"Judicious, not Judgmental"
Matthew 7:1-23 March 3/02
Two men served at the same university: one was a professor of astronomy and the other was dean of students in the divinity school. Both were at a cocktail conversing about their different fields of interest, even though neither one had much respect for the other's area of study. In a rather sarcastic way, the astronomer said to the theologian, "I suppose everything about religion could sort of be boiled down to the Golden Rule; you know, love your neighbour as yourself. That's kinda it, isn't it?" The theologian looked at him and said, "Well, I suppose it could be put that way. Kind of like in astronomy, everything boils down to 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star'."
We may find that funny, but it's not so pleasant when sarcasm gets directed OUR way. Criticism can be nasty, so in Matthew 7 near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus not only quotes the "Golden Rule" but warns against judgmental attitudes that put down someone else. Yet at the same time He urges us to use careful judgment in discriminating good from evil. How can we come to have good judgment without becoming judgmental?
A) Context for evaluating: God's generosity and goodness (7:7-12)
Let's step back a minute and look at the context in which our evaluating and judging is to take place. In chapter 5, Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, God's blessings available for those who look to Him. "Blessed are those who mourn...blessed are the meek...those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...blessed are those who are persecuted..." The bottom line is that God wants to bless people. In chapter 6, Jesus describes a caring heavenly Father who rewards those who pray secretly; He rewards those who give quietly without making a big production out of it. God will provide for people who put Him first "much more" than He provides for all the birds and wildflowers, who thrive carefree though dependent on His provision. He knows our needs, Jesus assures us. Then in chapter 7 we find verses 7-12 put front and centre God's generosity and absolute goodness.
Verses 7-8: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." The tense is present imperative: "Keep on asking", "keep on knocking" - don't let up! You will receive, you will find, it will be opened to you. Persist in prayer to the One who knows our needs before we even ask.
Verses 9-11 state our Heavenly Father will give GOOD gifts to those who ask MUCH MORE than any earthly parent; we wouldn't give our child a stone if they ask for bread, a snake instead of food. Is not God at least as good and kind and understanding as the best earthly parent? Our Father generously provides good gifts, the best; when we seek His Kingdom and righteousness, all our other needs will be "thrown in" to the bargain.
Verse 12 sums up the Law and Prophets - God's most basic expectations of us - as the Golden Rule, "Do to others what you would have them do to you." Now, the concept in its negative form, "Don't do to others what you wouldn't want them to do to you," was hardly a ground-breaking concept. It had been used by Socrates, Philo, Confucius, Buddha, and was known in the Apocrypha (Tobit 4:15), rabbinic Judaism, and Hinduism. This was not big news. What's notable is that Jesus expressed it positively: "DO to others" instead of "Don't do". He put a positive spin on what was formerly a restraining idea. He made it active, not passive. In other words, "Go for it! If it's kind, let 'er rip!" Let that goodness out. Do "something beautiful for God". Or in the words of Matthew 5:16, "Let your light SHINE before men..." God's goodness and generosity are just waiting to find expression through us. Rather than being a hand-brake on potential sin and injury to others, the Golden Rule is an encouragement for us to allow God's kindness to flow out to others through us. Get out of yourself to discover the joy of doing something kind for others! Share the surplus!
Teresa of Avila said, "The nicest thing we can do for our Heavenly Father is to be kind to one of His children." Back in 1982 the slogan "Random Acts of Kindness" caught on. Princess Diana said, "Perhaps we're too embarrassed to change or too frightened of the consequences of showing that we actually care. But why not risk it anyway? Begin today. Carry out a random act of seemingly senseless kindness, with no expectation of reward or punishment, safe in the knowledge that one day, someone somewhere might do the same for you."
Even if they don't, Jesus' point is that what God asks us to do in Scripture is basically come to share His own good and generous nature. "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Mt.5:45) The message of the cross convicts us we can't do it on our own, and we need to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Then God's indwelling Spirit can change us, give us His own loving nature, and power to do genuine good, what pleases Him.
B) "Don't be a Beam-basher!" - Judgmentalism's Junk (7:1-5)
Keeping God's absolute goodness and generosity in view, we're ready to return to the issue of judgment and judgmentalism. You may have seen some slapstick comedy routines like Laurel and Hardy in which there's a person holding a long board or plank. Whenever they turn around, they end up knocking someone over, often without even realizing it. That's what a critical or sarcastic person does to anyone they put down: they knock them over, even if they don't realize they're doing it. And it's not funny. If they're headed your way, look out!
