“Non-Judgement?” 7-23-23

Overview

Non-Judgment? Rightly Handling What Scripture Says About Judging

"Don't judge me." The phrase is everywhere, captured neatly by the bumper sticker that reads, "Non-Judgment Day is Coming." At first glance, Scripture seems to back the slogan. Jesus says plainly, "Do not judge so that you may not be judged" Matthew 7:1-2. James warns against speaking evil and judging a neighbor James 4:11-12. Paul tells the Corinthians not to "pronounce judgment before the time" 1 Corinthians 4:5.

Yet the same authors also command judgment. Just fourteen verses after telling us not to judge, Jesus says, "Beware of false prophets… you will know them by their fruits" Matthew 7:15-16—a clear act of judgment based on what is evident. Paul, who said "do not pronounce judgment," tells the Corinthians that he has "already pronounced judgment" on a man whose sin was tolerated by the church 1 Corinthians 5:1-3. This is not contradiction but distinction. Jesus, who alone perceived what the scribes were "questioning in their hearts" Mark 2:6-12, reserves judgment of the heart for God. We are not God. We do not see motives or thoughts, and we are forbidden to render verdicts there. But what is outward, evident, seen, and heard—that we are called to judge by the Word of God, and to act upon faithfully.

How we act matters as much as whether we act. Paul gives the pattern: "If anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness" Galatians 6:1. The most loving response to a brother or sister's apparent and unrepented sin is not silence dressed up as humility ("who am I to judge?"). The most loving response is gentle, restorative speech aimed at repentance—the same purpose behind the Office of the Keys, which both forgives the repentant and withholds forgiveness from the unrepentant so that they might be brought back. We do this knowing we are sinners too, first taking the log from our own eye so we can see clearly to help with our neighbor's speck Matthew 7:3-5.

We fall short on both sides—judging hearts we cannot see, and ignoring sin we should lovingly address. And judgment day is real: "All of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:10; see also Romans 14:10-12; 2 Timothy 4:1). Here is the gospel: Christ "has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself," and will "appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" Hebrews 9:26-28. In Christ we stand not guilty. In the meantime, by God's grace, may we live the distinction—judging rightly what God calls us to judge, leaving to him what only he can see, and always acting in gentleness with the aim of restoration.

Transcript

Let us pray. 2s

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. 6s

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. 11s

We praise you, gracious God, that as you gather us today in this your house, you gather 16s

us together as your people. 24s

You have claimed us in the waters of baptism, you have called us your own. 28s

And we live in the days you have appointed for us this side of heaven in the blessed assurance 34s

of your presence and your grasp upon us in the blessed assurance of heaven divine. 42s

In Jesus' strong and holy name we pray. 53s

Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the sixth seventh chapter of the Gospel of 59s

Matthew. 64s

Matthew the seventh chapter. 65s

You'll find that if you're using a few additional this morning on page six, Matthew the 67s

seventh chapter for our study today. 72s

It was off to the bull park we went. 77s

Always a good day. 81s

A recent Ranger game and it was one of those hot days. 84s

I was looking forward to the air conditioning inside. 91s

I remember the days of the old Ranger field. 95s

You remember that the converted minor league park. 98s

Then of course the bull park in our LinkedIn. 102s

But now the new park air conditioning. 106s

Just before the game the announcer said, it is 103 degrees actual temperature outside. 111s

It is 74 degrees inside to which the loudest cheer of the day occurred from the fans. 120s

The trek from the parking lot was a toasty one. 131s

And as we started to get near to the park by all the restaurants there was quite a 137s

commotion at the intersection. 144s

And there is the crowds were coming from different directions to cross the street. 147s

There at the intersection were some street preachers. 152s

The lady had a long white dress on with a big cross. 157s

She was holding a rather large cross. 162s

There were several men one with a bull horn. 165s

He was passionately preaching. 169s

Another was handing out tracks. 171s

At that corner it was rather frenetic. 176s

It was loud. 178s

The preacher desperately trying to be heard over the den of the noise that was occurring. 181s

