Judge Not

People tend to read their own meaning into Jesus’ command to “judge not.” They may assume it means tolerating anything and everything. Or never calling out untruth. Or considering one belief or behavior as valid as the next.

Those would all be misapplications of the Lord’s teaching. Jesus was not commanding blind acceptance but, to rather, grace toward others. Since all of us are sinners, we need to quit picking at the failings of others and start attending to our own issues. Jesus’ point was that we should not blame, condemn, or put down others while excusing or exalting ourselves.

Jesus leaves plenty of room to evaluate and confront others, even when we acknowledge that we are imperfect. But we are to approach others as Jesus did—with empathy and fairness (Matt. 7:12) and a readiness to freely and fully forgive (6:12, 14).

Taken from The Modern Life Study Bible