with Christ's teachings or the expression of Love (Rev 3:19). Paul also taught that if you see a brother stumble into sin, you who are spiritual and standing, should help lift him out of it, and in doing so you will be fulfilling “the law of Christ” (v1&2 👇), which I believe he said in reference to the Passage we're discussing (Matthew 7:1-5). He however said that, one should be watchful of themselves when they get involved in getting people out of sin, because if not, they would fall into that same sin. This I believe connects to those who still have a “plank” in their own eye, while trying to remove the “speck” in their brother's eye. The rest of the verses below then go on to say that each person should honestly evaluate and judge themselves (2 Cor 13:5), and take responsibility for their own burdens. This I also believe connects to Jesus’s instruction that people should FIRST get rid of the “plank” in their own eye, before anything else. Galatians 6:1-5 @1 Brothers and sisters, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT SHOULD RESTORE THAT PERSON GENTLY. BUT WATCH YOURSELVES, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED. @2 Carry each other’s burdens, and IN THIS WAY YOU WILL FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST. @3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive THEMSELVES. @4 EACH ONE SHOULD TEST THEIR OWN ACTIONS. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, @5 FOR EACH ONE SHOULD CARRY THEIR OWN LOAD. NIV So if you're NOT in right-standing, you have no business judging someone else, otherwise you will be judged or most likely fall into their sin. Sin is quite contagious (1 Cor 15:33, 1 Tim 5:22), just as righteousness is equally contagious (Rom 5:18-19, Jer 15:19, *1 Tim 4:12, 15-16*, 1 Peter 3:1-2, *Prov 27:17*, 2 Cor 9:2). But if you're in right-standing, and the “plank” in your own eye has been removed, then you can get involved to remove the “speck” you observe in your brother's eye. So, Jesus’s intention concerning His illustration is for both the “plank” and “speck” to be dealt with in the people. And for that to happen one must FIRST have full sight and light, to be able to bring someone else into the light. Refusing to get rid of your “plank” so as to be able to help your brother with his “speck” is tantamount to embracing darkness. And this is clearly far from Jesus’s intention for everyone. Hence, Matthew 7:1 cannot be interpreted to mean that we shouldn't judge, because that would amount to everyone remaining in darkness, both the one with the “plank” and the other with a “speck”. John 3:19-21 @19 THIS IS THE VERDICT: Light has come into the world, but people LOVED darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. @20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light FOR FEAR THAT THEIR DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED. @21 But whoever LIVES BY THE TRUTH comes into the light, so that it may be SEEN PLAINLY that what they have done has been done in the Sight of God. NIV Matthew 5:14 @14 “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. NIV Ephesians 5:8-14 @8 For you were ONCE darkness, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD. LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT @9 (for the fruit of the light consists in ALL GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUTH) @10 and FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD. @11 Have NOTHING to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, BUT RATHER EXPOSE THEM. @12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do IN SECRET. @13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. @14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” NIV For fear of being judged people shy away from their calling of being a light to the world. So they find Scriptures to isolate in order to justify their fears and desires, and not what God desires from them. Whatever the “plank” in our lives may be, we should be willing to let the Lord remove it, so that we can be in a position to truly help those who are shackled by darkness (2 Cor 4:2-6). Ultimately, we do not live our lives for our own pleasure, but rather for the pleasure of the One Who saved us, Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:14-15, 1 Cor 6:19-20). Again, I reiterate that you will inevitably be judged, and more so by those closest to you. That should not rattle you. As long as you do what is right before God and keep a clear conscience, you have nothing to worry about (1 Cor 4:2-4). Some of the people in Jesus’s day accused Him of being “demon possessed” (John 7:20, 8:48-52, 10:20, Luke 11:14-15); and even at one point Jesus’s family members judged Him to be “out of His mind” (Mark 3:21-22); but that did NOT stop Him; rather, He continued doing the will of God (John 4:34). Similarly, Paul was persecuted and judged as being “out of his mind” (2 Cor 5:13, Acts 26:24); but that did not stop him either; and thankfully so, because his works are mighty pillars in the Church today. At its core, passing judgment is simply discerning between good and evil, and upholding good (*1 Kings 3:9-12, 28*). That which is good must be recognized and appraised as good, and encouraged by sound doctrine (1 Thess 5:21, Titus 1:7-9, 2 Tim 3:16-17, 1 Tim 4:11-16); while that which is evil must be avoided and resisted (1 Thess 5:22, **Rom 12:9**, James 4:7). Often people focus on the latter, failing to realize that both sides of the coin are necessary in passing judgment. I believe this is where some Christians misunderstand Jesus’s warning in Matthew 7:1-5. Judgment isn't a bad thing as most people tend to feel. It is a necessity to withstand chaos and ensure the proper flow of things. If people fail to apply good judgment in their actions, then things will fall apart quickly. And if you fail to apply righteous sincere judgment, FIRST on yourself, and subsequently on others, then both your blindness and theirs would end you all in a pit (again Luke 6:39). There is no escaping it, we as Christians are expected to be able to distinguish between good and evil and act accordingly (2 Tim 3:16-17). In simple terms, we are to apply good judgment in every single thing, and every situation we face. And it so happens that our actions and lifestyle will either bring about conviction for others to REPENT (1 Peter 3:1-2, 1 Tim 4:12, 15-16); similarly, that same conviction spurred from our righteous dispositions may make people vindictive (Luke 6:22-23, 2 Tim 3:12, *1 Peter 4:3-5*, *2 Cor 2:15-17*). So in doing the right thing, which is you executing righteous judgment and standing for Truth, i.e. Jesus Christ (John 14:6), you will be judged by people (John 15:18-22); and their judgment may deem you “right” or “wrong” from THEIR own perspective (Luke 16:15, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4). But likewise, you will be judged by God; and what truly matters is to be RIGHT from HIS perspective. And if that's the case, then He will reward your good deeds (**1 Tim 5:24-25**, Heb 10:23-24, 35-36). So either way, we must judge in accordance with the righteous standards of God, and stand for Truth, because our actions or inactions will be judged by both God and people. We just have to make sure that we are RIGHT in God's Sight, and NOT merely “right” in the sight of people (**Acts 4:19-20, 5:29**, 1 Thess 2:4, 2 Cor 10:18). So, Jesus Christ intends for His people to be able to judge wisely in EVERY situation, and choose to do good, i.e. good as defined by God ([Isaiah 5:20, Eph 2:10], Titus 2:14, John 7:24, Matt 10:16). And He also wants us to be instruments to propagate His righteous judgments, so that people can be free from their “specks”. If you've ever had anything enter your eye, you know how ABSOLUTELY UNCOMFORTABLE it is. So you can understand that in truth, no one completely loves living in sin, because deep down there is an ache in their soul that they may not show, but it weighs heavily on them. Jesus Christ wants to relieve that ache. And He wants to use you for that purpose (Matt 11:28, *Rom 10:14-15, 17*); but FIRST He needs you to lay down your own burden of sin, before He can entrust you with His own burden of reconciling the world to God, and setting people free from sin (Matt 11:29-30, 2 Cor 5:14-21). So whether you like it or not, as a Christian, you are an instrument of God's judgment and righteousness, both in the natural and spiritual realm ([Rom 6:18, 2 Tim 2:20-22], Eph 6:10-12); In the natural, you are instruments to show the Goodness of God, and bring about conviction, so that people REPENT from sin (Matt 5:16, Jude 1:22-23); and in the spiritual, you are the agency that God uses to judge and confront spiritual entities (Eph 6:12, Matt 18:18, Eph 3:10-12). But to SAFELY be an effective judge you must FIRST be found to be in right-standing, otherwise you will be susceptible to judgment. This is the reason behind Jesus’s saying that one shouldn't judge, otherwise they will be judged. He was warning us of the consequences of judging when we haven't FIRST dealt with our own sin (Matt 7:1-5, *John 8:3-9*). Let me briefly explain the “SAFELY” thing, before I come back to the thing about “right-standing” or “righteousness”. For starters, God is Righteous, so He is rightfully the Perfect Judge and Executor of Justice. However, the majority of humanity is inherently driven by sin, i.e. unrighteous (Gen 6:5, Rom 3:10, 23). The problem posed by this is that if God uses human beings as the instruments of His judgment, He is compelled by righteousness to also bring those people into judgment in the exact same way they were used. In other words, anyone who judges, passes a verdict, or exercises an action in keeping with their will, would be judged by the very same standards that they have acted ([Ezekiel 18:25, 29-32, *33:20*], [Num 14:1-4, 27-33], Joel 3:4-7, *Luke 19:22-23*, ***Rom 2:1***, ***James 3:1-2***). For instance, the Israelites were the instruments of God's judgment against the inhabitants of the Promised Land. The Canaanites and the other people groups in the Promised Land had over 400 years of grievously sinning against God (Gen 15:13, 16, [18:20-21, 19:4-9] - Sodom and Gomorrah were samples of how wicked the people in Canaan were). The nature of their sins involved idolatry, human