May 22, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 7 (NIV)
Judging Others
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.
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?……Continue Reading
7:21
For all the nominal Christians (in name only) out there that believe in God and live as though He doesn’t exist, this verse is for you!
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
Still pondering, -reb
Judging others only leads to destruction. We have no right to judge others and we never will. Jesus is the only Judge. When we judge others, Jesus will judge us as we did to others. Who are we to judge others?
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23)
When we ask things that are in compliance with God’s will, He will give them to us. Use the things that He gives for His glory and give thanks.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)
We have to try not to be just hearers of the word but also doers of it. Put the things that you have heard into practice and God will reward you with peace and heaven. Build your houses on the rock and you will not be shaken by the things that the world throws at you. Enter by the narrow gate, God’s gate.
“He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?”
(Micah 6:8)
8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7
I think Judging is something I know I need to work on daily. Even if I do not say it out loud my thoughts do. I should repent daily. Wide and broad is the road to destruction. It says many will enter through. But using the words small and narrow is the road that leads to life and the kingdom of God. A few is not even many. Do not be fooled by sweet talkers. Jesus says the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
To build your house on a rock with the bible and Jesus will Keep your foundation strong. It will stand strong through all kinds of storms of life. Jesus teaches with authority.
Matthew 7
Matthew 3 and following. Been looking for any precedencts in the biblical account. 3:2 John the Baptist says the “kingdom of heaven” is at hand. 3:17, an unknown voice from heaven says Jesus is his beloved son. We know that voice is the Father.
4:17, Jesus also says the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Up to this point in OT Scripture, there is not a lot of discussion about the kingdom of heaven, or going there. Seems now in the NT, the spiritual guidance offered is that there comes (exists) a kingdom from a heavenly location; implying the voice as the Father’s, heaven is the place of God himself.
Chapter 5, Jesus asserts this heaven-kingdom is a future reward for those who live righteously, and is to be highly regarded, desired.
I note as a precedent for me, that Matthew is the beginning of men living and dying on earth, with no clear or repeated emphasis on eternal destiny in the OT, to a very certain pointing towards heaven as our eternal home in the NT. -gy
Daniel 12 says:
”“At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.“
Daniel 12:1-3 NKJV
Here
thanks for letting us know, Steve!
This passage doesn`t say that we should never judge. It does warn not to judge unless you have already taken out the plank in your own eye. We should never have the attitude of being critical just for the sake of being critical. We as people make judgements all the time in our daily lives. What job, food, education, etc. So we must have a Christ like attitude when it comes to other people. We also make decisions on whether we will sin or walk with Jesus. The problem is because of our old nature which we still have even though we have the new nature is that it is so easy to find fault of someone else and not even look at our own sin. We need to remember that our life is not our own and that we have been bought with a price. We belong to Christ. I think that the more we look to Christ the less we will find fault with others. Sometimes we don`t know what this other person has been though. We should love people but not condone the sin. Jesus said not to give that which is holy before dogs and not cast your pearls before pigs. I remember while I was in Canada at a Evangelism meeting out doors and we had someone preaching Christ that a drunk man tried to interfere with the preaching by yelling at the one preaching. A few of our staff took him aside and he left after they spoke to him. One of the staff came over to me and quoted this scripture to me. He was implying that the drunk man had no intention of hearing God`s word { pearls} but only in disrupting the meeting. I thought that the staff handled it very well. I never forgot it and it was over 40 years ago. This was also a case of making a judgement call at that very moment. I am also very sure that many were praying. We were always seeing people get saved and if I remember right someone got saved that night. God wants us to be persistent in our prayers to Him. Jesus says that those who find the narrow gate are few and those who stay on the wide path are many. The narrow way is only through Christ by faith alone. The rest are headed for destruction by their own choosing for God gives us a free will. We need to build our lives on the strong foundation which is Jesus our Rock. Jesus warns of false prophets that they will appear as sheep but will actually be wolfs in sheep clothing. We need to be aware and make rightful judgements to know if their teaching is in line of what the scriptures say or is it teaching contrary to the scriptures. Many may believe that they are saved but show no evidence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. When Jesus says that many of them would do wonderous works, cast out demons, prophesied in His name it made me think of Judas Iscariot. He did all those things and wasn`t a believer.
Take the plank out of your own eye. Picked up a pen years ago. Never forgot what it said. The lessons we teach best are the ones we need to learn the most.
So true as a young kid my grandfather lived with us for 6 years. Him and I butted heads All the time. I have become Pepe and always had his traits. One of my most favorite verses in all scripture. As. Father. If your son asks for bread. Give him a stone. Or fish. Give him a snake. Our father in heaven knows what’s best for us. Ask and it will be given to us.
”“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 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? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.“
Matthew 7:1-5 NKJV
People use this verse as a defense mechanism against anyone making an evaluation of their questionable behavior, but I don’t think that is what these verses mean. We judge all the time between right and wrong, and we must or we would be in a lawless society (and we are!) We must use the measure against ourselves first.
When we use Gods word as the measure, we can make a right judgement. But with using God’s “measure” there is also mercy, forgiveness, and love and the expectation of repentance, remorse, humility and reconciliation. The rebuke is hypocrisy.
I love that the sermon ends and it says the people were astonished at His teachings and His authority. Think of these simple lessons but so pertinent to our everyday life, they are the things we struggle with all the time and He knew that. His teachings were so different for the time it must have felt like He was looking into their hearts and minds. No different than today. This sermon makes us take time to pause on our own choices, are we judging others, are we seeking God in all things, are we giving and loving the way we should? It sometimes feels the simplest things become our biggest stumbling blocks!
Matthew 7 we need to examine our own hearts before we look at others and criticize. God is the only judge!
Verse 7 just reminds us how easy it is to become a child of God, “ask and it will given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you”. He wants us to persist in finding God. Not everyone will enter Heaven, we need to be obedient, loving, bearing fruit by sharing the Gospel of Christ. We are reminded that the gate that leads to Christ is narrow and the wide gate leads to destruction and he says many will enter through it.
Matt 7.
I do believe it is valid to differentiate between making a proper judgment and not judging in the way Jesus speaks of here. Making a proper judgement is recognizing the difference between right and wrong and making a decision to follow what is right. A proper judgement is also about deciding not to allow a person who is in the wrong to influence you. A wrong judgement is looking down on someone because they are wrong, and effectively punishing them for it in the treatment you give them. That is the judgement Jesus says not to operate in and we should be far more concerned where we are wrong and be harder on ourselves than we would be on others. We do also need to be careful not to share the truth with those who clearly don’t want to hear it. God’s truth is narrow in it’s concentration, that only what God says is true. The way is wide outside of that because anyone’s opinion is valid. And we will be able to figure out those who are representing that truth by the fruit that comes from their lives. Will that fruit be representative of what God approves and enables, or about self and sin. And when it comes to that truth, we are wise to build our lives on it. The storms will come and how much we are depending on the truth will be revealed in how well we withstand it.
And what a great aspect of that truth is that God is a giving and gracious God. He is open handed to those who ask and as we seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us.
Matthew 7
Matthew 7
““Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.7.7-8.NIV
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. These simple words are words to live by.
Matthew 6-7