As I listened in as I looked at the signs which were rather direct and blunt, 190s

I wondered to myself about the effectiveness or the merits of such an approach. 200s

That is something that can certainly be debated. 209s

The topic was the last judgment. 215s

The last judgment. 222s

The signs communicated it. 225s

The preacher communicated it. 227s

The last judgment. 230s

Judgment isn't that popular of a topic, especially these days. 233s

Whether it be the last judgment or whether it be judging in and of itself. 239s

It's just not that popular, isn't it? 246s

Have you ever said to someone or have you ever heard someone say to you? 250s

Don't judge me. 259s

Don't judge me. 263s

Because there seems to be a frown upon any kind of judgment that is made. 266s

The phrase goes, you do you and all do me. 275s

And let's just not judge one another. 280s

Because the world would be a lot better place if we just didn't judge one person. 282s

Another. 288s

The vision is lifted up of a world in which judgment is something that you would read about in the history books. 290s

Personified by a bumper sticker. 304s

Have you seen it? 308s

That says, 310s

non-judgment day is coming. 314s

Non-judgment day is coming. 320s

Well, you look at that bumper sticker and it seems like there are, 327s

it seems like there are some big name advocates with regard to that. 330s

Well, listen to what Jesus says. 335s

Look at it with me. 337s

Please, first one of chapter 7 of Matthew. 338s

Jesus says, 341s

do not judge so that you may not be judged. 343s

For with the judgment you make, you will be judged and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 348s

Jesus's brother James records in the fourth chapter. 358s

Do not speak evil against one another brothers and sisters. 364s

Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another speaks evil against the law and judges the law. 368s

But if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law but a judge. 379s

There's one law giver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. 384s

So then who are you to judge your neighbor? 390s

You've got Jesus, you've got James. 398s

How about Paul? 402s

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4, 404s

therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time before the Lord comes. 407s

Who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart? 415s

So would Jesus and would James and would Paul, would they say that sticker, non-judgment day is coming, put it on my cart. 424s

Is that what they would say? 440s

And yet, you've got Corinth. 444s

Corinth was an absolute mess. 450s

An absolute mess in the church. 453s

And the apostle Paul, pastor Paul, was trying to straighten it out. 456s

And one of the problems he faced, he writes about in 1 Corinthians 5, 462s

he says, it is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you and of a kind that's not even found among pagans. 467s

For a man is living with his father's wife and your arrogant. 477s

Should you not rather have mourned so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you? 484s

Paul's concern here, because there's blatant sin that is apparent to the community and the community is doing absolutely nothing about it. 493s

They're looking the other way. 501s

Then he says this, for though absent in body I am present in spirit. 504s

And as if present catch this, I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. 514s

This was the same one who in 1 Corinthians 4 says, don't judge. 531s

And yet here he is saying, I have already pronounced judgment. 539s

Let's look at Matthew chapter 7 verse 15, please. 548s

In the very same chapter where the Lord Jesus Christ says, do not judge. 552s

Verse 15 he says, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 560s

Well that's a judgment, isn't it? 575s

You can't call someone a false prophet. You can't say here that they're in sheep's clothing. 578s

You can't call them that without making a what? 585s

Without making a judgment. 589s

And this is just a few verses later here where Jesus said, remember, judge not. 595s

And then 14 verses later what is he doing? 603s

Beware of false prophets. He's judging. Is this some type of theological whiplash that is going on here? 609s

Because which one is it then? Are we not to judge or are we to judge? 620s

Then which one is it? 628s

Man was paralyzed. 636s

Forward, tending him, he was absolutely dependent upon them. 640s

They were carrying their friends to Jesus. 648s

In Mark II chapter it tells the story that when they come to the house where Jesus is at, the house is so full of people. 652s

They can't get their friend to Jesus. So what do they do? 660s

They go up onto the roof and they take advantage of how the roofs were built in ancient day. 664s