sacrifice, and sexual sins to name a few (Lev 18:21-25). Other than the fact that God made a covenant to give Abraham and his descendants the land (Gen 15:18-21, 17:7-8), the other reason why the previous inhabitants were evacuated from the Promised Land was because of their sin. God made it repeatedly clear to the Israelites that it wasn't on account of their own righteousness that they were going to get the Land, but that it was on account of the sins of the previous inhabitants, and also His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deut 9:4-6). God clearly told them that if they committed the same sins as the previous occupants, then they themselves would receive the same judgment of being evicted from the Land (Lev 18:28-30). It turned out that Israel committed the same sins, and became even more vile than the previous inhabitants, hence God had to execute the SAME judgment on them by exiling them from the Land ([2 Kings 17:7-9, 12-15, 17-20], [2 Kings 21:2, 6, *9-16*, 23:26, 24:1-4, Jer 15:4]). By God's measure, the kingdom of Israel was attributed with 390 years of sin, and the Kingdom of Judah 40 years (Ezek 4:4-6). The point is that Israel, which was once the instrument of judgment against the Canaanites, was now subject to the same judgment because she became unrighteous. I repeat, the agent or instrument of judgment MUST be righteous, otherwise they themselves would be judged. The same scenario played out with Assyria and Babylon, the two kingdoms God used as the instruments of His judgment against Israel (2 Kings 17:5-7, [24:1-4, Hab 1:5-7, 2 Chron 36:15-17]). They were both unrighteous nations, hence they themselves fell into judgment ([Isaiah 10:5-7, 12-13, 15, 37:21-23, 26-29], [Jer 51:24-25, Isaiah 47:1, 3-6, 10-12]). So Jesus’s statement in Matthew 7:1 was more or less trying to enlighten us about this pattern, and the way to avoid the second part of falling into judgment. Another illustration of this pattern is how Job’s friends stood in judgment against him, while Job warned them that in doing so they themselves would come under God’s judgment (Job 13:7-10, 19:28-29). At the end of the whole saga, God indeed judged them, and His evaluation was based on righteousness: compared to Job, the friends had not spoken what was “right” concerning Him (Job 42:7-8 NKJV). Before all these, God had already evaluated Job as being more righteous than anyone on earth (Job 1:8). Yet Job’s friends positioned themselves as judges over him, even though they themselves were less righteous in God’s sight. In this sense, they had a “plank” in their own eye while attempting to remove the “speck” from Job’s eye (Matt 7:1-5). This does not mean that Job was sinless or beyond correction. God Himself later rebuked and humbled Job for speaking beyond his understanding and for justifying himself rather than God (Job 38:1-2, 40:1-5, 8, 42:1-6). Nevertheless, despite Job’s faults, his friends still lacked the moral and spiritual standing to condemn him in the manner they did. Thus, the very men who sat in judgment over Job ultimately came under God’s judgment themselves. This is something worth taking note of, and a caution whenever you stand in judgment over anyone for any reason. Make sure you're in right-standing, and that you'll be able to stand when the arm of justice swings your way. Just like Job, it was a similar situation with Moses’s elder siblings, Aaron and Mariam. Moses was not perfect, and this became evident when he disobeyed God and was consequently forbidden from entering the Promised Land (Num 20:7-12). However, in terms of comparative righteousness, Moses surpassed his siblings and everyone else on Earth (Num 12:3, 6-7). Hence, they were not in a position to judge him. So when they ventured to pass judgments on their little brother, God would NOT have it, and instead He judged them (Num 12:1-2, 8-11). The key point is that the one who judges must be in right-standing, otherwise they will be judged. In other words, if you're NOT in right-standing, do NOT judge, so that you will NOT be judged (Matt 7:1). I believe it is now fairly clear what Matthew 7:1 is actually addressing, and that Jesus Christ was NOT forbidding His people from exercising discernment (i.e. judgment), or from helping others overcome the burdens that hinder them. Rather, Jesus Christ was showing that the RIGHT way to judge is to FIRST of all be in right-standing, so that after judging you will NOT be judged. As I said before, whether you like it or not, as a Christian you are an instrument of God's judgment and righteousness both in the natural and spiritual realm. It is an honor He has bestowed on His people to execute His judgments (**Ps 149:5-9 NKJV**). And the Church in general is the agency by which He judges the spiritual entities (Eph 6:10-12, 3:9-11, Rom 16:20, [Ps 110:1-3, 1 Cor 15:25-26]). Speaking of the spiritual side, it's kind of like the situation in Exodus. If you don't study it closely, you would think that it was simply God using Moses to confront Pharaoh to liberate the Israelites (Ex 5:1-2), whom God refers to as His “firstborn son” (Ex 4:22-23). In reality, however, it was God using Moses to pass judgment against the gods of Egypt, the spiritual entities influencing the people and the Land; and because they refused to liberate His “firstborn son”, Israel, He killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians as judgment against the gods of Egypt (Ex 12:12). In like manner, God has chosen to use the Church as the agency to reveal His wisdom and judgments long hidden from the spiritual entities (Eph 3:9-11). But to fulfill such a task it is imperative that the Church is found to be righteous, otherwise She is going to be judged. It is for this reason that God has to FIRST judge the Church before He judges the world through Her. 1 Corinthians 11:29, 31-32 @29 For those who eat and drink WITHOUT DISCERNING the Body of Christ eat and drink JUDGMENT ON THEMSELVES. … @31 But if we were MORE DISCERNING WITH REGARD TO OURSELVES, we would NOT come under such JUDGMENT. @32 Nevertheless, WHEN WE ARE JUDGED IN THIS WAY BY THE LORD, we are being DISCIPLINED so that we will NOT be FINALLY CONDEMNED with the world. NIV 1 Peter 4:17-18 @17 FOR IT IS TIME FOR JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH GOD’S HOUSEHOLD; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do NOT obey the Gospel of God? @18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” NIV And just in case you're still wondering if indeed it is the Church that God is going to use to judge or convict the world, then consider the following Passages: (Pay attention to v20, 22-25 below) John 15:18-27 @18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. @19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do NOT belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. THAT IS WHY THE WORLD HATES YOU. @20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is NOT greater than His Master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. IF THEY OBEYED MY TEACHING, THEY WILL OBEY YOURS ALSO. @21 They will treat you this way because of My Name, for they do not know the one Who sent Me. @22 If I had not come and spoken to them, THEY WOULD NOT BE GUILTY OF SIN; BUT NOW THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THEIR SIN. @23 Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well. @24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, THEY WOULD NOT BE GUILTY OF SIN. As it is, THEY HAVE SEEN, and YET they have hated both Me and My Father. @25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT REASON.’ @26 “When THE ADVOCATE comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father—THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Who goes out from the Father—HE WILL TESTIFY ABOUT ME. @27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. NIV Here, Jesus Christ is making the point that, as was true in His own experience, people’s acceptance of our message is often dependent on whether they are willing to accept His teaching first. He goes on to show that His words and teachings would eliminate any grounds for excuse, and as such they will testify in judgment against whoever dismisses them (John 12:47-49, [15:20-25☝️, Matt 10:14-15]). So, it is His very words and teachings that we are Commissioned to share (Matt 28:19-20, Mark 16:15⁠). And this Gospel must be taught to the whole world before the end comes (Matt 24:14); because it would serve as a TESTIMONY for those who CHOOSE to reject it. So those who reject the Truth do so without excuse (Rom 1:18-21, 32). And even in the face of God's judgments, knowing fully well His righteous demands, they will still reject the Truth and refuse to REPENT (Isaiah 26:10-11, 2 Thess 2:10-12, Rev 9:20-21, 16:9-11). The point however is that they are left with NO excuses. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 @14 But thanks be to God, Who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession AND USES US TO SPREAD THE AROMA OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM EVERYWHERE. @15 For WE ARE to God the pleasing AROMA of Christ among those who are BEING SAVED and THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING. @16 To the one WE ARE AN AROMA that brings DEATH; to the other, AN AROMA that brings LIFE. And who is equal to such a task? NIV Bear in mind two things: first of all, our responsibility is to share and demonstrate the Gospel (1 Cor 2:1-5, 1 Thess 1:4-5). We are not responsible for how people respond to it. Some may accept the Message, while others, driven by fear or the love of their sinful lifestyle or greed, would reject the Message (Acts 24:24-27 - note Felix’s response to the Gospel was that of fear, but at the same time he was greedy for money, because he sought to be bribed by Paul, hence he loved darkness more than Light, John 3:19-21, Luke 16:13). Their response is NOT our responsibility; ours is to share the Gospel Message honestly, with Love, and with a clear conscience (Eph 4:15, 2 Cor 2:17, **4:2-6**, 5:11, 14-15, *1 Cor 4:1-2*). Their response is entirely their CHOICE, but the Gospel would serve as a Witness and Testimony that leaves them with no excuse on the Final Day of Judgment (Matt 24:14). Secondly, know that we are part of the reason why God will judge the world (Joel 3:2). In other words, how people treat God's own people will incur retribution and judgment from Him (Matt 18:6-7, Ps 105:15, Rev 16:4-7). So anyway, we are charged to righteously handle the Word of God, because it is the means by which the world will be judged. 