You Shouldn’t Judge (Except When You Should)

Encountering Jesus

Allen Snapp

Grace Community Church

Aug. 2, 2026

You Shouldn’t Judge (Except When You Should)

Let's turn to Matt. 7:1-6

“Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³ 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? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log 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.

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. Matt. 7:1-6

On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech while standing in front of the Berlin Wall in West Berlin. It’s a fascinating piece of history especially in light of the growing popularity of communism in some segments in the United States today. Germany was split into two sections: West Germany was democratic and East Germany was communist and aligned with the Soviet Union. In the middle of communist East Germany was the city of Berlin, which itself was split into two sections: West Berlin which was democratic and East Berlin which was communist.

So smack dab in the middle of communist East Germany was the democratic city of West Berlin. In 1961, at the height of the Cold War, the communist government of East Germany built a wall around West Berlin in order to keep people from communist East Berlin and East Germany from escaping into West Berlin. However the wall left the people of West Berlin feeling surrounded by communism and cut off from the free world.

So as President Kennedy stood before a great crowd in West Berlin he affirmed the free world’s solidarity with the people of West Berlin by twice declaring in German: ich bin ein Berliner (ish bin ein bearleener). "I am a Berliner!" The crowd welcomed his message enthusiastically and knew exactly what he was saying. But a Berliner was also the name of one of their favorite pastries so taken out of context President Kennedy’s statement could be interpreted as saying, "I am a jelly-filled doughnut!"

Jesus' statement, judge not, taken out of context, could be interpreted to say we aren’t to make any moral judgments about anyone or anything. That evaluating or critiquing anything is judging. If this were what Jesus was telling us, he would be leaving us with no moral compass, no ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil, truth from lie. You have your truth, I have mine. Don’t judge.

But put back in its context it’s clear that’s not what Jesus is saying because Jesus tells us to see that there’s a speck in our brother’s eye, he warns us not to cast our pearls to swine, and to beware of false prophets, evaluating them by their fruit. All these things take a type of judgment in the sense of discerning and evaluating. So there is a way that we must not judge, and a way that we must judge.

So what does Jesus mean when he says judge not.

1. Jesus warns us not to be judgmental people

Jesus isn’t telling us not to have discernment or make moral judgments. In context he’s warning us not to become judgmental people. Judgmental people are quick to condemn. Judgmental people are critical people. A judgmental person is stingy - they measure out grace in small portions and judgment in large portions. So Jesus connects how we judge to how we will be judged.

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 

Jesus connects how we judge to how we will be judged by God. What measurements will we want God to use when He judges us? Those are the measurements we should use when judging others. Jesus often ties what we give to what we get. We will be forgiven as we forgive. We will receive mercy as we have shown mercy. God will use our measuring cup to judge us and how can anyone argue with that? Why aren’t you showing me more mercy, God? I’m simply using the measuring cup you used when you judged people.

Jesus is warning us not to become judgmental people. Judgmental people find it way to easy to criticize and judge others. Once we start going down that road, it gets easier and easier to see people in the worst light possible. There's a road in Alaska with a sign saying, choose your rut carefully, you'll be in it for the next 200 miles. Being judgmental eventually digs a rut in our thinking so that judging and criticizing starts to seem normal to us. Instead of loving people, we judge them. Rather than cheering for someone’s success, we expect them to fail. Rather than expressing understanding to the person who makes a mistake, we condemn them for not doing better. Rather than trying to help someone break free of their sin, we stand in judgement over their sin. Judgmentalism is a rut we can get stuck in if we’re not careful. What measurement cup do I want the Lord to use when He judges me? That’s the measurement cup I want to use with others.

As believers in Christ, we must always remember how desperately we need God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace. John 1:16 says that from his [Christ's] fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Jesus didn't just measure grace to us, he measured grace upon grace. Jesus poured grace on us, then grace on top of that grace and grace on top of that grace. Eph. 2 says we will forever be trophies of His grace.

Yes we have to have a moral compass. We have to discern right from wrong. We need to be able to tell

the difference between someone we can trust and someone we can’t. We need to be able to make legitimate observations about an action, a teaching, or a person. To ask questions like: is this true or false? Wise or foolish? Good or evil? Sinful or righteous? Is this person trustworthy?