Jesus said, "Don't judge, or you'll be judged, too." (7:1) The Greek word for "judge" is that from which we get our English word "critic". A few verses later we find the word "hypo-crite": same root. Jesus is singling out the attitude that is self-righteous, judgmental, quick to condemn others and put them down. Verse 2, "In the same way you judge others, you will be judged; with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." We say, "What goes around comes around." It's true that on a human level people generally respond to the level of civility and respect you accord them. But besides the human plane, in Jesus' frame of reference, God is always there too, acting, responding. And only He is absolutely good and holy, without moral flaw. Only our Creator has the final right to pass judgment on us, not our peers.
Jesus has some fun with hypocritical judgmentalism when in verses 3-5 he compares it to a person with a plank in their own eye offering to take out a speck of sawdust in someone else's eye. The word "plank" refers to an object the size of a beam or rafter; today we might say you've got a hydro pole sticking out of your eye. Compared to God's holiness, that's about how ready we are to try to help someone else "clean up their act"; our own act is the pits. Yet we're so quick to point out others' faults and ignore our own. Perhaps unconsciously we're trying to reassure ourselves that we're not so bad by focusing on another person's shortcomings. Augustine prayed: "O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself." By our criticalness, our condemnation, we slam-dunk the other person in order to supposedly score points for ourself. But the eternal scorekeeper is not impressed.
If we can hop over to Romans 2(1-4) for a moment we read: "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?" Only God is qualified to do the final rating; His judgment alone is true. When it comes, that verdict is heightened or accentuated by the kindness, tolerance, and patience He has shown in the past. No one else comes close to earning the right to pass final judgment. Don't be a beam-basher, knocking others over by your unkind words like those slapstick comedies; you'll only find yourself having to duck sooner or later.
C) The Tailpipe Test: Judiciously Pick the Good (7:6,13-25)
I'm no expert on cars, but I have bought a few used ones in my life. One time somebody with more car savvy passed on a little tip for checking out a used car: look inside the tailpipe. If it's grey, that's good. If it's black, back off. That's a sign it's been burning oil, which would indicate the rings around the cylinders inside the engine are getting worn and it's losing compression and umph.
Having warned us not to be judgmental, Jesus quickly adds that we DO need to exercise good judgment. To be as discerning as when checking out a used car. Is that a contradiction? Have you heard people protest, "The Bible says we're not supposed to judge others"?
Disciples do need to be discerning -- to check the tailpipe, spiritually speaking. Paul told the Philippians (1:9-11): "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ— to the glory and praise of God." Did you catch that? LOVE abounds in knowledge, insight, and ability to DISCERN what is best. Only then can we stay pure and blameless, having the "fruit" of righteousness. If we really love the Lord, we'll want to come to know what's right in His eyes, how to stay pure. As Jesus said in Mt.6:33, Seek first God's Kingdom and His RIGHTEOUSNESS. To seek it, we've got to know what to look for, how to discern good from bad.
Other scriptures plainly teach that believers are to develop a capacity to make judgments. We're to evaluate carefully, for example, about sexual immorality (1Cor.5:9); Satan's masquerading as an angel of light (2Cor.11:14); and people teaching wrong doctrine, such as the circumcision party (Paul warns the Philippians, "Watch out for those dogs!" 3:2). Even gentle John warns, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). 1Thess.5:21 is a good summary verse: "Test everything.Hold on to the good.Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Evaluation will be an important task for the apostles after Jesus returns, for He said they will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mt.19:28). Paul tells the Corinthians that the saints (believers in Christ) will judge the world and judge angels: "How much more the things of this life!" (1Cor.5:2,3) Note though that this is passing judgment in a capacity authorized by God, not a casual criticism of a peer.
That disciples need to develop judicious discernment is implied from Jesus' words in verse 6. "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." It wouldn't be right to throw meat offered in sacrifice to the dogs; pearls might be mistaken by wild boars for peas or acorns, but then they'd turn on you when they find they can't eat them (no warmhearted warthog Pumbaa from the Lion King here!). Watch what you say; you may get ripped to shreds.