2 Timothy 2:15 @15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does NOT need to be ashamed and WHO CORRECTLY HANDLES THE WORD OF TRUTH. NIV Deuteronomy 12:32 @32 See that you do all I command you; do NOT add to it OR take away from it. NIV Hebrews 4:12-13 @12 FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates EVEN to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; IT JUDGES the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. @13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. EVERYTHING is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT. NIV But it must be ABSOLUTELY clear that the goal of the judgment that the Church is used to execute is NOT along the lines of shame and condemnation, but rather to bring about restoration. Indeed it will expose the “specks” of sin, but it would NOT stop there, because it would go on to show how through Jesus Christ those “specks” can be removed. This is the nature of the judgment that must emanate from the Church. The judgment of condemnation is EXCLUSIVELY reserved for God, Who would execute His prerogative on the Final Judgment Day, when everyone has had the opportunity to CHOOSE their fate (Matt 24:14, John 3:18, 36, Rom 5:8-9, Rev 20:11-15). It is ABSOLUTELY important that you do NOT overstep your bounds and enter into this kind of judgment over people, by condemning ANYONE to hell (Rom 14:4, ***2:1-4***, 1 Cor 4:4-5, Rom 11:17-27). Naturally, we hate evil-doers and would love nothing more than to see them suffer or be judged by God (Ps 139:19-24). But the fact is that God does NOT desire for ANYONE to perish, NOT EVEN the wicked, because He would rather that they REPENT (Ezek 18:23, 32, Matt 18:14, 5:43-45, 2 Peter 3:9, Rom 2:4). So He ALONE knows if there is a chance for someone to REPENT or not, because He ALONE sees the heart (Isaiah 42:3-4, [1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chron 28:9, Prov 17:3]). And He also knows when to close the window of repentance, so as to implement His judgment (Rev 2:21-23). That prerogative is ENTIRELY His, NOT ours (*Rev 6:9-11*). So again I say, this kind of judgment is EXCLUSIVELY reserved for God (John 12:48). The realm of your judgment is standing upon what God has revealed in His Word (1 Cor 4:6, Ps 149:9 NKJV, 1 Peter 4:11); and what He is revealing by His Spirit, especially via prophecy (Rev 19:10, Acts 19:6). 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 @24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while EVERYONE is prophesying, they are CONVICTED OF SIN and are brought under JUDGMENT BY ALL, @25 as the SECRETS of their hearts ARE LAID BARE. So THEY will fall down AND WORSHIP GOD, exclaiming, “GOD IS REALLY AMONG YOU!” NIV Again, this☝️ is one of the major kinds of judgment the Church is called to administer towards the world. We are to expose sin and give the people an opportunity to be saved through Jesus Christ, so that they get reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18-20). And for the Church to be used as an instrument to administer this kind of judgment, she MUST be righteous, otherwise she will be susceptible to judgment (Rom 2:2-3, 17-23). I mean salt that loses its saltiness will be useless and trampled by men (Matt 5:13). We as the Church and as individuals cannot afford to be found wanting. Our lives ought to be the billboard of righteousness so that people have a reason to turn to God (1 Peter 2:12, 3:15-16). Now let's talk about the aspect of “right-standing” or “righteousness”, which is required for anyone to “SAFELY” execute judgment. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is what has afforded us the privilege to be agents and instruments of judgment (2 Cor 5:21, 2 Tim 2:20-21). But we ourselves must be disciplined in righteousness, able to judge between good and evil (Heb 5:14); so that after we have carried out our roles as the instruments of God's judgment, we would NOT be judged as well (1 Cor 9:25-27, 2 Tim 2:5). I will say it again, the righteousness of Jesus Christ puts you in the office of a judge. But it is your righteous living in alignment with the life of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:3, Col 1:9-10), that allows you to SAFELY execute the responsibilities of that office without falling into judgment. By God's Grace I'd get to adequately address this in a follow-up study, but let me say it briefly here, that righteous living is ONLY possible through the Holy Spirit. First of all, Jesus Christ said that our righteousness must SURPASS that of the Pharisees (Matt 5:20); but this CANNOT be accomplished by works of the flesh, which is the mantra of the Pharisees (Phil 3:5-6, Gal 1:14); it is ONLY possible by faith (Rom 9:30-32, 1:17). Faith is an action word (James 2:17, 26); faith is also how we receive the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39, Gal 3:2-6); and faith entails actively keeping in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:24-25). It is then through the Holy Spirit that the fruit of righteous living is manifested, even the aspect of self-control (Gal 5:22-23). And then finally it is such an individual, who is carried along by the Holy Spirit in righteousness, that can then JUDGE ALL THINGS while NOT being liable to judgment. 1 Corinthians 2:15 @15 THE PERSON WITH THE SPIRIT MAKES JUDGMENTS ABOUT ALL THINGS, BUT such a person is NOT subject to merely human judgments, NIV In Matthew 7:1-3, Jesus Christ admonished people NOT to judge especially when being deficient in righteousness, otherwise they would be judged. But in the Passage above, we see that WITH the Holy Spirit, and it is important to emphasize that it is in association WITH the Holy Spirit, we are instructed to JUDGE ALL THINGS, without fear of being judged ourselves. I believe you're getting the message clearly. This further shows that believers are called to be agents and instruments of judgment, even while we're here on earth. We don't argue about the fact that we would serve as judges in the life to come (Luke 22:29-30, *1 Cor 6:3*); but for some reason we struggle to accept that while on earth we are to execute the functions of righteousness by judging between good and evil (**1 Cor 6:1-8**). It should be clear that as Christians we do have that ordination to judge in righteousness. But if it hasn't sunk in yet, let me try to further illustrate. I uploaded a post not too long ago titled, “How Can Jesus Pay For the Sins of Others?” It was primarily a study on priesthood, showing how priesthood makes such a thing possible, thus answering the question posed in the title. And regarding priesthood, it was clearly shown that this was part of Jesus’s ordination (Heb 5:5-6). But not only that, Jesus Christ in turn made us to be priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9, Rev 5:9-10). And the reality of all this is that part of the responsibilities of the priesthood is to teach the Word of God, and serve as judges ([Lev 10:10-11, Malachi 2:7, 2 Chron 15:3], [Deut 17:8-13, **Ezek 44:23-24**]). So it stands to reason that if we have been made priests, then we as well have the responsibility to teach the Word of God and proclaim His righteous judgments. Among other things, this current post is a charge for you to rise to your priestly ordination in Christ, and also your role as an administrator of God's Word and judgments. With the obstacle of misunderstanding Matthew 7:1 being removed, I believe you are open to embracing this responsibility as a judge. The Lord permitting I’d follow up this post to further explore how to properly discern and judge through the Holy Spirit. But in the meantime, step into this role of being a judge. And remember that you must FIRST subject yourself to judgment, before you venture to help someone else walk in the path of righteousness before God (Gal 6:1-5). This means you allow the Word of God to judge you and set you aright (Ps 139:23-24, 19:12-13, 51:7, 13, Jer 10:23-24), before you administer judgment to others to turn them from sin. So with intentionality, if you're a husband, let the Lord show you how to Love and treat your wife (Eph 5:25-33, Col 3:19, 1 Peter 3:7). As the cited Passages show, God has consecrated the husband and wife as one flesh (Matt 19:6), hence maltreating your wife is an indictment against yourself, and can stand as a hindrance for you to execute you other priestly responsibilities, like prayer (Mark 11:25-26 NKJV). And if you're a father, let God show you how to raise and discipline your children in LOVE and NOT with harshness (Prov 22:6 NKJV, Eph 6:4, Col 3:19). If you're a wife; love, respect, and submit to your husband (Eph 5:21-24, 3:18), and build your home wisely (***Prov 14:1***). Wives have more power than they realize, and this power can either be: beneficial to preserve the home (Prov 31:10-31, 1 Sam 25:4-35, *v32-34*); or it can be a raw destructive force that no man can withstand (Prov 21:9, 19, *Eccl 7:26*). Wife, the choice is yours, judge wisely and determine the outcome you prefer for your home. And for children, be sure to obey, honor, and respect your parents (Eph 6:1-3, Col 3:20); and do NOT despise your parents, especially in their old age (Prov 23:22). And in your workplace, you are sure to be diligent, honest, and trustworthy (Col 3:17, Luke 3:12-14, Eph 6:6-8, Daniel 6:3-4). And then after submitting yourself to judgment and refinement by the word of God, you are then licensed to be an instrument of judgment to others (1 Tim 3:4-5). So then in society, you can advocate for that which is right, and resist that which is evil. The major reason why evil continues to prevail is because the righteous do not courageously rise to their ordinations (*Prov 25:26*). All that can begin to change with you. So practically speaking: Judge what would be the appropriate use of your time and resources; Judge what would serve as wholesome entertainment and recreational (Eph 5:4); Judge how best to conduct yourself, and manage relationships and boundaries; Judge everything that pertains to life, and