But even when we make a moral judgment, it leaves room for grace, hope, and change. There’s a big

difference between saying “he lied” and saying “he is a liar and always will be.” Or “she made a really bad decision” and “she is a really bad person.”

Thankfully, unlike those ruts in Alaska, if we see ourselves falling into the rut of being judgmental, we can ask God to pull us out by filling our minds with His word and promises and empowering us to bear the fruit of the Spirit rather than the fruit of the flesh.

2. Jesus calls us to be humble, not hypocritical

Jesus uses humor to illustrate how our bias can turn us into hypocritical judges:

Why do you see the speck that is that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is a log in your own eye? 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. vv. 3-5

We become experts at seeing and fixing other people's faults - all the while being blind to our own faults. We magnify their faults and excuse our own. We have 20/20 vision when it comes to seeing other people’s faults but are blind to our own faults. We are in danger of becoming hypocritical judges, holding others to a rigid standard while giving ourselves a pass.

It is a true blindness. Just as we don’t know what we don’t know, we can’t see what we can’t see. The antidote is humility. Letting down our self-protective defenses enough to take an honest look at ourselves before we try to help others. David prayed in Ps. 139 search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts. It’s an honest prayer asking the Holy Spirit to shine His light on the parts of my heart that I can’t see. It might feel scary but He actually wants to free us from our pride and selfishness and self-righteousness so that we can love justice (and see justice) and walk humbly before our God.

…and so that we can help our brothers and sisters and in turn be helped by them. The Lord wants us to be involved in each other's lives because we need each other! God doesn’t mean for us to walk this life out alone. We need people in our lives who see our blind spots. And we want to be able to help people when they are struggling for perspective or even going in the wrong direction.

Let me share a success story along these lines from my early years of pastoring and counseling. When I was pastoring a church on Long Island there was a couple attending that Janice and I knew from bible school when we were all still single. At Bible school Ed and Ellen, like most of the students, were very expressive and enthusiastic in their worship of the Lord. Now they’ve been married a couple years and as I look at them, they just look lifeless during worship. Barely singing, no raising of hands, no joy.

So being the good pastor I was (and being a little annoyed) I pulled them aside and told them I just wasn’t seeing any joy in them, especially in worship. C’mon guys, do better! Speck removed, job done.

Then Ed said to me, "Allen you rebuked us but you never asked us how we were doing or what was going on in our lives. We are really struggling with some things, yet all you care about is how we look on the outside. We’re not feeling your pastoral care.” That hit me like a ton of bricks. I say it’s a success story because Ed helped take the log out of my eye.

Love cares more about person than the speck. Seeing clearly means loving our brother or sister enough to want to help them, not venting our frustration over the speck in their eye.

3. Jesus underlines the importance of discerning people’s response to the gospel

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. Matt. 7:1-6

It’s interesting that after saying “judge not” Jesus calls us to make a very strong judgment about people and their response to the gospel. I love a robust discussion about the Bible and especially enjoy talking to people who don’t believe the Bible is God’s word or that Jesus is the Savior. Jesus isn’t saying not to share the holy and precious truths of the Bible with those who don’t believe or agree with them. If that were the case we’d never win anyone to Christ.

But there are people who love to engage in arguments and debates simply to scoff and mock. Jesus says don’t waste your time on them – it’s not going to go anywhere and all they’re looking for is ammunition to use against you. Don’t give it to them.

This calls for discernment. A type of judging. When the heart condition of a person is antagonistic and mocking, just let it go. They’re not in a state of heart to value the precious truths of the gospel and after belittling them, they may just turn and come after you. This isn’t a final judgment of them, it’s a discerning of where their heart is at that moment. God can change hearts and we can pray for them. But keep the treasure of Christ for someone who will listen with a sincere heart.

As we close here are a few questions to ask ourselves before we approach someone.

• Have I examined my own heart first?
• Am I trying to restore them or condemn them?
• Am I motivated by love or a sense of superiority?
• Am I dealing with a real moral issue or merely a personal preference?
• Do I want this person's good, or do I simply want to be right?

If you feel the Holy Spirit convicting you of even at times lapsing into judgmentalism, don’t feel condemned or hopeless. That too is a sin Jesus died for. As we close in prayer ask Him to forgive you and free you from being judgmental. Humble yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to shine His light on your heart. Say, “Lord I want to receive mercy and grace so help me to give more mercy and grace!” He is eager to an honest prayer like that!