GUEST BLOGGER  Pat Ward is pastor of Community Revival Baptist Church, Maone New York


Here is a fresh look at the familiar passage from Matthew 7:1-6




“Judge not, that you be not Judged.”        Part I of IV


What this does not say: never judge. If we look at the context here, and throughout scripture, we see that judging is appropriate. Verses 6 and 15 of this same chapter can only take place if we judge. Our society has taken this to an unhealthy extreme. We say that everybody is right, that there are no absolutes. Therefore, your opinion is as good as mine. The problem with that is both of our opinions are useless, but God’s Word is right.


We must judge, but we must do it with God’s perspective v2


If it isn’t saying we can’t judge, then what is it saying?


1. Judge yourself first.


We said a few moments ago that our opinions are useless, but the Word of God is right. So we need to start by judging our own lives by the Word of God.


It is important that we look at our lives through the scope of scripture. First of all, how can I gain a right relationship with God?


In Acts 3:19 we read “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,”


When we turn from our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will be converted, a new person, and we will have times of refreshing.


Then we need to walk in that newness of life. If we have given our life to Jesus, then we need to let Him be in control. That means as we read the Word of God, we follow it.


Judging yourself means placing your life up to God’s standards, knowing, as a believer, that it is Christ’s strength that will allow you to accomplish it.


But to be a Christian is to constantly be growing. Nobody is perfect, so that means we always need to be judging ourselves based on God’s standard, based on God’s Word.