Forgiving not Judging

FORGIVING NOT JUDGING

Matthew 7:1-5

 

by: Pnt. Drs. Beltasar Pakpahan

 

”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) 

Judge Not

Our relationships with fellow human beings often depend on the standards we use for others, or vice versa, on what others measure us. The standards we use often refer to what is owned and produced by the people we measure. The problem is, in this measurement, we tend to use double standards: standards that are loose and low for ourselves, and standards that are tight and too high for others. Because it's so easy to measure or judge other people, there are times when we fall into a judgmental attitude.

The word “judge” in v. 1 is translated from the Greek word “krino” which means to decide, to criticize, to argue, to consider, to punish (Strong #2919). By saying ”judge not”  in this passage, Jesus actually directed the focus of criticism to the Pharisees who liked to judge others with arrogance, humiliation, harassment and even violence. But this criticism is also directed at us in general. We like to judge others because then we can show ourselves to be good and moral people.

Jesus' statement in v. 2 that ”the measure you use, it will be measured back to you”, warns us emphatically so that before evaluating or judging others, we must first correct or evaluate ourselves whether we pass what we want to correct or evaluate. That is, if we evaluate or correct others without first evaluating or correcting ourselves, then we are not qualified to provide such evaluation or correction.

 

Who Likes to Judge is:

1. Hypocrite

Words and deeds that do not match - on the lips with in the heart is different - are the characteristics of hypocrites. Like to judge is one of the characteristics of a hypocrite, as stated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 2:1 - ”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.”

2. A person who thinks he's great

In John 8:3-7 it is told about the Pharisees and Scribes who brought a woman caught in the act of adultery before Jesus. They did this to test Jesus whether the punishment that Jesus would decide was in accordance with the law regarding adultery set out in the five books of Moses – ”Moses in the law”. Their real goal was to dictate and trap Jesus. That means, they think that with the religious knowledge, capacity and authority they have, they are greater than Jesus.

3. A person who thinks he is right

The Pharisees always considered themselves righteous compared to all other people. The same attitude is also found in the Sadducees. These two groups together with other Jewish religious leaders conspired to try, judge and kill Jesus which they considered to be the right action done by the right party. However, the truth of God's Word actually confirms the opposite: no one is righteous and everyone has sinned (1 John 1:8; Romans 3:10,23).

4. A person who is not willing to self-correct

It's so easy to measure, evaluate or judge others, we often forget to correct ourselves. In fact, the Apostle Paul has reminded us of this in Romans 2:3 – ”And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?”

5. A person who looks down on others

Judging is often done by a person who considers other people trivial, unimportant or lowly. An example is recorded in Luke 18:11 - ”The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.”

6. A person who does not know the truth of God's word about love

Jesus Himself taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:39) not to judge. We must also love those who hate us and even our enemies (Luke 6:27). So, if we know the truth of God's word about love, we won't easily fall into the judgmental attitude of others.

 

Our Duty is to Forgive not to Judge

Jesus in Luke 6:37 contrasted the negative command not to judge and punish with the positive command to forgive. This clearly shows that our duty as disciples of Jesus is to forgive not to judge, let alone to punish.

We often fail to understand the meaning and benefits of forgiving. If we are advised or asked to forgive someone who has ever hurt us, we spontaneously say: “it's so good for him”, “it's a loss”, “what's in it for me to forgive him”, etc. In the case when we forgive, those who benefit or gain are ourselves. Why? Because by forgiving, we will be forgiven (Luke 6:37; Matt. 6:12).

What we forgive may only be one or a few mistakes that others have done to us, but by doing so God forgives countless of our sins and mistakes. A very clear example is the parable that Jesus told in Matthew 18:23-35. In the passage it is told that the debt of 10,000 talents (1 talent = 6,000 denarii – so 10,000 talents = 60 million denarii) from a servant was actually willing to be abolished by his master. However, because the servant was not willing to abolish the debt of only 100 denarii from the other servant to him, the master canceled the abolishment of his debt. If only that wicked servant wanted to abolish the other servant's debt to him which was only 100 denarii, his debt of 60,000,000 denarii – or 600 thousand times more – would be abolished by his master.

What else are we, even Jesus himself came to this world not to judge, but to save it (John 3:17). Yesus menegaskan hal ini kembali dalam Yohanes 12: 47 – “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.”. Only God himself has the authority to judge as stated very clearly in James 4:12a – ”There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.”

 

Reflection Verse:

Matthew 18:21-22 – “Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (NKJV)