We're looking this morning at
one verse of Scripture in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7, if you want
to turn there and look at it. If not, just carefully listen
as I read to you Matthew 7 verse 1. The Lord in His Sermon on
the Mount as it is commonly called, says, Judge not that ye be not
judged. Now how often have you heard
someone say this? Or perhaps how often have you
spoke this word, this verse of Scripture? This message was born
through a conversation I had with a brother who made a remark
about someone's salvation or that they were not saved and
someone in response said, judge not. That is usually the response
that someone gives when you make a comment or remark about anything
in religion or anyone or anything. And it is usually the ignorant
response of some religionist or whoever who has absolutely
no real doctrinal convictions or belief in any absolute truth. They only hold to a silly sentimental
belief that we are to love, tolerate, and receive anything and everyone
that goes by the name of religion. That we are to receive, without
exception, anyone or everything that goes under the name of the
church or religion or is supposed to be Christian. And they do it all under the
cloak of love. They say love is the whole point. Well, listen very carefully.
I read to you an article by an old preacher several centuries
ago named John Warburton, an old English preacher, faithful
and true preacher. And he said, and I quote, I do
and am constantly preaching the wonders, the glories, the beauties,
and the preciousness of love. And yet, I am branded as being
a man that is an enemy to love." He goes on to say, "...if by
love these people mean that I ought to unite with Arians and Silcinians
who deny the deity of my God and Savior." I'll stop right
there a minute, people. There were some sects or divisions
or denominations, Arians and Socinians, who you could substitute
the name Jehovah Witness or Mormons for these. So let me read it
that way. If by love, he says, these people
mean that I ought to unite with Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons
who deny the deity of my God and Savior, that He is the mighty
God, the everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. If by love
they mean I ought to unite and meet with, occasionally, with
people who testify and say without blushing that election is a damnable
doctrine, a doctrine of devil, and they hate it in their hearts,
those who say that the righteousness of Christ is imputed nonsense,
Let me stop right there. John Wesley said that in a letter
to George Whitefield. He said, the righteousness of
Christ imputed is imputed nonsense. Well, Mr. Warburton goes on to
say, if that's what they say, if that's what they mean by love,
that that's a doctrine to be hated, when it's the very truth
that covers my shame, the robe that adorns my naked soul, many
times has been the joy and rejoicing of my heart, I have found to
be a garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness. If they
mean by love that I ought to unite with people that can say,
that we may be a child of God one day and a child of the devil
the next, that Christ died and atoned for the sins of Esau as
well as of Jacob, for Cain as well as Abel, for Judas as well
as for Peter, and that there are thousands in hell right now
for whom Christ died, if they mean by love that I ought to
unite with and call those brethren who say they believe the doctrines
of grace, but say these things are non-essential, that they
are useless things of no consequence whether we receive or believe
these true doctrines or not, provided we just unite with everyone,
pray for all people, love people, and so forth. Then he says, I
confess with my heart that if that's what they mean by charity,
if all of this is love, I am destitute of it, and instead
of being grieved that I don't have it, I glory that I do not
have it. And I heartily concur with Mr. Warburton. If that's what they
mean by love, I don't have it and I don't want it. Now, there's
a key to understanding what our Lord is saying here in Matthew
7 verse 1 by Judge Knox. If you'll turn to the Gospel
of John, or listen, I'll read to you in a moment, John chapter
7, the Lord Jesus Christ does not prohibit judging of everyone
and everything without exception. In that same chapter, Matthew
7 and verse 6, he says, ìGive not that which is holy unto dogs,
neither cast ye your pearls before swine.î Well, how are you going
to know if you're casting your pearls before swine or giving
that which is holy unto dogs if you don't judge who it is
that you're speaking with? Huh? He goes on in that very
chapter to say, Beware of false prophets, verse 15. Beware of
false prophets. How are you going to know if
a man is a false prophet if you don't judge him? Huh? Well, in
John chapter 7, verse 24, listen to what the Lord said. We just read where he said, Judge
not, that you be not judged. Well, here in John 7, verse 24,
the Lord says, Judge not according to the appearance, but judge
righteous judgment. The Lord is not contradicting
himself. If we are confused, it is our
own fault. People, you cannot take one verse
of Scripture alone. It must go with the rest. If
you can take a verse of Scripture and put it up and take other
verses of Scripture and apply them to it, and that verse falls,
