Discernment, Not Judgment

Discernment, Not Judgment

Read: Matthew 7:1-5

“In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 7:2

“How rarely we weigh our neighbor in the same balance in which we weigh ourselves.”

—Thomas à Kempis

IN WORD The first verse of this passage is one of the most amiliar in the New Testament—“Do not judge, or you, too, will be judged.” Even many in the secular world quote it as a mantra for tolerance, using it as an excuse to avoid moral standards. And, to an extent, there is some truth in their interpretation—God has not called us to be judgmental or to set ourselves up as arbiters of eternal rewards. We are not in a position to look down on anyone. But are we to have no moral discernment at all?

No, verse 2 clarifies for us what Jesus means. There is a type of human judgment that points out others’ faults without recognizing our own. The double standard is an indication that we’ve never really accepted God’s mercy. Our view of others reflects our understanding of the gospel. If we first recognize that we were guilty before God and that His grace has showered us with forgiveness in Christ, we’ll see others compassionately. He bridged a huge gap between Him and us, and we must always be aware that our position in Him is all of grace. Then, and only then, can we stand up for what’s right. We begin to see others as we see ourselves—candidates for mercy rather than candidates for wrath.

IN DEED Our society has many moral ills, and nowhere does Jesus tell us to be quiet about them. When we take a stand on the moral issues of our day, we are adhering to biblical principles. But we can do that without being judgmental. We must take a stand from a position of identification with sinful humanity, not from a position of superiority over it. We have been, and often still are, part of the problem. Those who lecture others about immorality as if they are above it believe deep down that they have earned God’s favor, and no one listens. But when we speak as sinners saved by grace, many will hear with open minds.