And they tear off the roof and they dig through it and they lower their friend in front of Jesus. 670s

And Jesus looks at the paralytic and says, son, your sins are forgiven. 678s

Then listen to the rest of the story. 686s

In Mark II chapter, 690s

now some of the scribes were sitting there questioning in their hearts. 694s

Why does this fellow speak in this way? 702s

It is blasphemy who can forgive sins but got alone. 705s

What are they doing? They're talking to themselves. 709s

They're questioning in their heart. 712s

It's not a verbal here. It's in the heart. 715s

Scripture says they were questioning in their hearts. 718s

At once Jesus perceived and his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves. 723s

And he said to them, why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 729s

Which is easier? 734s

To say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven or to say, stand up and take your mat and walk. 736s

Well so that you may know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins. 742s

He said to the paralytic, I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home. 748s

And he stood up and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them so that they all were amazed and glorified. 753s

God saying, we've never seen anything like this. 762s

Jesus has got in the flesh. Jesus is omniscient. Jesus knows all. 770s

He knew what was going on in their hearts. 777s

He knew exactly what they were thinking. 782s

He knew exactly what they were saying to themselves. 786s

He knew what was going on in their hearts. 791s

We don't. 803s

We don't. 807s

We don't know what's in the heart of the other. 813s

We don't know what they're thinking. 820s

Jesus does. 827s

We don't. 832s

We are not to judge the heart. 835s

Only God knows the heart. 843s

We don't. 846s

Back to that first Corinthians four passage. 848s

When Paul says, don't pronounce judgment before the time. 852s

And then remember what he said of Jesus. 856s

He said that Jesus will disclose the purposes of the heart. 858s

We are not to judge the heart. 864s

Only God knows the heart. 869s

Okay. 872s

Back to verse one of chapter seven of Matthew. 873s

Jesus says, do not judge so that you may not be judged. 879s

What's he talking about? 885s

He's talking about the heart. 891s

The heart. 893s

There are things that we are to judge and act upon. 897s

We are to judge them in accordance with the Word of God. 903s

We are to act upon them in accordance with the Word of God. 906s

That which is outward and that which is evident. 911s

Why that's evident even in the text here. 916s

Because look at what Jesus says he goes on in verse three. 919s

Why do you see the spec and your neighbor's eye, 923s

but do not notice the log and your own eye? 926s

Or how can you say to your neighbor, let me take the spec out of your eye. 929s

While the log is in your own eye, you hypocrite. 933s

First take the log out of your own eye. 936s

And then you will see clearly to take the spec out of your neighbor's eye. 940s

Notice there's still the call to action there. 946s

That after we take the log out of our own eye, 951s

what are we to do with the neighbor? 953s

But we are to take the spec out of their own eye. 958s

That can only occur when a judgment is made. 962s

That can only occur because the spec is apparent. 965s

Look at verse 15 again of chapter seven. 971s

When Jesus says, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, 975s

but inwardly our ravenous wolves, 981s

then look at what he says in the very next verse. 984s

You will know them by their fruits. 986s

See that's not judging of the heart, is it? 990s

That's judging what is evident. 993s

What is apparent? 995s

The Scripture reveals to us then this important distinction 1000s

that there are things that we are to judge in accordance with the Word of God 1005s

and act upon it. 1012s

And there are those things that we are not to judge. 1015s

We are to judge in accordance with the Word of God on that which is outward 1021s

and that which is evident, that which is apparent, 1028s

that which is seen, that which is heard. 1033s

And we are not to judge on what we can't see, which is the heart. 1037s

We're not to judge on what we think the other person 1045s

might be thinking and to say, I know what you're thinking. 1050s

We don't know what they're thinking, right? 1054s

Because they're not our thoughts. 1058s

Because it's not evident. 1060s

That's why Scripture seems to say both things, 1066s

but they're not saying to contradictory things. 1068s

They're saying to complementory things. 1071s

That indeed we are called to be a people that judge and act upon that which is outward 1076s

