Matthew 7 – The Listening Plan

Devotional

Christians are often told by non-Christians that they aren’t to be so judgmental, because Jesus said, “Judge not!” Jesus did say “Judge not.” But that’s not all He said on the subject.

It’s incredibly important that we read and understand the teachings of Scripture in context, and in their entirety. When we do, we often find that the meaning of the teaching is a lot more weighty than we first thought.

“Judge not, that you be not judged” must be understood in light of the context of verse 5.

“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

– Matthew 7:5

Christians are not commanded to never judge, but rather to judge ourselves first before examining the words, motivations or actions of others. Biblical self-examination is an essential aspect of Christian living.