Few verses are misused as much as Matthew 7:1—“Judge not, that you be not judged.” It has become the mantra of American Christianity. Anytime someone calls out sin, the immediate response is: “Don’t judge!”
But is that what Jesus meant?
The Danger of Half-Quoting Jesus
When Jesus said, “Judge not,” He wasn’t forbidding judgment. He was warning against hypocrisy. Just keep reading:
“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” (Matt. 7:5).
Jesus expects us to help each other deal with sin, but He requires us to examine ourselves first. Judgment without self-reflection is hypocrisy. Judgment after repentance is love.
God’s Role and Ours
Yes, God is the ultimate Judge (Ps. 50:6; John 5:22). But He also commands His people to hold one another accountable. Paul told the Corinthian church not to ignore immorality in their midst but to address it (1 Cor. 5:9–13). His point was clear: Christians are not to judge outsiders—that’s God’s role—but we are to lovingly judge insiders.
That flips much of modern practice on its head. Too often, churches thunder against sins outside the walls while turning a blind eye to sins inside. God’s Word tells us to do the opposite.
Loving Enough to Confront
Scripture repeatedly affirms the value of loving correction:
- “Better an open rebuke than hidden love” (Prov. 27:5).
- “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3).
- “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6).
Judgment in love does two things: it addresses sin in me (the log), and it addresses sin in you (the speck). That’s not cruelty—it’s care. Ignoring sin doesn’t honor Jesus; confronting it humbly and lovingly does.
For God’s Glory
The goal isn’t to win arguments or embarrass people. The goal is to glorify God. We judge one another so that the church looks more like Christ and the world sees His light more clearly (Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12).
So let’s stop hiding behind a misquote. Jesus didn’t forbid judgment. He forbade hypocrisy. If you’re a Christian, invite others to speak into your life. And love your brothers and sisters enough to do the same for them.
That’s not judgmental. That’s biblical.
