Matthew 7:1-5

• “Judge”: discern, discriminate, distinguish, decide, etc.

• Philippians 1:9-10 - And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;

• “Judge”: discern, discriminate, distinguish, decide, etc.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:21 - But examine every-thing carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

• “Judge”: discern, discriminate, distinguish, decide, etc.

• 1 John 4:1 - Beloved, 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.

• “Judge”: discern, discriminate, distinguish, decide, etc.

• John 7:24 -“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

• “Judge”: discern, discriminate, distinguish, decide, etc.

• Leviticus 19:15 -You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Guidelines: judgments

Fairness

Fairness

• LOOK BENEATH SURFACE:

• 2 Corinthians 5:16 - Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

Fairness

• HEAR ALL SIDES:

• Proverbs 18:13 - He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.

• Proverbs 18:17 - The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.

Fairness

• THINK THE BEST, FIRST:• 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 - Love …does not rejoice

in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (Jas 2:3)

Fairness

• NO FALSE REPORTS:

• Proverbs 14:5 - A trustworthy witness will not lie, but a false witness utters lies.

• Proverbs 14:25 - A truthful witness saves lives, but he who utters lies is treacherous.

Fairness

• DON’T FOLLOW THE CROWD:

• Exodus 23:1-3 - You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice…

Guidelines: judgments

Pure Motives

Pure Motives

• BE HELPFUL:

• Proverbs 12:17-18 - He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit. 18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

• Proverbs 15:4 - A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.

Pure Motives

• RELEASE ANGER & FEAR:

• John 9 - (Jewish leaders: anger. The parents of the formerly blind: fear)

Pure Motives

• SERVE GREATER INTEREST - NOT SELF:

• Proverbs 17:23 - A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice.

Pure Motives

• SERVE THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE – NOT FAVOR:

• Mark 15:15 - Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Pure Motives

• LOVE:

• 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 - If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Guidelines: judgments

Eager to Forgive

Eager to Forgive

• Ephesians 4:31-32 - Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

– “A soft answer turns away wrath” (Prov 15:1)

– “Love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Pet 4:8; Prov 10:12; 17:9; Jas 5:19, 20)

Guidelines: judgments

Beware of Hypocrisy

Beware of Hypocrisy

• Matthew 23:1-4 - Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

Guidelines: judgments

Be Humble

Be Humble

• 1 Peter 5:5 - all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. (cf. 2 Tim 2:24-26; Gal 6:1)

Guidelines for judging

• Be Fair, Just

• Keep Pure Motives

• Be Eager To Forgive

• Watch For Hypocrisy

• Be Humble

• Righteous J’ment (John 4:24; Rom 2:21-24)