determine what is right (1 Cor 2:15, 6:3). And take responsibility for everything happening around you. Keep watch, and partner with God to see to it that only the right things are established (Matt 18:18, [Jer 6:16-19, Isaiah 56:10-12], Isaiah 62:6-7, Ezek 3:17-21). God OWNS the Earth and everything (Ps 24:1). But He has given mankind the Earth (Gen 1:27-28, Ps 115:16); and entrusted him to take care of it, and all the creatures in it (Gen 2:15). So we are primarily responsible for the outcomes on Earth. God is willing to help, but we must also discharge our duties and make it possible for Him to intervene in our affairs on Earth (Matt 6:8-10, Ezek 22:30-31, 2 Chron 7:14). If there is unrighteousness on our part, we limit His range of intervention because inadvertently He may have to judge us as well, because He is the Righteous Judge. He will not give you a free pass because He Loves you, instead He would prune and discipline you so that you can be holy and righteous like Him ([John 15:1-2, Heb 12:7-11, Rev 3:19], 1 Peter 1:15-17, Eph 4:20-24). That way when He comes to judge, you wouldn't be found wanting. The reason why we still see evil and good in the world, even though God is Good and all powerful, is that if God were to totally eradicate evil, then He would be forced to destroy us as well, because we are ENTANGLED with sin in one way or the other (Rom 3:23). Hence He has allowed good and evil to exist so as to spare us from immediate judgment (Matt 13:24-30, 37-43). But ever so often, before the final Day of Judgment, He has to judge sin; so He ensures that He disentangles us from it by way of disciplining and giving us an opportunity to REPENT (1 John 1:9, Prov 28:13), before He passes judgment. So that when He uproots the evil, we are NOT weeded out along with it due to any entanglement (**1 Cor 11:31-32**, **Heb 12:1**). That is why you find all through Scripture that God always sends out warnings before executing judgment, because He wants people to REPENT, so that they are not destroyed (Ezek 18:31-32, Jonah 3:1-10, 4:11). And that is precisely why He is sending out the Gospel to the whole world (Matt 24:14, 4:17, Luke 24:46-47, John 3:16-18, 36, Rom 5:8-11). It is a warning to preserve people from the Final Day of Judgment that is inevitably going to come (Rev 20:11-15). So, God doesn't want to destroy mankind. However, we must acknowledge that the current state of the world is a result of our actions or inactions. If we do our part, the world prospers and we would enjoy it; but if we fail to do our part the world decays and we would suffer for it (Jer 29:7, Rom 8:19-22). In conclusion, Matthew 7:1 is a directive that shows the consequence of judging and how to avoid it by FIRST being in right-standing. It is NOT to stop you from judging in righteousness, but rather to show you how to do it SAFELY and wisely. As we wrap up, I'd like to find out from you, which section of this study stood out most to you? Do you believe Christians are called to judge righteously today? What are your thoughts on Christians being involved in shaping policies that affect the society? What would you like to see from Christians, or what expectations do you have of them? I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions on these and more in the comment section. If this has blessed you, like and share with your friends and Bible study groups. Thanks for the privilege and opportunity for me to share this teaching with you. I pray you rise to everything that God has ordained you to be, and that you become a beacon of righteousness and justice in every aspect of your life, and in every realm of influence. All of creation awaits your fullness and maturity (Rom 8:19, 1 John 3:1-3). May God manifest His Goodness and Glory through you, that people may get to know Him and be reconciled to Him (2 Cor 5:17-21). To God be all the Glory. God bless and Shalom! Link for the Current Post: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/DO_NOT_JUDGE/ The follow-up post: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/DO_NOT_JUDGE_BY_MERE_APPEARANCES/ Pour cette publication en français : https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/NE_JUGEZ_PAS/ For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity": https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity For Paperback or Hardcover copies: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God": https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod For Paperback copies: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J Follow-up Post to the book, "The Biblical Festivals of God": https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Biblical_Ciphers_Part_One/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Biblical_Ciphers_Part_Two/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/ I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/ #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod #Matthew7 #DoNotJudge #JudgeRightly #RighteousJudgment #BiblicalJustice #TheFearOfTheLord #BiblicalDiscernment #SpiritualDiscernment #ConvictionOfSin #PriesthoodOfBelievers #TruthAndLight #ChildrenOfLight #WalkInTheSpirit #SoundDoctrine #Repentance #ChristianLiving #God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #TheBible #BiblicalTruth #Theology #ChristianApologetics #ChristianTeaching #Gospel

DO NOT JUDGE - AN EXPOSITION ON MATTHEW 7v1 (See comments for .docx file with each citation hyperlinked to open the Bible App for a fluid study experience) ‘Do NOT judge’ may be one of the most quoted — and most misunderstood — statements in modern Christianity. Many Christians quote Matthew 7:1 to avoid judgment altogether. But is that really what Jesus was teaching? What if Jesus never meant ‘Do NOT judge’ the way most people use it today? The issue was never judgment itself—the issue was judging while spiritually blind. Refusing to judge EVIL does not produce love—it produces blindness. I encourage you to read this post fully before reacting. I believe that the deeper you delve into the Scriptures discussed in this post, the clearer the intent of Jesus’ words becomes. Matthew 7:1-2 @1 “DO NOT JUDGE, or YOU TOO WILL BE JUDGED. @2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. NIV I think the first reason why people adopt the absolute idea of “Do NOT judge” to apply to everything is because of the second part of the verse about being judged if you judge. Like everyone else, no one wants to be judged. So their interpretation is that in order NOT to be judged, they must refrain from passing judgment. However, we need to honestly determine if this was Jesus’ intent behind the command. Because the fact is that regardless of whether we refrain from judging or not, our every action or inaction is going to be judged by people (2 Cor 8:20-21, Rom 12:17, 1 Tim 3:6-7), and likewise Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:10). So I'll say it again: you will inevitably be judged; hence, the fear of being judged is needless (1 Cor 4:3, **1 John 4:16-18**). Meaning that the fear of being judged is NOT a justification to refrain from judging. Your focus however should be that in judgment, you use a righteous-Biblical standard, and live by that standard, so that there is no fear when it is used on you, either by God or people (Matt 7:2, **12**). So Biblically speaking, the statement in itself ‘Do NOT judge’ does NOT absolve or free anyone from judgment, whether from the judgment of people or from God. That being the case, we must then try to figure out the actual meaning and intent of what Jesus Christ said in the quoted Passage above. Thankfully from the next couple of verses, in connection with the rest of Scripture, we can discern what Jesus Christ was actually teaching. Read the following Passage carefully, and I’ll explain what I mean: Matthew 7:3-5 @3 “Why do you look at the SPECK of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to THE PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE? @4 HOW can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the SPECK out of your eye,’ WHEN all the time there is a PLANK in your own eye? @5 You hypocrite, FIRST take the PLANK out of your OWN EYE, and then you will SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK from your brother’s eye. NIV Now from the above Passage, we see that v1&2, which were previously quoted, make perfect sense, and we can discern the kind of people that Jesus Christ was telling NOT to take it upon themselves to judge others. I mean someone who is NOT in right-standing is NOT in a position to judge another person who is apparently guilty. But Jesus Christ did NOT end the conversation there; instead, He invited people to FIRST get in right-standing (i.e. be righteous) by getting rid of their own guilt, and then they’ll be in a position to HELP their brother who has a “speck” of guilt (v5). So Jesus Christ was NOT just saying ‘Do NOT judge’ to absolve people of the responsibility of passing judgment on things, but instead He was showing that for someone to SAFELY be an instrument or agent of judgment, they must FIRST be righteous, otherwise they themselves will fall into judgment. Shortly, I'll illustrate what I mean by “SAFELY”. Clearly, from the Illustration above, which Jesus Christ used to explain His initial statement in v1&2, both men are shown to have a foreign object obstructing their sight or blinding them, and this is demonstrative of sin (John 9:39-41). The first man obviously judges the other, and his verdict is accurate, that the other man has a problem, a “speck” in their eye. Jesus Christ did not dispute the man's judgment or verdict. What Jesus Christ showed was that the one passing judgment needed to FIRST of all address his own shortcomings, before he could be in a position to address the shortcomings of someone else (Luke 6:39). Jesus’s intent was not for both men to remain blind, but that they both receive sight and the fullness of light (Luke 11:34-36, Rev 3:17-19). But if we take the approach of “Do NOT judge” to mean an absolute refusal to identify the “specks” that cause blindness, and we choose to leave people in darkness simply because we fear being judged ourselves due to the sins in our own lives, then it becomes clear that such an interpretation does NOT align with Jesus’s