In verse 15 Jesus warns us to watch out for false prophets. They come, he says, "in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." In the days of the early church there were false prophets in the form of the Judaizers and the Gnostics. The Judaizers said faith in Jesus wasn't enough, you had to keep the Jewish ritual laws to be acceptable to God. The Gnostics denied that Jesus came as a real human and actually died for our sins; God could never become "tainted" by matter according to Gnostic thinking. Today the false teachings are different. Following Jim Bakker's reform and release he wrote the book, I was Wrong. In the chapter by that same title Bakker admits that the "prosperity gospel" he and others promoted on the PTL Club was not scriptural. But in our affluent society, it's a popular idea among Christians. God will supply our needs, Jesus said; but God's blessing may not mean material wealth. Whatever preacher you're listening to, then, be discerning; check out what they say against scripture, God's Word written. It's possible to use religious as well as other means to try to make an easy buck. Another question to ask is, Who's getting the glory? Does this preacher give credit and honour to God, or are they trying to make themselves look good?
Christ uses repetition for emphasis in verses 16-20. It's the fruit that gives away the inner motives, just as the tailpipe of the car betrays the condition inside the engine. Good fruit comes from good trees; grapes and figs don't grown on thorns. Bad trees and good fruit just don't go together. Fruit is important, real proof that God's behind something. In John 15 Jesus again used fruit as an indication that a person is remaining connected to Him; He said, "This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8). Parallels Mt.5:16: "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." What fruit has come from your life in the Lord these past few weeks? What do the effects your life is having show about your inner spiritual connectedness to the Lord, or distance from Him?
Jesus warns it's not those who say "Lord, Lord" that will enter heaven, but only those who do God's will. He warns, "Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:22f) Obedience, not mere talk, is what matters. Prophecies, exorcisms, miracles are all pretty impressive stuff to us -- but not to the Lord if He's not behind them. It's knowing Jesus experimentally, depending on Him, walking with Him daily, that gives the Holy Spirit space in our lives to clue us in to what God wants.
A couple of months ago I should have shown better judgment when I invited a guest speaker whom I hadn't heard for a few years. I sense more people were disturbed than helped by this man's presentation style, and his emphasis on speaking in tongues as essential evidence of the Holy Spirit's baptism. Since that time, his newsletter describes his visit here in terms that make us question whether that's what really went on. It's too bad when someone's emphasis on the sensational undermines the good that may have been accomplished. An example of the need for careful judgment in choosing a guest speaker, and then sifting through what a stranger says.
Let's wrap up our look at this passage with verses 13-14. Jesus can't be more blunt in exhorting us to be judicious in our choices. We've been talking about people; here what's more in view is how we sort through our personal impulses. "Enter through the narrow gate.For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Surely any universalist who believes everyone will be saved must cut these out of their Bible!) Augustine comments, "What makes this gate so small to us? It is not small or narrow in itself, but we want to take in our pride, our self-will, our darling sins." But such baggage won't fit. Jettison today whatever is stopping you from squeezing through the gate! God our Creator and Almighty Judge reserves the final right to choose those who will share the Kingdom of His Son, on the basis of their faith in Jesus. Make sure you get to know Him now, before it's too late. Jesus is very definite that "many" won't make it. Be one of the "few" who find the road that leads to life.
Wrapping Up: Hyde's Prayer - from Blaming to Blessing
John Hyde (1865-1912) was a missionary to India who became so famous for his effective and powerful praying that he's known to history as Praying Hyde. He once told of a lesson the Lord taught him about prayer that Hyde described as "most salutary". It occurred while he was praying for a national pastor in India, and man who was both having -- and causing -- problems. Hyde began his prayer, "O God, Thou knowest this brother, how --" He was going to say "cold", when suddenly he was smitten in his spirit. A voice seemed to whisper sharply to him, "He that touches him touches the apple of my eye." A great horror swept over Hyde, and he felt he had been guilty before God of "accusing the brethren" (that's Satan's job).
Falling to his knees, Hyde confessed his own sin, and he remembered the words of Paul, that we should think on things that are lovely and good. "Father," cried Hyde, "show me what things are lovely and of good report in my brother's life."
Like a flash, Hyde remembered the many sacrifices this pastor had made for the Lord, how he had given up all for Christ, how he had suffered deeply for Christ. He thought of the many years of difficult labour this man had invested in the kingdom and the wisdom with which he had resolved congregational conflict. Hyde remembered the man's devotion to his wife and family, and how he had provided a model to the church of godly husbanding. John Hyde spent his prayer time that day praising the Lord for this brother's faithfulness.
Shortly afterward, Hyde journeyed into the plains to see this pastor, and he learned that the man had just received a great spiritual uplift, as if a personal revival had refreshed his heart like a springtime breeze. While Hyde had been praising instead of blaming, God had been blessing. Let's pray.