Notes
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.
1 Corinthians 5:12
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Proverbs 27:17
We live in a culture that avoids confrontation and craves comfort, where many people want to live "their truth." But God calls us to something better - His truth, the only truth. Sharpening each other means speaking truth in love, even if it causes a few sparks. We need people who don’t just tell us what we want to hear, but what we need to hear.
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”
Matthew 7:1-2
If we stop at verse one, we get a twisted version of the truth. This is why it is so important to read Scripture in context–if we don’t, we’ll make it seem like Jesus is saying something He never said. If you read up to verse 12, you’ll reach the Golden Rule. What Jesus is saying is that when we do judge each other, we do it constructively: to help them heal from the sin that’s destroying them, not to condemn them.
1) Judge With the Right Heart
Stopping at verse 1 gives us a distorted view of what Jesus is saying. When we read it in context, all the way through verse 12 (which ends with the Golden Rule), we understand that Jesus is teaching us how to correct each other with humility, not harshness. The goal of judgment isn’t condemnation - it’s restoration.
We are to help people heal from sin, not shame them for it. Before speaking, ask: Am I trying to help this person grow closer to God, or am I just pointing out their faults?
2) Judge for the Right Reason
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Matthew 7:3-5
We must first examine our own hearts before pointing out someone else’s sin. Ask yourself: am I acting out of jealousy or pride? Am I trying to elevate myself by tearing someone else down? Or am I genuinely trying to help someone become who God created them to be? Once we’ve dealt with our own “logs,” we can humbly help others with their “specks.”
3) Judge the Right People
“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”
Matthew 7:6
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.
1 Corinthians 5:12
Our responsibility is to hold one another accountable within the Church—not to judge those outside it. The world doesn’t live by Kingdom standards, so we shouldn’t be surprised when it doesn’t act like it.
For those outside the faith, our job is to be a witness, not a judge. And even inside the Church, correction should come in the context of relationship and love, not superiority. Don’t force truth on someone who isn’t open to receiving it. Instead, model Christlike love through your actions until they’re ready to hear.
Jesus never said we shouldn’t judge–but judgment should be done carefully. We judge not to tear down, but to build up.
Group Questions
- Why do you think people often misunderstand or misuse “Do not judge”?
- Can you think of a time when someone spoke truth into your life in a way that helped you grow?
- What’s the difference between condemnation and correction?
- How can we correct one another while still reflecting the love of Christ to those outside the Church?
Prayer
Thank you for your truth. Help us to be humble people who are willing to receive correction, and courageous enough to lovingly speak truth when it’s needed. Give us discernment to judge with the right heart and wisdom to know when to speak and when to simply show love. Use us to build up your Church and bring light to the world.