intention. Sooner or later, the “plank” in your own eye will take its toll, and the “speck” in your brother’s eye—which you may have been able to help remove—will also take its toll on him. So refusing to judge righteously will NOT spare you from judgment, because either way your “plank” must be dealt with; and also you are responsible for your brother whom you see fall into sin, or is about to fall (Ezek 3:17-21, Prov 24:11-12, Lev 19:15-18, James 5:19-20, 1 Peter 4:8). You cannot be like Cain who refrained from being his “brother’s keeper” (Gen 4:9). Even concerning your enemy, you have a responsibility to show kindness to him or that which concerns him (Exo 23:4-5, Matt 5:43-48, Rom 12:20); so how much more are you responsible for your brother when you see the “speck” in his eyes. Ignoring it by claiming you won't judge, so that you won't be judged, is NOT in line with Christ's teachings or the expression of Love (Rev 3:19). Paul also taught that if you see a brother stumble into sin, you who are spiritual and standing, should help lift him out of it, and in doing so you will be fulfilling “the law of Christ” (v1&2 👇), which I believe he said in reference to the Passage we're discussing (Matthew 7:1-5). He however said that, one should be watchful of themselves when they get involved in getting people out of sin, because if not, they would fall into that same sin. This I believe connects to those who still have a “plank” in their own eye, while trying to remove the “speck” in their brother's eye. The rest of the verses below then go on to say that each person should honestly evaluate and judge themselves (2 Cor 13:5), and take responsibility for their own burdens. This I also believe connects to Jesus’s instruction that people should FIRST get rid of the “plank” in their own eye, before anything else. Galatians 6:1-5 @1 Brothers and sisters, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT SHOULD RESTORE THAT PERSON GENTLY. BUT WATCH YOURSELVES, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED. @2 Carry each other’s burdens, and IN THIS WAY YOU WILL FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST. @3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive THEMSELVES. @4 EACH ONE SHOULD TEST THEIR OWN ACTIONS. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, @5 FOR EACH ONE SHOULD CARRY THEIR OWN LOAD. NIV So if you're NOT in right-standing, you have no business judging someone else, otherwise you will be judged or most likely fall into their sin. Sin is quite contagious (1 Cor 15:33, 1 Tim 5:22), just as righteousness is equally contagious (Rom 5:18-19, Jer 15:19, *1 Tim 4:12, 15-16*, 1 Peter 3:1-2, *Prov 27:17*, 2 Cor 9:2). But if you're in right-standing, and the “plank” in your own eye has been removed, then you can get involved to remove the “speck” you observe in your brother's eye. So, Jesus’s intention concerning His illustration is for both the “plank” and “speck” to be dealt with in the people. And for that to happen one must FIRST have full sight and light, to be able to bring someone else into the light. Refusing to get rid of your “plank” so as to be able to help your brother with his “speck” is tantamount to embracing darkness. And this is clearly far from Jesus’s intention for everyone. Hence, Matthew 7:1 cannot be interpreted to mean that we shouldn't judge, because that would amount to everyone remaining in darkness, both the one with the “plank” and the other with a “speck”. John 3:19-21 @19 THIS IS THE VERDICT: Light has come into the world, but people LOVED darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. @20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light FOR FEAR THAT THEIR DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED. @21 But whoever LIVES BY THE TRUTH comes into the light, so that it may be SEEN PLAINLY that what they have done has been done in the Sight of God. NIV Matthew 5:14 @14 “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. NIV Ephesians 5:8-14 @8 For you were ONCE darkness, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD. LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT @9 (for the fruit of the light consists in ALL GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUTH) @10 and FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD. @11 Have NOTHING to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, BUT RATHER EXPOSE THEM. @12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do IN SECRET. @13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. @14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” NIV For fear of being judged people shy away from their calling of being a light to the world. So they find Scriptures to isolate in order to justify their fears and desires, and not what God desires from them. Whatever the “plank” in our lives may be, we should be willing to let the Lord remove it, so that we can be in a position to truly help those who are shackled by darkness (2 Cor 4:2-6). Ultimately, we do not live our lives for our own pleasure, but rather for the pleasure of the One Who saved us, Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:14-15, 1 Cor 6:19-20). Again, I reiterate that you will inevitably be judged, and more so by those closest to you. That should not rattle you. As long as you do what is right before God and keep a clear conscience, you have nothing to worry about (1 Cor 4:2-4). Some of the people in Jesus’s day accused Him of being “demon possessed” (John 7:20, 8:48-52, 10:20, Luke 11:14-15); and even at one point Jesus’s family members judged Him to be “out of His mind” (Mark 3:21-22); but that did NOT stop Him; rather, He continued doing the will of God (John 4:34). Similarly, Paul was persecuted and judged as being “out of his mind” (2 Cor 5:13, Acts 26:24); but that did not stop him either; and thankfully so, because his works are mighty pillars in the Church today. At its core, passing judgment is simply discerning between good and evil, and upholding good (*1 Kings 3:9-12, 28*). That which is good must be recognized and appraised as good, and encouraged by sound doctrine (1 Thess 5:21, Titus 1:7-9, 2 Tim 3:16-17, 1 Tim 4:11-16); while that which is evil must be avoided and resisted (1 Thess 5:22, **Rom 12:9**, James 4:7). Often people focus on the latter, failing to realize that both sides of the coin are necessary in passing judgment. I believe this is where some Christians misunderstand Jesus’s warning in Matthew 7:1-5. Judgment isn't a bad thing as most people tend to feel. It is a necessity to withstand chaos and ensure the proper flow of things. If people fail to apply good judgment in their actions, then things will fall apart quickly. And if you fail to apply righteous sincere judgment, FIRST on yourself, and subsequently on others, then both your blindness and theirs would end you all in a pit (again Luke 6:39). There is no escaping it, we as Christians are expected to be able to distinguish between good and evil and act accordingly (2 Tim 3:16-17). In simple terms, we are to apply good judgment in every single thing, and every situation we face. And it so happens that our actions and lifestyle will either bring about conviction for others to REPENT (1 Peter 3:1-2, 1 Tim 4:12, 15-16); similarly, that same conviction spurred from our righteous dispositions may make people vindictive (Luke 6:22-23, 2 Tim 3:12, *1 Peter 4:3-5*, *2 Cor 2:15-17*). So in doing the right thing, which is you executing righteous judgment and standing for Truth, i.e. Jesus Christ (John 14:6), you will be judged by people (John 15:18-22); and their judgment may deem you “right” or “wrong” from THEIR own perspective (Luke 16:15, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4). But likewise, you will be judged by God; and what truly matters is to be RIGHT from HIS perspective. And if that's the case, then He will reward your good deeds (**1 Tim 5:24-25**, Heb 10:23-24, 35-36). So either way, we must judge in accordance with the righteous standards of God, and stand for Truth, because our actions or inactions will be judged by both God and people. We just have to make sure that we are RIGHT in God's Sight, and NOT merely “right” in the sight of people (**Acts 4:19-20, 5:29**, 1 Thess 2:4, 2 Cor 10:18). So, Jesus Christ intends for His people to be able to judge wisely in EVERY situation, and choose to do good, i.e. good as defined by God ([Isaiah 5:20, Eph 2:10], Titus 2:14, John 7:24, Matt 10:16). And He also wants us to be instruments to propagate His righteous judgments, so that people can be free from their “specks”. If you've ever had anything enter your eye, you know how ABSOLUTELY UNCOMFORTABLE it is. So you can understand that in truth, no one completely loves living in sin, because deep down there is an ache in their soul that they may not show, but it weighs heavily on them. Jesus Christ wants to relieve that ache. And He wants to use you for that purpose (Matt 11:28, *Rom 10:14-15, 17*); but FIRST He needs you to lay down your own burden of sin, before He can entrust you with His own burden of reconciling the world to God, and setting people free from sin (Matt 11:29-30, 2 Cor 5:14-21). So whether you like it or not, as a Christian, you are an instrument of God's judgment and righteousness, both in the natural and spiritual realm ([Rom 6:18, 2 Tim 2:20-22], Eph 6:10-12); In the natural, you are instruments to show the Goodness of God, and bring about conviction, so that people REPENT from sin (Matt 5:16, Jude 1:22-23); and in the spiritual, you are the agency that God uses to judge and confront spiritual entities (Eph 6:12, Matt 18:18, Eph 3:10-12). But to SAFELY be an effective judge you must FIRST be found to be in right-standing, otherwise you will be susceptible to judgment. This is the reason behind Jesus’s saying that one shouldn't judge, otherwise they will be judged. He was warning us of the consequences of judging when we haven't FIRST dealt with our own sin (Matt 7:1-5, *John 8:3-9*). Let me briefly explain the “SAFELY” thing, before I come back to the thing about “right-standing” or “righteousness”. For starters, God is Righteous, so He is rightfully the Perfect Judge and Executor of Justice. However, the majority of humanity is inherently driven by sin, i.e. unrighteous (Gen 6:5, Rom 3:10, 23). The problem