Sermon on the Mount — Judging Others

Few verses are misused as often as Matthew 7:1-6 . This message recovers its context: Jesus forbids the self-righteous, hasty, unmerciful criticism modeled by the religious leaders, the critical spirit that wants to be judged by its motives while judging others by their actions. The measure we use will be measured back to us. A better discipline is to assume positive intent and to remember that hurt people often hurt people. Yet the passage does not erase all discernment. Believers are called to test everything against Scripture, and the New Testament gives a narrow scope: it is not our place to judge those outside the covenant, only to lovingly hold accountable brothers and sisters who are blatantly and unrepentantly sinning. The aim of that accountability is never being proven right but always restoration, following the private, escalating process of Matthew 18 . The plank-and-speck image closes with a warning to examine our own hearts before addressing anyone else's.