How to Judge Others
Lord's Day Exhortation
In Matthew 7, we read one of Jesus’ most famous teachings, in which He says, “Judge not, that you be not judged; and with measure you use, it will be measured back to you...” (vv. 1–2).
Contrary to the popular interpretation, in this lesson Jesus is not prohibiting the judgment of others. Rather, He is showing how to judge righteously and without hypocrisy. He is calling His disciples to constant humility, saying, “First remove the log from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (v. 5).
Now there is one immediate application of this teaching for your own households. All of you know those moments when you come to realize that something is “off” in your home. Dad is frustrated. Mom is exasperated. The kids aren’t listening. Your roommates are always arguing. There is a constant, low-boil of strife and bickering. In these situations it is very important that you do not become so overly focused on admonishing or “fixing” everyone else, without first taking responsibility for yourself.
Think about it—what do your wife and children need the most? A holier husband and father. What do your husband and children need? A more sanctified wife and mother. How can you best love and encourage your parents and siblings? By being the best son or daughter, brother or sister, that you can be.
There is a striving in the Christian life that must always be constant. It is not a striving for God’s love. It is not a grasping for God’s acceptance – you already have those things in Christ. But it is a striving to grow more and more, by the Spirit, into the likeness of Christ. And the best way to help those around you grow in godliness and joy is to do so yourself. It is only then, when you have examined yourself and remembered your own sin, that you are best equipped to address and restore others with a spirit of gentleness and love (Gal. 6:1).
Prayer of Confession:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them (Rom. 1:18–19).
Merciful Father,
We humbly confess before You now our many sins which we have committed against You in thought, word, and deed. We have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep, following the sinful desires of our own hearts. But You have called us back to Yourself, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Great Shepherd.
We confess this morning the times in which we have focused greatly on the sins and failures of others, while neglecting our own transgressions against your holy law. When we have become harsh with those we love, while being soft with our own sin. We ask that You would show us clearly own our hearts, that by Your grace we would be enabled to remove any logs from our own eyes, so that then we would be able to see clearly and with humility help remove the specks in our brother’s eye.
Lord, we also confess that we live in a nation that is far from You, living in rebellion and practicing all manner of sin and wickedness. And so we ask, that in Your mercy, You would pour out Your salvific grace on our unbelieving neighbors. And we also ask in light our Lord’s teaching, that You would make Your church in America both more holy and humble, that we may judge righteously, without hypocrisy, and shine as a city on a hill.
We know that if we regard any iniquity in our hearts, this prayer will be ineffectual. And so we silently confess our individual sins to you now. Selah.
This exhortation was given on April 12, AD 2026, at King’s Cross Church in Moscow, Idaho.