A passage of Scripture that is often misunderstood is Matthew 7:1 through 5 where several sources of errors are found. The first error appears in verse one where we find Jesus telling His disciples not to judge. A cursory reading of the verse would have us believe that this was indeed His message to them. This is an example why we must obey God’s commanded to STUDY the Scriptures (2 Tim. 2:15), for ALL Scriptures are inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:14-16). Simply reading God’s Truth causes us to be ever learning but never grasping His Truth (2 Tim. 3:7). I did that for many years and know what an easy trap that is to fall into.

“Judge not” (7:1) is often heard when God’s word is quoted and the speaker reveals how it differs from church doctrine. Verse two explains the error that always occurs relative to verse one. The key to the error is the first word: “For.” Jesus is simply saying that one will be judged using the same Standard one uses to judge others. Using the Word of God to judge the actions of another person is not actually judging. The Word of God is THE ONE AND ONLY JUDGE. Proclaiming a Biblical Truth relative to an act is simply PROCLAIMING HIS WRITTEN JUDGMENT.

This is the same principle found in social Law. A Judge does not determine what is right or wrong. The society has already done that and has recorded the findings in the form of a written law. At trial the judge simply announces the verdict according to that law. The same holds true when applying spiritual law. The written Law is the judge. The speaker is simply announcing God’s verdict.

A careful, open-minded study of the Scriptures reveals that GOD COMMANDS JUDGMENT IN THE CHURCH, OF THE CHURCH AND BY THE CHURCH. Judgment is carried out BY COMPARING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR TO HIS WORD. The proclaimer of Biblical Truth within the church setting is not acting as a judge. He is simply proclaiming God’s written Law and comparing it to the individual’s behavior. The verdict becomes obvious. The problem is that the church does not accept God’s Word/Law as her behavioral standard. Though God applies His Holy Scriptures in all church matters, the church does not. The Apostle Paul speaks to this mindset in Romans 8:6-8 where he states that there were those in the Rome church who were carnally minded. He states that “to be carnally minded is death,” and is “enmity (hostile) against God” because the carnal person is “not subject to God’s Law” and therefore “cannot please God.” Carnal, hostile, anti-Law people comprise the vast majority of modern church members.

Such people in the church must be judged by those who are spiritually minded, who walk in agreement with the Lord by obeying His Law. The problem lies in the fact that the majority reject His Law–the very Standard by which He will judge all of mankind (Jn. 12:48), which was supposedly “nailed to the cross.” Church people must judge themselves by that same Law. This applies especially to those who must judged others within the church. This is what Jesus was saying to His newly-commissioned “fishers of men.” These 12 were not exactly the cream of the spiritual crop. Some were fishermen. Fishermen were known to be among the most earthy of humankind. One of the 12 was a despised tax collector who worked for the Jews’ Roman masters. Another was a thief who would eventually betray Him. By the time the New Testament Church came into being eleven of them would have totally changed. Totally giving oneself to Jesus has that affect. One of them failed to do that and we know how that turned out.

It would be the disciples-turned-apostles-turned church builders and those they would place in charge of the churches they would establish who would serve as judges. The Apostle Paul shows us how to judge within the church. Read his first letter to the church at Corinth to learn how inner-church judgment should be carried out. One will notice that even Paul did not hesitate to judge his fellow parishioners. Notice that he even pronounced a death sentence on one parishioner (1 Cor. 5:1-7). Spiritually, Paul was qualified to do that.

In chapter seven verses three and four Jesus reminds us that before one can judge others one must first judge oneself using the only legitimate instrument of judgment–God’s Word. Paul states this in Second Timothy 3:16 and 17 where he reminds us that the Word of God is to be used for “creation of doctrine, for rebuke of those who are not obedient, for correction of their actions and for general training in righteousness so that God’s servant can be perfect and equipped for every good work.”

