JUDGING OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS - MATTHEW 7:1-6

Judging\Not Judging

7:1-5

Chapter 7 concludes the Sermon on the Mount. It is composed of several short teachings on different topics. The first is judging. 

It used to be that John 3:16 was the most widely known verse in the New Testament, but it now seems to be Matthew 7:1. It is often employed by non-believers or believers trying to justify their sin. 

Discerning what Jesus meant by this command is somewhat difficult for several reasons. First, the word “judge” has different meanings, such as condemn, discern, or render judgment in court. 

The context shows us it is not about court. 

It cannot mean discernment because Jesus calls us to discern false prophets later in the chapter. 

That leaves “condemn” as the most likely meaning. 

The first thing to notice is that this instruction pertains to believers acting toward believers as shown by the word “brother” in verse 3. Jesus said not to judge a fellow believer because we will be judged by the same standard with which we judged.

The implication is judgment by God.

So, it appears that we are not to condemn our fellow believers or to have a judgmental attitude toward them. When we do, we usurp God’s authority and power to judge. If we take God’s place, we are accountable to him for judgment. 

Paul gave the same instruction: 

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” (Romans 14:10-13)

James also addressed the matter when he wrote: 

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. the one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12)

Two things seem to be in play here. First, is about what we assume a brother’s motives to be by his actions. Church people are bad about jumping to conclusions from something they have seen or even heard from someone else. Some people in church are censorious; they put forward the worst possible assumption about someone else’s motives. 

In addition, judging and gossiping often go together. The urge to share negative assumptions is apparently very strong. 

The upshot is that judgment of other's motives is not our job but God's job. Paul wrote: “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his master that he stands or falls.” (Romans 14:4) 

The second thing is that we tend to exaggerate the sin of others and minimize our own sins. Jesus points this out when he says “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (3) 

Here is an example. In Romans, Paul addressed the religious people, Jews in this case, who were judging the pagans for their sins as Paul set out in Romans 1:18, but were doing the same things. He wrote:

Therefore you (the self righteous religious people) have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. (Romans 2:1) 

We should certainly deal with our own sins before pointing out a brother or sister’s sins. We must first take the log out of our own eye, then we can see clearly to take the spec out of our brother’s eye. (5) When we act self righteously, Jesus said we are hypocrites. (5) We project ourselves as righteous and the other person as a sinner. In reality, we, ourselves, are sinners. 

While we are not to judge motives, we are to discern truth from error and good from evil. 

Here are some things that we, as believers, are to discern. 

Hebrews 5:4 tells us that the mature believer has power of discernment that allow him or her to distinguish good from evil. 

We can discern sin by applying the Scripture to certain behaviors. Paul did this with the Corinthian church. He rebuked the church for tolerating a man who had his father’s wife. This is prohibited in the Old Covenant law. (Leviticus 18:8) Paul demanded the removal of the man from the fellowship until he repented and quit the relationship. 

Paul applied the scripture to the man’s behavior and discerned it to be a sin. That determination being made, it was the duty of the church to invoke the discipline process. (1 Corinthians 5) That process is set out by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-20.

To reiterate, Scripture does urge us to judge between truth and error, right and wrong, good and evil. 

Don’t Cast Your Pearls

7:6

While we treat our brothers and sisters in the faith with respect and gentleness, there are people to whom we limit what we say. 

Jesus referred to them as dogs and pigs. The dogs Jesus referred to are not pets, but wild dogs that roamed around and ate trash. Pigs, of course, were unclean animals that Jews avoided.

So no Jew would give something holy to one of these wild dogs. This might refer to the part of an animal sacrifice that a family was allowed to eat. For example, when a peace offering was made with an animal, the kidneys and liver, with the fat around them, were burned on the altar. 

The blood was sprinkled on the altar by the priest. The breast and right thigh were given to the priest for food. Then, the family and their guests could eat the rest. (Leviticus 3 & 7) No one would have given any of the offering to a wild dog. 

Similarly, no one would give a pearl to a pig. A pearl was valuable. A pig would eat it or trample it. And the value of it would be lost. 

So, these examples would be understood by the Jews as metaphors of something that should not be done. 

But, who were the dogs and pigs in the metaphor? They would be those who do not believe in Jesus, but also who defiantly reject the gospel and have contempt for God and anyone who believes in him. 

The holy and the pearl are metaphors for the precious truths of the faith that we believe and treasure. We always stand ready to share the gospel with anyone who will listen. But to those who ridicule and show contempt for the faith, we do not share anything else. 

For example, one of these people ridicules the doctrine of the Trinity. There is no point in trying to explain it to such a person. Or, that person ridicules the doctrine of atonement. There is not point in discussing it with him other than to give him the gospel. I use these examples because I saw both of them on social media this week.  

