Tired of Hearing People Say “Don’t Judge Me”? “Judge not lest you be judged” is from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount in chapter 7 of the book of Matthew. Sadly, this passage is one of the most misunderstood in all of the Bible... Jim McCraigh Aug 30

 

	Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Tired of Hearing People Say “Don’t Judge Me”? “Judge not lest you be judged” is from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount in chapter 7 of the book of Matthew. Sadly, this passage is one of the most misunderstood in all of the Bible... Jim McCraigh Aug 30   READ IN APP   There seems to be an epidemic of people saying “Don’t judge me” when they hear something about themselves they don’t want to listen to. As screwy as it sounds, they may have a point. Let me explain… “Judge not lest you be judged” is from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount in Chapter 7 of the book of Matthew. Sadly, this passage is one of the most misunderstood in all of the Bible. It’s a classic example of a verse people take out of context to defend themselves when challenged about their behavior. But, to properly understand it, one must read it in context… 7 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 NASB) When Jesus said, “Judge not lest you be judged,” He meant that the standard we Subscribed are to use in judging others is the same standard by which we will be judged. Christian writer Thad Brown of The Inevitable Truth puts it this way… “If we look at the context of this verse, however, what Jesus is condemning is hypocritical judging. The Pharisees were famous for seeing other’s sins while being blind to their own faults. In fact, Jesus in verse 5 encourages judging when He states “first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Additionally, many of the remaining verses in Chapter 7 are judging statements: “beware of the false prophets..,” “you will know them by their fruits,” and “I will declare to them, I never knew you.”  We cannot beware, or know without judging. And certainly, God cannot declare without judging. The point here is uncomplicated, Christians are not charged with running around pointing out the sins of non-believers. We’re to share the gospel in expectation of their redemption. At the same time, we’re to guard the purity of the church as Matthew 18:15-17 teaches. This doesn’t mean that we run around looking for every little misstep, but if we see serious offence, we need to confront in love both for their sanctification and the purity of the church.” When we read these verses in context, it becomes obvious that Jesus condemns hypocrisy and self-centered pride… Rather, Jesus is telling his followers not to make judgments in a hypocritical, condemning manner while ignoring the sin in their own lives. Author Ken Ham writes this… This kind of misinterpretation of Scripture, often due to a lack of belief in the authority of Scripture (which is frequently coupled with biblical illiteracy), is sadly widespread, not just among professing Christian celebrities, but also within churches, Christian colleges and universities, and even seminaries. Sadly, increasing numbers of those who call themselves Christians are abandoning the truth of God’s Word for the worldly wisdom of the present age… Share Not into subscriptions? Instead, help us cover the expenses of this blog by buying us a coffee… Buy Me a Coffee Leave a comment American Faith & Freedom is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribed Comments that include harassment, threats, profanity, self-promotional or video links, or other such items may be removed and/or the commenter permanently banned… Unapproved links in reader comments will be removed immediately, as we are unable to verify each one in a timely manner. We may earn a commission on any links on this page…   Like Comment Restack   © 2025 Jim McCraigh Parker County, Texas