Have you ever heard words like these when you pointed out a problem you saw in someone? “You’re not supposed to judge me,” they told you. “The Bible says so.”
Does it, though? What does the Bible say on this topic? Do believers have any guidelines on judging others? Yes. Let’s go over a few of them.
Probably the most famous passage of judging is found in Matthew 7:1-5:
7:1
Judge not, that you be not judged.
7:2
For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
7:3
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
7:4
Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye”; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
7:5
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Let’s look it over carefully, because it appears to forbid us to judge others right at the beginning. On closer inspection, the first couple verses forewarn us not to judge lest we be judged in turn. Look how it happens in real life: when we point out someone’s flaw, then that person responds with, “Oh, yeah? What about you?” They throw it right back at us. We aren’t perfect, either. Verses 3-4, about the light pole in our eye versus the toothpick in theirs, bear this out.
If we are judging in the wrong spirit, then we have the bigger problem, a bigger plank in our eye than they do. We have serious issues to tackle before we go judging others. Sadly, this observation of our Lord is right on the money. It should be. It was spoken by the one who said He was “the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus doesn’t lie.
Verse 3 puts the finger on the issue: you don’t consider the plank in your own eye. We are in the habit of seeing the wrongs in others, but failing to examine ourselves, and we instead give ourselves a free pass. As long as we think we are the good ones and they need to be fixed, then we are in the wrong. We are not ready to point out the faults of others when we haven’t dealt honestly with our own. That’s why Jesus calls us “hypocrites” in verse 5. We are pretending to be OK when we’re not.
Jesus says, “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” We cast out this log by the Holy Spirit, who brings it to our attention in some way. The Lord reveals the way of deliverance and we take it. We work with the Lord until we’ve repented and are changed. The result is deliverance from the Lord and humility on our part. We could not do this apart from Him. Only from this place of humility and need are we ready to see clearly. We have a testimony of grace to share.
We’ll know this change in our lives when we see a fault in someone that needs pointing out and approach it from the position of being on the same level. (Not from above looking down on them!) You might use words like, “You know, I see in you the same thing I had. But the Lord worked in me and delivered me. Do you want to know more?”
With this approach, you’re not being judgmental with the tone that sets people’s teeth on edge. (You might have been on the receiving end. You know what it feels like.) With the two-by-four of pride removed, you can witness of the Lord’s work in you with graciousness. He saved you and He can save them. Because you’ve gone through it, you can help others along.
The beam of lacking love for whom Christ died is removed from your eye. Now you can address them with Christ’s own care for souls.
There’s a time and place for judging—but not condemnation—of a brother or sister in Christ. See Romans 8:1—the Lord is in the recovery business, not the condemning business (also see the grave warning in Matthew 18:4-9). There’s a purpose for pointing out a fault, and that’s to restore a person to a right relation to Christ. (And not merely because it irritates you.)
How should we take it when others point out a fault in us? They may mean well; or they may be rude when gleefully pointing out a fault. Rather than responding in kind, we need to calm down, listen to their gripe about us, and thank them. Then take it to the Lord to see if there is any truth to the claim. If others mention the same thing, then there may be something to it, and we should deal with it.
Praying Psalm 139:23-24 in humility would be helpful here, along with asking close friends about it. We can pray the psalm: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
The process of Christian sanctification implies change. We should expect faithful saints to point out the defects in our character or practices. God desires to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This life-long process implies that we aren’t perfect, and we have a long way to go. Get used to it!
Now if you wanted to point out a brother’s or sister’s serious issue, like sin committed against you or a heretical belief, let Matthew 18:15-17 be your guide. Tell the brother in private first. If you’re rejected, return with two witnesses. If rejected, go further, according to your church leadership’s processes.
Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to stir up love and good works and encourage one another to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Accept any corrections they offer, with thanksgiving.
Confession and repentance are always good correctives for the present time. They help us get right with the Lord. And since they can be difficult to address and implement at times, the experience will help us be more gentle when addressing the messy parts of someone else’s life (Galatians 6:1).
Toward this end, servants of the Lord are told in 2 Timothy 2:25-26, “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
In our “judging,” speak the truth patiently in love. Then we will be tools the Lord can use to deliver people from the work of the enemy and back into obedience to the will of God.