This is true because this kind of person cannot understand these truths and does not want to. Paul tells us their thinking is futile and their foolish hearts are darkened. (Romans 1:21-22) They cannot understand and accept the things of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14) 

It takes spiritual wisdom and maturity to know what to do in the situations we discussed today. That wisdom comes from study of the Bible, prayer, and experience. 

Be prepared!

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS - MATTHEW 6:25-34

Do Not Be Anxious

6:25-34

Anxiety is an emotional and physical state brought on by worry and fear. It can cause your heart rate to go up and your breathing to get fast and shallow. It can keep you from sleeping and even eating. In extreme forms, it becomes a disorder which causes panic attacks. 

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in life. When you are a student, a looming test can cause it. Performing in public, being summoned to a meeting with your boss, or being given a task you do not know how to complete can cause anxiety. There are many other causes and you can probably name several.

Money, or the lack of it, can cause anxiety. Worrying about how you will pay a large bill, worrying that your money will run out before the next paycheck, worrying if you will get fired from your job, all of these can be anxiety producing events.

In Jesus’ time, many people lived day to day. A man had to work for a day to get money to buy food for tomorrow. If he did not get work, his family did not eat. Clothes might wear out and need replacing when there was no money to do so.

Incredulously, then, Jesus said “do not be anxious about your life”, including food, drink, and clothes. 

Notice, though, that Jesus began his command with the word “therefore”. In other words, based on what he has already said, do not be anxious. 

So, what did he say? He said to pray for daily bread. (6:11) Ask God and trust him to provide what is needed for the day. The implication is that he will provide for the needs of his people. 

He also said for us to avoid focusing on money, for we cannot serve both God and money. (6:19-24) 

Therefore, based on these principles, we should not be anxious about our lives. He made two points about this.

First, life is more than food and clothing. Those things are necessary, but are not all of life. I think he is speaking of spiritual things here. Life is about loving and serving God, thereby laying up treasures in heaven. 

The Westminster Larger Catechism puts it this way in question 1: 

Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?
A. Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

Second, we should know God will provide for our needs. He gives examples of this. First, the birds do not sow or reap, yet God feeds them. (26) He refers to God here as “your heavenly Father”, the one who loves us and takes care of us as well as the birds. And we are more valuable to him than the birds. So, if he feeds them, how much more will he feed us. 

Second, the flowers of the field do not work to get clothes, yet they are made beautiful in appearance. Even Solomon did not have this glorious appearance. And we are more valuable than the flowers. They are taken away and burned up. If he loathed them, how much more will he clothe us? 

Jesus also pointed out that being anxious will not add even an hour to our life span. It does not accomplish anything. And we know that anxiety can actually hurt you. 

Jesus called those who are anxious about such things “you of little faith”. He said that to people on several occasions in the gospels, each time when people panicked and did not believe he would take care of them. 

He said it to the Twelve when they panicked over a storm that arose on the Sea of Galilee and were worried their boat would sink. (Matthew 8:26)

He said it to Peter when he walked on water, then became afraid and sank. (Matthew 14:31) 

He said it again to the Twelve when they forgot to bring bread, but also after Jesus had just fed thousands from a few fish and small loaves of bread. 

And, last, he said it to the Twelve when they could not cast a demon out of a boy. (Matthew 17:14-21) Then he said it only takes a small faith, like a mustard seed, to do even what seems to be impossible. 

If we become anxious about these matters, we act like those who do know God. Jesus called them Gentiles here. (32) That is because those who do not know God and trust him do not have a basis to believe he will take care of them. 

But those who know God know that he knows what we need. He knows we need money, food, drink, and clothing. (32) He tells us to ask him for them daily, but to do so knowing he knows even better than we what we need and that he will provide them for us. We are to live in faith daily, not worrying about tomorrow. The cares of today are sufficient for us. Or, as my mother used to say, “don’t borrow trouble”. 

What we are to do, as opposed to worrying about these things, is to seek his kingdom and righteousness first. (33) We seek to live as citizens of his kingdom, loving, serving, and obeying our king in heaven. And when we do, he will add all of these things to us.

Other writers of Scripture have reinforced this theme, this idea. Peter said to cast all our anxieties on God because he cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) 

Most famous is Paul, who wrote “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 4:6-7) 

Instead of being anxious, we pray and ask God for our needs, with thanksgiving. He then will give us his peace to guard our hearts and minds and keep us from being anxious. 

The Doctrine of Providence concerns God’s direction of his creation. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) says it this way:

God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. 

A corollary of this doctrine is that God the Father provides for his children and directs them in life toward their sanctification and his glory. Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Then, verse 32 tells us “He who did to spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

Believe, therefore, in the Father’s love for you. In love, he is able and willing to provide for you. 

Faith in God defeats anxiety. 

MONEY: THE KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE - MATTHEW 6:19-24

 Money: The Kingdom Perspective 

6:19-24

Having taught us to pray for our physical needs and to be dependent on God to provide for us, Jesus now goes further to explain these things in this passage. 