posed by this is that if God uses human beings as the instruments of His judgment, He is compelled by righteousness to also bring those people into judgment in the exact same way they were used. In other words, anyone who judges, passes a verdict, or exercises an action in keeping with their will, would be judged by the very same standards that they have acted ([Ezekiel 18:25, 29-32, *33:20*], [Num 14:1-4, 27-33], Joel 3:4-7, *Luke 19:22-23*, ***Rom 2:1***, ***James 3:1-2***). For instance, the Israelites were the instruments of God's judgment against the inhabitants of the Promised Land. The Canaanites and the other people groups in the Promised Land had over 400 years of grievously sinning against God (Gen 15:13, 16, [18:20-21, 19:4-9] - Sodom and Gomorrah were samples of how wicked the people in Canaan were). The nature of their sins involved idolatry, human sacrifice, and sexual sins to name a few (Lev 18:21-25). Other than the fact that God made a covenant to give Abraham and his descendants the land (Gen 15:18-21, 17:7-8), the other reason why the previous inhabitants were evacuated from the Promised Land was because of their sin. God made it repeatedly clear to the Israelites that it wasn't on account of their own righteousness that they were going to get the Land, but that it was on account of the sins of the previous inhabitants, and also His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deut 9:4-6). God clearly told them that if they committed the same sins as the previous occupants, then they themselves would receive the same judgment of being evicted from the Land (Lev 18:28-30). It turned out that Israel committed the same sins, and became even more vile than the previous inhabitants, hence God had to execute the SAME judgment on them by exiling them from the Land ([2 Kings 17:7-9, 12-15, 17-20], [2 Kings 21:2, 6, *9-16*, 23:26, 24:1-4, Jer 15:4]). By God's measure, the kingdom of Israel was attributed with 390 years of sin, and the Kingdom of Judah 40 years (Ezek 4:4-6). The point is that Israel, which was once the instrument of judgment against the Canaanites, was now subject to the same judgment because she became unrighteous. I repeat, the agent or instrument of judgment MUST be righteous, otherwise they themselves would be judged. The same scenario played out with Assyria and Babylon, the two kingdoms God used as the instruments of His judgment against Israel (2 Kings 17:5-7, [24:1-4, Hab 1:5-7, 2 Chron 36:15-17]). They were both unrighteous nations, hence they themselves fell into judgment ([Isaiah 10:5-7, 12-13, 15, 37:21-23, 26-29], [Jer 51:24-25, Isaiah 47:1, 3-6, 10-12]). So Jesus’s statement in Matthew 7:1 was more or less trying to enlighten us about this pattern, and the way to avoid the second part of falling into judgment. Another illustration of this pattern is how Job’s friends stood in judgment against him, while Job warned them that in doing so they themselves would come under God’s judgment (Job 13:7-10, 19:28-29). At the end of the whole saga, God indeed judged them, and His evaluation was based on righteousness: compared to Job, the friends had not spoken what was “right” concerning Him (Job 42:7-8 NKJV). Before all these, God had already evaluated Job as being more righteous than anyone on earth (Job 1:8). Yet Job’s friends positioned themselves as judges over him, even though they themselves were less righteous in God’s sight. In this sense, they had a “plank” in their own eye while attempting to remove the “speck” from Job’s eye (Matt 7:1-5). This does not mean that Job was sinless or beyond correction. God Himself later rebuked and humbled Job for speaking beyond his understanding and for justifying himself rather than God (Job 38:1-2, 40:1-5, 8, 42:1-6). Nevertheless, despite Job’s faults, his friends still lacked the moral and spiritual standing to condemn him in the manner they did. Thus, the very men who sat in judgment over Job ultimately came under God’s judgment themselves. This is something worth taking note of, and a caution whenever you stand in judgment over anyone for any reason. Make sure you're in right-standing, and that you'll be able to stand when the arm of justice swings your way. Just like Job, it was a similar situation with Moses’s elder siblings, Aaron and Mariam. Moses was not perfect, and this became evident when he disobeyed God and was consequently forbidden from entering the Promised Land (Num 20:7-12). However, in terms of comparative righteousness, Moses surpassed his siblings and everyone else on Earth (Num 12:3, 6-7). Hence, they were not in a position to judge him. So when they ventured to pass judgments on their little brother, God would NOT have it, and instead He judged them (Num 12:1-2, 8-11). The key point is that the one who judges must be in right-standing, otherwise they will be judged. In other words, if you're NOT in right-standing, do NOT judge, so that you will NOT be judged (Matt 7:1). I believe it is now fairly clear what Matthew 7:1 is actually addressing, and that Jesus Christ was NOT forbidding His people from exercising discernment (i.e. judgment), or from helping others overcome the burdens that hinder them. Rather, Jesus Christ was showing that the RIGHT way to judge is to FIRST of all be in right-standing, so that after judging you will NOT be judged. As I said before, whether you like it or not, as a Christian you are an instrument of God's judgment and righteousness both in the natural and spiritual realm. It is an honor He has bestowed on His people to execute His judgments (**Ps 149:5-9 NKJV**). And the Church in general is the agency by which He judges the spiritual entities (Eph 6:10-12, 3:9-11, Rom 16:20, [Ps 110:1-3, 1 Cor 15:25-26]). Speaking of the spiritual side, it's kind of like the situation in Exodus. If you don't study it closely, you would think that it was simply God using Moses to confront Pharaoh to liberate the Israelites (Ex 5:1-2), whom God refers to as His “firstborn son” (Ex 4:22-23). In reality, however, it was God using Moses to pass judgment against the gods of Egypt, the spiritual entities influencing the people and the Land; and because they refused to liberate His “firstborn son”, Israel, He killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians as judgment against the gods of Egypt (Ex 12:12). In like manner, God has chosen to use the Church as the agency to reveal His wisdom and judgments long hidden from the spiritual entities (Eph 3:9-11). But to fulfill such a task it is imperative that the Church is found to be righteous, otherwise She is going to be judged. It is for this reason that God has to FIRST judge the Church before He judges the world through Her. 1 Corinthians 11:29, 31-32 @29 For those who eat and drink WITHOUT DISCERNING the Body of Christ eat and drink JUDGMENT ON THEMSELVES. … @31 But if we were MORE DISCERNING WITH REGARD TO OURSELVES, we would NOT come under such JUDGMENT. @32 Nevertheless, WHEN WE ARE JUDGED IN THIS WAY BY THE LORD, we are being DISCIPLINED so that we will NOT be FINALLY CONDEMNED with the world. NIV 1 Peter 4:17-18 @17 FOR IT IS TIME FOR JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH GOD’S HOUSEHOLD; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do NOT obey the Gospel of God? @18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” NIV And just in case you're still wondering if indeed it is the Church that God is going to use to judge or convict the world, then consider the following Passages: (Pay attention to v20, 22-25 below) John 15:18-27 @18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. @19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do NOT belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. THAT IS WHY THE WORLD HATES YOU. @20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is NOT greater than His Master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. IF THEY OBEYED MY TEACHING, THEY WILL OBEY YOURS ALSO. @21 They will treat you this way because of My Name, for they do not know the one Who sent Me. @22 If I had not come and spoken to them, THEY WOULD NOT BE GUILTY OF SIN; BUT NOW THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THEIR SIN. @23 Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well. @24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, THEY WOULD NOT BE GUILTY OF SIN. As it is, THEY HAVE SEEN, and YET they have hated both Me and My Father. @25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT REASON.’ @26 “When THE ADVOCATE comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father—THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Who goes out from the Father—HE WILL TESTIFY ABOUT ME. @27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. NIV Here, Jesus Christ is making the point that, as was true in His own experience, people’s acceptance of our message is often dependent on whether they are willing to accept His teaching first. He goes on to show that His words and teachings would eliminate any grounds for excuse, and as such they will testify in judgment against whoever dismisses them (John 12:47-49, [15:20-25☝️, Matt 10:14-15]). So, it is His very words and teachings that we are Commissioned to share (Matt 28:19-20, Mark 16:15⁠). And this Gospel must be taught to the whole world before the end comes (Matt 24:14); because it would serve as a TESTIMONY for those who CHOOSE to reject it. So those who reject the Truth do so without excuse (Rom 1:18-21, 32). And even in the face of God's judgments, knowing fully well His righteous demands, they will still reject the Truth and refuse to REPENT (Isaiah 26:10-11, 2 Thess 2:10-12, Rev 9:20-21, 16:9-11). The point however is that they are left with NO excuses. