Message by Larry Thacker Jr. from July 21: Judging Judgment
I think it’s safe to say that Matthew 7:1 is one of the most misused verses in the Bible today. Even people who don’t believe anything in the Bible know that verse and are quick to throw it up as a shield against any Christian who dares to challenge the way they choose to live. The same thing happens among people who do claim some form of belief.
Are they right? Are we forbidden to make any judgment at all regarding another person’s choices or actions? Maybe if you stop right there, but no document can be understood by reading just one sentence plucked conveniently from its text. To understand what Jesus said here, we need to read at least through verse 5, and I think you need verse 6 too. Then we need to consider it along with other things that Jesus said on the topic of judging. That will give us a very different understanding.
