Judging
Sermon Summary – Sermon on the Mount: Judging
Bro. Timothy Ting | 12 October 2025 | Matthew 7: 1- 6
“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. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
— Matthew 7:1-6
Many stop at the first phrase, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (vs. 1), concluding that Christians must never judge at all. But Jesus did not give a full stop there. The whole passage must be read together.
He was not forbidding discernment; He was condemning hypocritical judgment. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were masters of double standards—appearing pious while twisting God’s law to their purpose and to use it like a weapon against others. They were big on religious traditions and ceremonies. They proudly judged tax collectors and prostitutes as unworthy of God’s kingdom, yet their own hearts were far from Him. Jesus exposed this hypocrisy.
Vs 3 pictures two persons with eye problems—one with a speck, the other with a plank. Both need treatment but one is more serious than the other. The lesson: before correcting others, we must first examine ourselves. We cannot see clearly to help a brother until we deal with our own sin.
God will judge us by the same standard we use on others. Therefore, if we desire mercy, we must extend mercy. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” — James 2:12-13.
It is a sobering truth: the measure we use will be measured back to us. And knowing this, surely we would want our own judgment to be fair, honest, and filled with mercy.
Our God is full of love and mercy, yet He calls us to obedience. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”— James 1:22-24.
Looking in a mirror but walking away unchanged shows self-deception. God looks not at the outward appearance but at the heart. Hence Jesus warned in John 7:24.
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
When Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, the Jews condemned Him by appearances instead of righteousness. We too must avoid premature conclusions when we lack full evidence, and ensure our judgments are rooted in God’s Word.
“My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.” — Psalm 119:172.
Judging must be based on facts, not assumptions, emotions, or anger.
Does this mean we must be perfect before helping another?
No. Jesus did not say, “Never remove your brother’s speck.” He said, “First remove the plank.” Once we confront our larger issues, we are able to guide others gently.
An illustration of a bank robber cannot credibly tell a pickpocket to stop stealing—but one who has repented of theft can help another change.
Judging rightly begins with self-judgment that leads to repentance and restoration. Unfair, self-righteous judgment is condemned by God, but righteous, compassionate discernment is required among believers. And before we can call others to repentance, we ourselves must first be the living example of the change we hope to see in them.
Therefore, judge fairly, with pure motives and a humble heart. Love must govern every act of correction. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” — Matthew 6:14-15.
Many judged Jesus wrongly; blinded by prejudice, they failed to see truth. Our goal in judging is not to condemn but to restore. “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” — Romans 2:1.
The apostle also teaches, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” — Galatians 6:1. Correction must come from love and humility.
“Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” — 1 Peter 5:5. Only the humble can see clearly.
The message of Jesus is not a ban on judging but a warning against hypocrisy, a call to self-examination, and a commission to judge righteously with mercy. In God’s family, we help one another grow—not by condemning, but by lovingly guiding each other back to truth.
Key Takeaways
Judging is not prohibited, but hypocrisy is condemned.
Examine yourself first—remove the plank before addressing another’s speck.
Judge righteously, according to God’s Word, not appearances or emotion.
Let mercy triumph—forgive as God forgives you.
Stay humble and aim for restoration, not condemnation.
For in God’s household, we are not adversaries sitting in judgment, but brothers and sisters walking together toward holiness. We correct in love, forgive freely, and lift one another up — for we are a family, bound by His mercy and united in His grace.