His first command is to not lay up treasures on earth for ourselves. He pointed out that earthly treasures are subject to loss. While today our treasures might be bank accounts or stocks and bonds, then wealth was largely in multiple items of clothing and food stocks in Israel. 

Here are some examples. In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus told a parable about a man who had a great harvest and planned to build bigger barns to store his crops. His wealth was in his crops. But, then, God said he would die that night and his stuff would belong to others. We often call this the parable of the rich fool. 

The point is, you cannot take it with you when you die and you do not know when life will end. 

Reaching back in time, we remember the story of Namaan. He offered payment to Elisha for his healing. Elisha refused, but his servant took two changes of clothing and some other things. (2 Kings 5) Namaan’s wealth was in clothing and gold. 

In Jesus’ time and place, clothes were made mostly of wool. They were very subject to being eaten by moths. You may have found little holes in a wool garment before if moths got into your closet. 

Rust could be any kind of corrosion or disease. They can kill crops. I had an uncle who tried farming beans and was wiped out by “bean rust”. 

In addition to natural causes, treasures are also lost to thieves. They could dig in through mud walls and steal things, or break through doors while the family was out. Today, house burglaries are so common many of us have alarm systems. 

We also have identity theft and hacking from modern thieves. There is investment fraud.

All of these things point to the transitory nature of wealth and the fact that it is not as secure as we often assume it is. 

In contrast, Jesus said to lay up treasures in heaven. (20) Those treasures are protected and not subject to the disasters of earthly treasures. 

But an additional reason, and the greatest reason, for this command is that our heart will be directed to where our treasure is. (19) 

Here is an example. Take a person who has never read a stock market report in their lives. They buy some stock. Now they check the market every day. The price of the stock becomes a huge issue for them. If it is up, they are happy; down and they are anxious.

I once had a church member and friend who had become rich tell me that most people did not understand how much of a burden it was to have a lot of money. I replied that it was only a burden if you let it be. She was shocked and asked me to explain. 

So I said, you could take all that money and put it in savings accounts or other investments and forget about it. It is a burden for you because you believe you have to work constantly to make the most money out of the money you have. You could just leave it alone. 

She thought about that for a minute and said “I can’t do that”. Despite being wealthy, she was unhappy and burdened. Her heart had turned to her treasures on earth and she lost the joy of heaven.

This proves the truth of Ecclesiastes 6:10, which says “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this is vanity.”

This principle is easily applied to those who are wealthy. It is easily applied to anyone but ourselves. But people of all economic levels can be fixated on money and possessions.  And that fixation is a spiritual cancer. We call it “materialism”. That is what verses 22-23 are about.

When you first read these verses it seems like a jarring iteration to the flow of the passage. But it’s not. It is an illustration and a metaphor.

The metaphor concerns light. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” 

The eye is the lamp of the body in the sense that it enables the body to find its way. It lights your way. A blind person stumbles around in the dark, a sighted person is able to navigate the way.

It provides the orientation and the distancing, the direction for the person’s body. It is about focus. When you walk, you should focus on what is in front of you, your path. If you look around, you may stumble over what you should have seen in front of you. 

So, having an eye that is good suggests singleness of a good purpose and direction.

Light in the Bible is often a metaphor for the knowledge of God. For example, John wrote: “In him (Jesus) was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5) And the psalmist wrote: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. (Psalm 119:105) 

Where a person looks, what he takes in determines his direction in life. The whole body here is an Aramaic expression for your self. The eye lets in light. And if the eye is good, it determines you yourself the direction in which you are going. 

Here the idea is again, unswerving loyalty to the values of God’s kingdom.

To have a bad eye, in contrast, means an eye that is focused on the wrong things, even evil things. They distract you from the treasures of heaven. 

Verses 22-23 therefore restate the truth of the previous paragraph, that the way people handle their finances affects every other part of their lives, either for good or for bad”.

The idea here is a sense of single-minded purpose, undivided loyalty to God. The emphasis is on the focus and fidelity of your heart and mind. Jesus is not highlighting money or property but rather the need for total commitment to God and the cause of his kingdom. Wealth is simply one example of a rival for the devotion of your heart. 

That, then, is why Jesus says bluntly in verse 24 “no man can serve two masters. He will love only one and be devoted to it. You cannot serve both God and money. 

If the goal of your life is single-minded devotion to Jesus, neither possessions nor poverty will have any appreciable influence on your happiness. 

So, how do we lay up treasure that will last, treasures in heaven? We pursue those virtues already set forth in the Beatitudes, the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, and other teachings of Jesus. 

We seek holiness, obedience to God’s commandments, winning people to  Christ, and making disciples. It includes investing your life in what God is doing, which cannot be lost” 

Invest in your relationship with Jesus: in knowing and loving him more intimately and enjoying his knowledge and love for you. Invest in other people.