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 @14 But thanks be to God, Who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession AND USES US TO SPREAD THE AROMA OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM EVERYWHERE. @15 For WE ARE to God the pleasing AROMA of Christ among those who are BEING SAVED and THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING. @16 To the one WE ARE AN AROMA that brings DEATH; to the other, AN AROMA that brings LIFE. And who is equal to such a task? NIV Bear in mind two things: first of all, our responsibility is to share and demonstrate the Gospel (1 Cor 2:1-5, 1 Thess 1:4-5). We are not responsible for how people respond to it. Some may accept the Message, while others, driven by fear or the love of their sinful lifestyle or greed, would reject the Message (Acts 24:24-27 - note Felix’s response to the Gospel was that of fear, but at the same time he was greedy for money, because he sought to be bribed by Paul, hence he loved darkness more than Light, John 3:19-21, Luke 16:13). Their response is NOT our responsibility; ours is to share the Gospel Message honestly, with Love, and with a clear conscience (Eph 4:15, 2 Cor 2:17, **4:2-6**, 5:11, 14-15, *1 Cor 4:1-2*). Their response is entirely their CHOICE, but the Gospel would serve as a Witness and Testimony that leaves them with no excuse on the Final Day of Judgment (Matt 24:14). Secondly, know that we are part of the reason why God will judge the world (Joel 3:2). In other words, how people treat God's own people will incur retribution and judgment from Him (Matt 18:6-7, Ps 105:15, Rev 16:4-7). So anyway, we are charged to righteously handle the Word of God, because it is the means by which the world will be judged. 2 Timothy 2:15 @15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does NOT need to be ashamed and WHO CORRECTLY HANDLES THE WORD OF TRUTH. NIV Deuteronomy 12:32 @32 See that you do all I command you; do NOT add to it OR take away from it. NIV Hebrews 4:12-13 @12 FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates EVEN to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; IT JUDGES the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. @13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. EVERYTHING is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT. NIV But it must be ABSOLUTELY clear that the goal of the judgment that the Church is used to execute is NOT along the lines of shame and condemnation, but rather to bring about restoration. Indeed it will expose the “specks” of sin, but it would NOT stop there, because it would go on to show how through Jesus Christ those “specks” can be removed. This is the nature of the judgment that must emanate from the Church. The judgment of condemnation is EXCLUSIVELY reserved for God, Who would execute His prerogative on the Final Judgment Day, when everyone has had the opportunity to CHOOSE their fate (Matt 24:14, John 3:18, 36, Rom 5:8-9, Rev 20:11-15). It is ABSOLUTELY important that you do NOT overstep your bounds and enter into this kind of judgment over people, by condemning ANYONE to hell (Rom 14:4, ***2:1-4***, 1 Cor 4:4-5, Rom 11:17-27). Naturally, we hate evil-doers and would love nothing more than to see them suffer or be judged by God (Ps 139:19-24). But the fact is that God does NOT desire for ANYONE to perish, NOT EVEN the wicked, because He would rather that they REPENT (Ezek 18:23, 32, Matt 18:14, 5:43-45, 2 Peter 3:9, Rom 2:4). So He ALONE knows if there is a chance for someone to REPENT or not, because He ALONE sees the heart (Isaiah 42:3-4, [1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chron 28:9, Prov 17:3]). And He also knows when to close the window of repentance, so as to implement His judgment (Rev 2:21-23). That prerogative is ENTIRELY His, NOT ours (*Rev 6:9-11*). So again I say, this kind of judgment is EXCLUSIVELY reserved for God (John 12:48). The realm of your judgment is standing upon what God has revealed in His Word (1 Cor 4:6, Ps 149:9 NKJV, 1 Peter 4:11); and what He is revealing by His Spirit, especially via prophecy (Rev 19:10, Acts 19:6). 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 @24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while EVERYONE is prophesying, they are CONVICTED OF SIN and are brought under JUDGMENT BY ALL, @25 as the SECRETS of their hearts ARE LAID BARE. So THEY will fall down AND WORSHIP GOD, exclaiming, “GOD IS REALLY AMONG YOU!” NIV Again, this☝️ is one of the major kinds of judgment the Church is called to administer towards the world. We are to expose sin and give the people an opportunity to be saved through Jesus Christ, so that they get reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18-20). And for the Church to be used as an instrument to administer this kind of judgment, she MUST be righteous, otherwise she will be susceptible to judgment (Rom 2:2-3, 17-23). I mean salt that loses its saltiness will be useless and trampled by men (Matt 5:13). We as the Church and as individuals cannot afford to be found wanting. Our lives ought to be the billboard of righteousness so that people have a reason to turn to God (1 Peter 2:12, 3:15-16). Now let's talk about the aspect of “right-standing” or “righteousness”, which is required for anyone to “SAFELY” execute judgment. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is what has afforded us the privilege to be agents and instruments of judgment (2 Cor 5:21, 2 Tim 2:20-21). But we ourselves must be disciplined in righteousness, able to judge between good and evil (Heb 5:14); so that after we have carried out our roles as the instruments of God's judgment, we would NOT be judged as well (1 Cor 9:25-27, 2 Tim 2:5). I will say it again, the righteousness of Jesus Christ puts you in the office of a judge. But it is your righteous living in alignment with the life of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:3, Col 1:9-10), that allows you to SAFELY execute the responsibilities of that office without falling into judgment. By God's Grace I'd get to adequately address this in a follow-up study, but let me say it briefly here, that righteous living is ONLY possible through the Holy Spirit. First of all, Jesus Christ said that our righteousness must SURPASS that of the Pharisees (Matt 5:20); but this CANNOT be accomplished by works of the flesh, which is the mantra of the Pharisees (Phil 3:5-6, Gal 1:14); it is ONLY possible by faith (Rom 9:30-32, 1:17). Faith is an action word (James 2:17, 26); faith is also how we receive the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39, Gal 3:2-6); and faith entails actively keeping in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:24-25). It is then through the Holy Spirit that the fruit of righteous living is manifested, even the aspect of self-control (Gal 5:22-23). And then finally it is such an individual, who is carried along by the Holy Spirit in righteousness, that can then JUDGE ALL THINGS while NOT being liable to judgment. 1 Corinthians 2:15 @15 THE PERSON WITH THE SPIRIT MAKES JUDGMENTS ABOUT ALL THINGS, BUT such a person is NOT subject to merely human judgments, NIV In Matthew 7:1-3, Jesus Christ admonished people NOT to judge especially when being deficient in righteousness, otherwise they would be judged. But in the Passage above, we see that WITH the Holy Spirit, and it is important to emphasize that it is in association WITH the Holy Spirit, we are instructed to JUDGE ALL THINGS, without fear of being judged ourselves. I believe you're getting the message clearly. This further shows that believers are called to be agents and instruments of judgment, even while we're here on earth. We don't argue about the fact that we would serve as judges in the life to come (Luke 22:29-30, *1 Cor 6:3*); but for some reason we struggle to accept that while on earth we are to execute the functions of righteousness by judging between good and evil (**1 Cor 6:1-8**). It should be clear that as Christians we do have that ordination to judge in righteousness. But if it hasn't sunk in yet, let me try to further illustrate. I uploaded a post not too long ago titled, “How Can Jesus Pay For the Sins of Others?” It was primarily a study on priesthood, showing how priesthood makes such a thing possible, thus answering the question posed in the title. And regarding priesthood, it was clearly shown that this was part of Jesus’s ordination (Heb 5:5-6). But not only that, Jesus Christ in turn made us to be priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9, Rev 5:9-10). And the reality of all this is that part of the responsibilities of the priesthood is to teach the Word of God, and serve as judges ([Lev 10:10-11, Malachi 2:7, 2 Chron 15:3], [Deut 17:8-13, **Ezek 44:23-24**]). So it stands to reason that if we have been made priests, then we as well have the responsibility to teach the Word of God and proclaim His righteous judgments. Among other things, this current post is a charge for you to rise to your priestly ordination in Christ, and also your role as an administrator of God's Word and judgments. With the obstacle of misunderstanding Matthew 7:1 being removed, I believe you are open to embracing this responsibility as a judge. The Lord permitting I’d follow up this post to further explore how to properly discern and judge through the Holy Spirit. But in the meantime, step into this role of being a judge. And remember that you must FIRST subject yourself to judgment, before you venture to help someone else walk in the path of righteousness before God (Gal 6:1-5). This means you allow the Word of God to judge you and set you aright (Ps 139:23-24, 19:12-13, 51:7, 13, Jer 10:23-24), before you administer judgment to others to turn them from sin. So with intentionality, if you're a husband, let the Lord show you how to Love and treat your wife (Eph 5:25-33, Col 3:19, 1 Peter 3:7). As the cited Passages show, God has consecrated the husband and wife as one flesh (Matt 19:6), hence maltreating your wife is an indictment against yourself, and can stand as a hindrance for you to execute you other priestly responsibilities, like prayer (Mark 11:25-26 NKJV). And if you're a father, let God show you how to raise and discipline your children in LOVE and NOT with harshness (Prov 22:6 NKJV, Eph 6:4, Col 3:19). If you're a wife; love, respect, and submit to your husband (Eph 5:21-24, 3:18), and build your home wisely (***Prov 14:1***). Wives have more power than they realize, and this power can either be: beneficial to preserve the home (Prov 31:10-31, 1 Sam 25:4-35, *v32-34*); or it can be a raw destructive force that no man can withstand (Prov 21:9, 19, *Eccl 7:26*). Wife, the choice is yours, judge wisely and determine the outcome you prefer for your home. And for children, be sure to obey, honor, and respect your parents (Eph 6:1-3, Col 3:20); and do NOT despise your parents, especially in