then it doesn't mean what you think it does. Scriptures stand
or fall together. And our Lord who said, Judge
not. Now here it says, Judge righteous judgment. Judge not
according to the appearance. the outward eye, the naked eye,
but judge righteous judgment. Don't judge with the naked eye,
but rather judge with the naked truth. You see, people, in order
to understand whether or not the gospel you're hearing is
true or false, it must be judged. Whether a doctrine is true or
whether it's error, it must be judged. Whether or not a preacher
is true or false must be judged. A true church, as opposed to
what Scripture calls the great whore, the false church, the
Babylonian religion, or as it's called in Scripture, the synagogue
of Satan. There must be righteous Judgment
involved. That's what our Lord said. Judge
not according to outward appearance, but judge righteous judgment. True biblical scriptural judgment. You see, the Lord does permit
judgment, but it must be according to truth. It must be according
to righteousness. It must be according to God's
Word. We judge the gospel. What we're
hearing, what you're hearing, whether or not it's gospel or
not, by the person and the work of Christ. Is that gospel you're
hearing the work of Christ alone? Is it the person? Does the salvation
you're hearing about depend completely, solely upon the person and work
of the Lord Jesus Christ, His blood, His righteousness only? Or does man have something to
do with it? That's how you judge. The doctrine,
does it give all glory to God or does it share the glory with
man? That's how you judge righteous
judgment. Judge the doctrine according
to this criteria. Does it give God all the glory?
Take the doctrine of election. What does the scripture say,
by the way? Did you choose God? If you claim to be a child of
God, claim to be a believer, claim to be saved, Then who saved
you? Did you save yourself or did
God save you? Well, did he do it on purpose or was it an accident?
Well, did you choose him or did he choose you? Well, according
to scriptures it says in Ephesians 1, 4, according as he hath chosen
us in him before the foundation of the world. Judge a doctrine according to
the glory of God. Does it give God all the glory?
Which gives God the most glory? Him choosing us, unworthy, undeserving,
hell-deserving sinners, or us letting God have His way? Which gives God all the glory?
God having all power in heaven and earth, all authority, or
doing all He can and the rest is up to us and we have to let
Him be God? Come on now, judge righteous
judgment. Judge a preacher. Judge a preacher
by his message. If they speak not according to
this Word, Isaiah 8.20 said, the law unto the testimony, if
they speak not according to My Word, there is no light in them.
Christ is not in the truth. The Scripture is not in them.
The Holy Spirit is not in them. 1 John 4.1, he says, Believe
not every spirit or preacher, but try them, test them, judge
them. Judge that preacher by his message. Is it truly scriptural? Is it truly Christ and Him crucified? Is it for the glory of God? And judge Him by His methods.
If a man really believes this gospel, if he really believes
and preaches this gospel is the power of God unto salvation,
that's all he will do is preach it. If he really believes the
Word of God is the power of God, that's what he'll use. That's
all he'll use is the Word of God. He'll preach it in season
or out of season. On the other hand, if a man uses
gimmicks and tactics like a business, trying to bring people in, little
tricks and so forth, ploys, if he's begging, pleading, bribing
men and women to come in, then he's not of God. He's not a true
preacher of God. No prophet ever did that. No
apostle ever did that. And no true preacher does that
now. All he does is stand up and preach the gospel, which
is the power of God. Preach the Word, and God said,
stand back like He said to Ezekiel. Preach the Word and stand back
and watch My Spirit move. If a man really believes, if
he really believes the Word of God is his power, that's all
he will do. If a woman really believes, she
won't stand up and claim to be a bishop or a preacher. Because
God's Word expressly forbids it. Judge the church by their
beliefs. Judge them by their practices. Is that music called gospel music? Does it look like a rock concert?
Then that's what it is. Judge the people. Are they worshiping
God in spirit, rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, His person,
His Word? Do they not have any confidence
in the flesh? Then that's God's people. That's
the true circumcision, Philippians 3 says. Judge them. Judge them. Our Lord is saying
here in Matthew 7, in closing, Judge not thy brother. Talking to His disciples. He's
preaching to His disciples because He calls them children of the
Father. And he talks about the world
and he talks about goats and sheep. And he says in verse 3
of Matthew 7, Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's
eye? All men and women are not the
children of God, but God's people are brethren by faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, by adoption. God is a father of believers.
And they are brethren. All men are my neighbors, but
not my brother in Christ. So judge not thy brother in Christ. May the Lord make this clear
to you. Amen.