"Judge not, that you be not judged. [2] For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. [3] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4] Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)
It is a strong admonition. Of course it isn’t all that is said about judging in the Bible. 1 Corinthians has a lot to say about that topic also. The fact of the matter is there is a time and a place to judge. Sometimes it is necessary to judge. But hear this admonition. “Judge not that you be not judged.” Temper your judgment when judgment is necessary. Temper it with charity. Always be willing to suspend your judgment. Do be ready to forgive. For the fact of the matter is, in this world we are all sinners. In this world we all stand to be judged, and to be judged guilty at that. And in it all, perhaps the best thing you can do is realize that you are a hypocrite. Realize it. But every good parent knows that the fact they are guilty of doing something does not take away their duty to admonish their children not to do the same, and punish them for doing the same if need be. Same goes for your brother, just because you made the mistake, does not mean that you have to let them make the same without warning them of it. We are sinners, we know that we will be judged with the same measure by which we measure.
It is for that reason that Jesus need not condemn us, we condemn ourselves. We need not condemn others, they condemn themselves. So Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but save it. He forgives and so we live not by judgment, but by forgiveness always keeping this at the fore.
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