Chapter 6—Not Judging, but Doing
“Judge not, that ye be not judged.”—Matthew 7:1.
The effort to earn salvation by one’s own works inevitably leads
men to pile up human exactions as a barrier against sin. For, seeing that
they fail to keep the law, they will devise rules and regulations of their
own to force themselves to obey. All this turns the mind away from
God to self. His love dies out of the heart, and with it perishes love for
his fellow men. A system of human invention, with its multitudinous
exactions, will lead its advocates to judge all who come short of the
prescribed human standard. The atmosphere of selfish and narrow
criticism stifles the noble and generous emotions, and causes men to
become self-centered judges and petty spies.
The Pharisees were of this class. They came forth from their
religious services, not humbled with a sense of their own weakness,
not grateful for the great privileges that God had given them. They
came forth filled with spiritual pride, and their theme was, “Myself,
my feelings, my knowledge, my ways.” Their own attainments became
the standard by which they judged others. Putting on the robes of
self-dignity, they mounted the judgment seat to criticize and condemn.
The people partook largely of the same spirit, intruding upon the
province of conscience and judging one another in matters that lay
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between the soul and God. It was in reference to this spirit and practice
that Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” That is, do not set
yourself up as a standard. Do not make your opinions, your views of
duty, your interpretations of Scripture, a criterion for others and in
your heart condemn them if they do not come up to your ideal. Do not
criticize others, conjecturing as to their motives and passing judgment
upon them.
“Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will
bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest
the counsels of the hearts.”
1 Corinthians 4:5
. We cannot read the
heart. Ourselves faulty, we are not qualified to sit in judgment upon
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