First of all, we should judge ourselves, and self-judgment is not comparing ourselves with even the most godly brother we know, but comparing ourselves with Christ. If that is duly exercised, there will be no tendency to judge where we should not. The Corinthians were told, “If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31-3231For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31‑32)).
Matthew 7:33And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (Matthew 7:3) supposes a case where there is a very serious evil overlooked by a person in himself, and a much smaller thing taken notice of in a brother — a defect, a splinter, as one may say. Here it is some defect which one thinks he has detected in another. And the one who has not judged himself is altogether unfit to deal with another. “He that is spiritual” is the one to restore, if another is overtaken in a fault. The one self-judged before God is conscious that whatever another has done, he is capable of doing the same or worse. “I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:1818For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (Romans 7:18)). Hezekiah was left of God that he might know all that was in his heart, and what awful failure ensued. Nothing worse could happen to us than to be left to ourselves. Get the large thing removed first, the thing which hinders you from seeing clearly, and most likely you will find the mote in the brother’s eye is gone too. Very often these motes are discovered by those who are in a bad, sour state of soul. And if we really do see failure in another, what is the best use we can make of that discovery? To correct it in ourselves. Then may we help our brother.
Hypocritical Judging
“Thou hypocrite” (vs. 5), to be said to a disciple, is a strong word, but it is here uttered by the One who is the truth and knows the hearts of all. There is the possibility of even a true saint acting hypocritically. If we cover up our sins, we are acting hypocritically. Appearing to others to be what we really are not is hypocritical. Just in that sense you can understand a disciple being called so. Peter dissembled, and that was in the same lines. Well, then, first deal with yourself. You will see much more clearly when self has been judged before God. If that is neglected, we shall find it easy enough to see faults in others rather than in ourselves. To prove a thing, you want a standard, and the standard God has given us is His written Word. We have to prove everything by that Word. In listening to the best teacher that ever lived, I am bound to prove all he says (“Take heed what ye hear”), but in listening to the Word itself, the instruction is, “Take heed how ye hear.” But it is a necessity for us to test everything by the Word of God. The two standards of truth are the person of Christ and the Word of God.
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