and not to judge and act upon that which is inward. 1084s

All right then. 1092s

Why does God give us this call? 1094s

Why does He give us this call? 1097s

And how are we to do it? 1100s

Paul writes in Galatians 6. 1106s

He says this. 1109s

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, 1111s

let me just pause there, if anyone is detected in a transgression, 1117s

what does that mean? 1122s

It means it's outward, right? 1124s

It's evident. 1126s

One doesn't judge in the heart. 1128s

It's detected. 1130s

It's in front of one. 1131s

It's like the situation in Corinth where you have the sin that is evident to the community 1133s

and Paul is chastizing the community for looking the other way and not dealing with it. 1139s

It is evident. 1144s

Paul says, my friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, 1146s

you who have received the spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. 1151s

You who have received the spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. 1165s

Okay, catacus and bass. 1175s

Remember, when Luther writes about the biblical doctrine of the office of the keys, 1177s

what's the office of the keys? 1182s

It's the call to declare to those that repent that their sins are forgiven. 1185s

Here's the hard part. 1191s

Declare to those that don't repent that their sins are not forgiven. 1194s

For what purpose? 1201s

So they might be restored that they might come to repentance. 1205s

And how is one to do that? 1214s

But one is to do that with gentleness, with gentleness, 1218s

with the purpose of restoration. 1227s

You see, the most loving thing is not when one's sin is apparent and manifest. 1235s

It is not simply to say, who might judge and walk away? 1244s

That's not the most loving thing. 1253s

That's not how we care for one another. 1255s

It's not the most loving thing to say, hey, we're all sinners. 1259s

Who might judge? 1263s

No, the most loving thing is engentleness to speak to the one with regard to the sin. 1266s

That is apparent and being unrepentant of. 1278s

And to do it with the understanding that we too are sinners. 1285s

To do it with gentleness. 1296s

We fall short with regard to this all the time. 1306s

All the time. 1313s

We don't judge what we should judge. 1316s

We don't act on what we should act on. 1321s

And what we should never judge. 1326s

We fall short all the time on not acting with regard to the outward and finding it really easy to judge what we shouldn't judge. 1333s

The inward. 1349s

It is a frightening prospect, isn't it? 1354s

It is a frightening prospect to come before the Lord on the day of judgment, 1361s

and the judgment will come. 1374s

Scripture tells us, second Corinthians 5, 1381s

for all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 1384s

Romans 4, for we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 1389s

Each of us will be accountable to God. 1394s

Second Timothy 4 says, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, 1396s

who is to judge the living and the dead, 1402s

judgment day will come. 1406s

And here's the good news. 1413s

It's the glorious gospel. 1416s

Hebrews 9 chapter. 1420s

He has appeared speaking of Jesus. 1424s

Once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 1427s

When Jesus Christ went to the cross, he took all of our sin upon him. 1437s

It's the great sacrifice. 1443s

Jesus bore all of our sin, the guilt of our sin. 1446s

Scripture then goes on and says, and just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, 1453s

and after that the judgment so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many 1458s

will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly 1467s

waiting for him. 1474s

Judgment day is coming and beloved, we can stand confident on that day, 1478s

knowing that we have been judged not guilty through Christ, not guilty, 1490s

because Jesus has borne the punishment in our place. 1502s

In the meantime, by God's grace may we be found faithful. 1512s

May we be found faithful in judging and acting upon 1521s

what he calls us to judge and act upon. 1530s

That which is evident and outward, and judging and acting upon it, based on the word of God. 1537s

Judging and acting upon it with gentleness, with the motive to restore. 1550s

By God's grace in the meantime, may we not judge what we are not guilty. 1568s

Not called to judge, may we not judge the heart in the meantime by God's grace. 1578s

May we live the distinction. 1597s

Thank you. 1613s