Again, correction begins with oneself. In verse five Jesus calls anyone who judges others while continuing to sin a “hypocrite.” Having corrected themselves, the 12 could THEN “SEE CLEARLY TO JUDGE OTHERS.” Only those who are obedient to God are qualified to judge others. Judgment within the church is essential. Someone has to fill the role of judge. Otherwise, no one would be qualified to tell others how to live. Jesus tells us that those who identify sin in others must themselves be clear of sin. There is only one way to make that a reality–knowing, believing and obeying God’s Holy Word.

The Apostle Peter noted that judgment must take place within the church, and that only those judged to be righteous (obedient to God’s Word) will be saved (1 Pet. 4:17,18) at the end of the age (Mat. 10:22; 24:13). Ultimately, the Word of God will judge all of mankind (Jn. 12:44-50). Until that time we who claim to be His people must judge ourselves by His Holy standard. If we are found obedient to that Word/Law/Truth we will not need to be judged by it at the return of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:31).

What would happen if the majority in the church believed that sin was inevitable due to Adam’s sin dna transferal system which has infected everyone born since Adam and Eve? What if they believed that Jesus died so that their inevitable sins were automatically forgiven following repentance? Theat being the case, the church would become nothing more than a society of sinners. In which case attempting to obey God’s command to “Be holy for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15,16) would be an exercise in futility and would, as I heard a preacher say to his congregation, “… just make yourself miserable.” Sound familiar? It should, for this is the mind-set of the Catholic/Protestant Church System toward First Peter 1:15,16. This group is comprised of those who “judge themselves by (comparing themselves to) themselves” (2 Cor. 10:12), who are “ever learning but never coming to the Truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). For this reason true disciples of Christ are commanded to “Come out of her (the false church) and be spiritually separated from her. Do not touch that unclean thing.” Then, and only then, will the Biblical God be the believer’s God and the believer will be His child. Read Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Genesis 3:3 and the series titled Touching” using that word as key. God’s command to His saints to stay clear of the false church came from the Apostle Paul who received his Gospel directly from Jesus Christ Himself through divine revelation (Gal. 1:12). Though God’s saints are indeed IN the church world they are not OF that world. They have spiritually COME OUT OF HER.

In verse six Jesus makes what appears to be a harsh, very un-Jesus-like statement. In this instance we find Him calling human beings “dogs” and “swine.” Read Matthew 1:22-26. Among the Jews, dogs and swine were two of the most vile creatures on earth. To the Israelites, all Gentiles (heathen) were spiritual dogs and were referred to as such. Listen to how the Apostle Paul characterized spiritual Gentiles (Lawbreakers) as recorded in Ephesians 2:11,12. He said that, prior to conversion (becoming Law keepers), the biological Gentiles in the Ephesian church had been, “without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” In verse six Jesus explains why He did not preach to the multitudes who followed Him, most of whom were Jews. This is also the reason why “His voice would not be heard in the streets” of Judea (Isa. 42:2/ Mat. 12:9).

Those in the Catholic/Protestant Church System are spiritual Gentiles who have the same spiritual characteristics as the pre-converted Ephesians and the Canaanite woman described in Matthew 1:22-26. Note that He did grant the woman her wish. Remember, God sends sunshine and rain to both the good and the evil (Mat. 5:45). This explains why people in “the church” sometimes receive miracles from Him. Relative to the “great multitudes” whose sick He healed, whose demons He cast out and whose stomachs He filled, HE THEN REFUSED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THEM. Why? He knew their hearts. Read All That Glitters and Does God Answer the Prayers of Sinners? Key words–Glitters and Sinners respectively.