their old age (Prov 23:22). And in your workplace, you are sure to be diligent, honest, and trustworthy (Col 3:17, Luke 3:12-14, Eph 6:6-8, Daniel 6:3-4). And then after submitting yourself to judgment and refinement by the word of God, you are then licensed to be an instrument of judgment to others (1 Tim 3:4-5). So then in society, you can advocate for that which is right, and resist that which is evil. The major reason why evil continues to prevail is because the righteous do not courageously rise to their ordinations (*Prov 25:26*). All that can begin to change with you. So practically speaking: Judge what would be the appropriate use of your time and resources; Judge what would serve as wholesome entertainment and recreational (Eph 5:4); Judge how best to conduct yourself, and manage relationships and boundaries; Judge everything that pertains to life, and determine what is right (1 Cor 2:15, 6:3). And take responsibility for everything happening around you. Keep watch, and partner with God to see to it that only the right things are established (Matt 18:18, [Jer 6:16-19, Isaiah 56:10-12], Isaiah 62:6-7, Ezek 3:17-21). God OWNS the Earth and everything (Ps 24:1). But He has given mankind the Earth (Gen 1:27-28, Ps 115:16); and entrusted him to take care of it, and all the creatures in it (Gen 2:15). So we are primarily responsible for the outcomes on Earth. God is willing to help, but we must also discharge our duties and make it possible for Him to intervene in our affairs on Earth (Matt 6:8-10, Ezek 22:30-31, 2 Chron 7:14). If there is unrighteousness on our part, we limit His range of intervention because inadvertently He may have to judge us as well, because He is the Righteous Judge. He will not give you a free pass because He Loves you, instead He would prune and discipline you so that you can be holy and righteous like Him ([John 15:1-2, Heb 12:7-11, Rev 3:19], 1 Peter 1:15-17, Eph 4:20-24). That way when He comes to judge, you wouldn't be found wanting. The reason why we still see evil and good in the world, even though God is Good and all powerful, is that if God were to totally eradicate evil, then He would be forced to destroy us as well, because we are ENTANGLED with sin in one way or the other (Rom 3:23). Hence He has allowed good and evil to exist so as to spare us from immediate judgment (Matt 13:24-30, 37-43). But ever so often, before the final Day of Judgment, He has to judge sin; so He ensures that He disentangles us from it by way of disciplining and giving us an opportunity to REPENT (1 John 1:9, Prov 28:13), before He passes judgment. So that when He uproots the evil, we are NOT weeded out along with it due to any entanglement (**1 Cor 11:31-32**, **Heb 12:1**). That is why you find all through Scripture that God always sends out warnings before executing judgment, because He wants people to REPENT, so that they are not destroyed (Ezek 18:31-32, Jonah 3:1-10, 4:11). And that is precisely why He is sending out the Gospel to the whole world (Matt 24:14, 4:17, Luke 24:46-47, John 3:16-18, 36, Rom 5:8-11). It is a warning to preserve people from the Final Day of Judgment that is inevitably going to come (Rev 20:11-15). So, God doesn't want to destroy mankind. However, we must acknowledge that the current state of the world is a result of our actions or inactions. If we do our part, the world prospers and we would enjoy it; but if we fail to do our part the world decays and we would suffer for it (Jer 29:7, Rom 8:19-22). In conclusion, Matthew 7:1 is a directive that shows the consequence of judging and how to avoid it by FIRST being in right-standing. It is NOT to stop you from judging in righteousness, but rather to show you how to do it SAFELY and wisely. As we wrap up, I'd like to find out from you, which section of this study stood out most to you? Do you believe Christians are called to judge righteously today? What are your thoughts on Christians being involved in shaping policies that affect the society? What would you like to see from Christians, or what expectations do you have of them? I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions on these and more in the comment section. If this has blessed you, like and share with your friends and Bible study groups. Thanks for the privilege and opportunity for me to share this teaching with you. I pray you rise to everything that God has ordained you to be, and that you become a beacon of righteousness and justice in every aspect of your life, and in every realm of influence. All of creation awaits your fullness and maturity (Rom 8:19, 1 John 3:1-3). May God manifest His Goodness and Glory through you, that people may get to know Him and be reconciled to Him (2 Cor 5:17-21). To God be all the Glory. God bless and Shalom! Link for the Current Post: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/DO_NOT_JUDGE/ The follow-up post: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/DO_NOT_JUDGE_BY_MERE_APPEARANCES/ Pour cette publication en français : https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/NE_JUGEZ_PAS/ For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity": https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity For Paperback or Hardcover copies: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God": https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod For Paperback copies: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J Follow-up Post to the book, "The Biblical Festivals of God": https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Biblical_Ciphers_Part_One/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Biblical_Ciphers_Part_Two/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/ I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/ https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/ #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod #Matthew7 #DoNotJudge #JudgeRightly #RighteousJudgment #BiblicalJustice #TheFearOfTheLord #BiblicalDiscernment #SpiritualDiscernment #ConvictionOfSin #PriesthoodOfBelievers #TruthAndLight #ChildrenOfLight #WalkInTheSpirit #SoundDoctrine #Repentance #ChristianLiving #God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #TheBible #BiblicalTruth #Theology #ChristianApologetics #ChristianTeaching #Gospel

Be a Prudent Believer Christian faith is not opposed to wisdom. While faith calls us to trust God fully, prudence teaches us to walk wisely. A prudent believer is not fearful, careless, or reckless; rather, he or she discerns times, weighs actions, and aligns decisions with God’s Word. In a world full of deception, pressure, and spiritual traps, God calls His people to combine faith with godly wisdom. 1. Prudence Is a Biblical Expectation Proverbs 14:15 — “The simple believes every word, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” God does not expect believers to live blindly. Prudence involves thinking, discerning, and seeking God’s mind before acting. Faith without wisdom leads to avoidable regret. True spirituality includes spiritual intelligence. Not every opportunity is God’s opportunity. Not every voice speaks for God. 2. Jesus Commended Prudence Matthew 10:16 — “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Jesus instructed His disciples to be both spiritual and sensible. Believers must remain pure in heart while being alert in conduct. Prudence helps us avoid unnecessary spiritual and physical harm. Holiness does not cancel caution. 3. Prudence Preserves Destiny Proverbs 27:12 — “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” Many destinies are damaged not by Satan directly, but by lack of discernment. A prudent believer avoids wrong associations, sinful environments, and careless decisions that threaten destiny. Wisdom today prevents sorrow tomorrow. 4. Prudence in Speech and Conduct Proverbs 13:3 — “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Prudent believers speak thoughtfully, act carefully, and avoid unnecessary conflicts. They understand that words and actions have consequences. Silence can be wisdom; restraint can be strength. 5. Prudence Is Evidence of Spiritual Maturity Hebrews 5:14 — “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Spiritual maturity is seen in discernment. A prudent believer is guided by the Holy Spirit and trained by the Word to distinguish truth from error. Growth in Christ produces wisdom in conduct. Practical Applications -- Pray before major decisions (James 1:5) -- Test every spirit and teaching (1 John 4:1) -- Avoid ungodly counsel and company (Psalm 1:1) -- Plan with God, not presumption (Proverbs 16:3) Conclusion God desires believers who are faithful and wise. Prudence does not weaken faith; it strengthens it. When faith is guided by wisdom, believers walk securely, glorify God, and fulfill destiny without unnecessary losses. Prayer Points Lord, grant me the spirit of wisdom and discernment. Deliver me from careless decisions that endanger my destiny. Help me to walk wisely in every area of my life. Holy Spirit, guide my steps daily. Altar Call If you desire a life directed by God’s wisdom and not by impulse, surrender your heart fully to Christ today. True prudence begins with a relationship with Jesus, the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Pastor Abiodun Kadri #BeAPrudentBeliever #ChristianWisdom #FaithAndWisdom #BiblicalDiscernment #WalkInWisdom #SpiritualMaturity #WiseLiving #GuidedByTheWord #ChristianGrowth

This month’s devotional is now available! The Pathway to Discernment: 30-Day Devotional Journal is a transformative journey through the Scriptures designed to help you grow in spiritual discernment. Each day, you will explore a different Bible passage that illuminates God's wisdom and guidance, enabling you to make decisions that align with His will. This devotional is crafted to deepen your understanding of what it means to discern the voice of God, distinguish between truth and deception, and navigate life's choices with clarity and confidence. Whether you are seeking direction in a specific area or desire to sharpen your spiritual senses, this journal will guide you step by step on the path to godly discernment. May the Lord bless you as you grow in discernment! #OctoberDevotional #DailyDevotional #BiblicalDiscernment https://www.patrickryanlewis.com/devotionals