In verses seven through 12 Jesus assures the disciples that whatever they ask of God He will do for them. However, there is a caveat (condition) which is presented in verses 12 through 14. In short, one must obey Him in order for verses seven through 11 to come into effect. Performing a prescribed ritual and taking Jesus as one’s Savior neither saves the seeker no causes verses seven through 10 to come to fruition. Note that He said few would “find” His strait (difficult) gate (church) and walk His narrow (one and only) way. The masses of salvation seekers, He warned, would simply “go in” Satan’s wide (come as you are) gate and walk his (stay as you are) way. The Lord’s gate is described in verse 12 as the church which requires obedience to “the Law and the (writings of) the prophets” (Eph. 2:20) which combined, are called the Old Testament. Following the ministries of Christ and His apostles, their teachings would be added to the Old Testament to form one Standard which the believer must obey in order to be saved.

Satan has a variety of gates (churches, faiths, denominations, sects, cults, etc.)–a smorgasbord of religious ideologies–from which to choose. Concerning the church, a common expression is “one on every street corner.” As I have stated, if not for trees and houses, I could see three different churches from my back yard, each with its own perverted version of the Lord’s Gospel, its own god, its own savior and its own plan of salvation. Once inside them, one can do pretty much what one wants to do. In order to remain in good standing in the church one need only show up, ‘fess up and pay up.

In verse 15 Jesus tells us how the convoluted religious mess called “the church” would come into being. The devil, posing as the “angel of light,” would use his false prophets, posing as “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:13-15) to preach a perverted Gospel (Gal. 1:6-9) to those seeking salvation. They would feed the people bad fruit (man-concocted “truths”). By keeping the people ignorant of God’s “fine print” and fixing their attention on His “headlines,” they would keep them ignorant of the Lord’s good fruit (pure Gospel). One can detect these false prophets by examining their fruit if, that is, one knows the difference between good and bad fruit. Therein lies the problem. Not only does the church not know “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), she refuses to examine it. Why? Because it reveals whom she believes and obeys. As darkness hates light, the church hates God’s “fine print” Truths.

In verses 21 through 23 Jesus speaks about those who preach darkness instead of light. Concerning the darkness they teach, He declares that “great is that darkness” (Mat. 6:23) because it is presented as God’s light. On the Day of Judgment light rejecters, believing that they are about to receive the keys to their heavenly mansions, will call Jesus their Lord and will remind Him that they had preached and performed miracles in His name. These false prophets will have been supported by their parishioners who believed them and followed their lead. All, ministers and laity alike, will be found guilty of iniquity (Lawlessness) because they did not study, learn, love, believe and obey “the whole counsel (Law) of God” that Paul preached. The Lord’s tiny, obedient remnant will have been part of that system–the part that will have been rejected by the others. Jesus talks about these few true saints in verse 24 and contrasts them to the false saints whom He describes in verses 25 and 26.

At a later time Jesus told His disciples that upon His return His angels will gather His people from around the world. They will separate HIS sheep from THE goats. Then He will deal with them separately. Read Matthew 25:31-46. Note in 7:24 through 26 that both spiritual sheep and spiritual goats WILL HAVE HEARD HIS WORDS. Where? Where else but in “the church.” Some (sheep) will have believed and obeyed the “fine print” while others (goats) will have rejected it. There have always been those in the church (sheep) who have sought out, believed and obeyed the Lord’s Truths. As Jesus said, they are few in number and are rejected by all others.

The Good Shepherd was, is and will continue to be the Shepherd over all of the flock (the church). He has made His Words/Gospel/Truth available to all within the sheepfold (church). But only a “few” therein hear His Words, believe and obey them. Therefore, as Peter tells us, “only the righteous (sheep within the sheepfold) will be saved” (1 Pet. 4:17,18). These are the “first fruits” who will be resurrected upon the return of Jesus Christ. Read The Resurrections and The Kingdom of God. Key words Resurrections and Kingdom respectively.

The group that God calls “My people who are called by My name”–commonly known as “the church”–is comprised of two groups: God’s true, obedient saints and everyone else. God’s true saints, though a part of the body generally speaking, are separate, totally different and have nothing to do with the majority. For this reason they are considered “peculiar” (Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9) and are therefore rejected by the church masses. L.J.