09/02/2026
What does "Do not judge" really mean? Have you ever noticed that those telling others not to judge, often seemingly break the command themselves? They hypocritically judge those they think are judgmental. They may be very open-minded in some areas and not judge people on decisions around s*x or alcohol or vulgar language. But those same people are often very close-minded in other areas, such as on who you should vote for in the next election, and they will judge you harshly for voting differently than them. Those who are very open-minded about new age spiritualities may speak disparagingly of Baptists.
And notice how no one ever says we shouldn't judge someone for really bad things, like being racist or abusing power? Cancel culture ironically coexists among cultures that think they’re non-judgmental. We often live out Jesus’ teaching as if Jesus said, “Don’t judge minor sins.” But that’s not what he said. Most people aren't really against judging; they just think some things are worthy of judgement and some aren't. Their list may just be different than that of others.
Everybody judges in some sense of the word. It's inescapable. But to understand what Jesus really meant, we must notice that Jesus didn't say don't take the speck out of someone else's eye, he merely said take the log out of your eye first; then help them. It’s not very loving to leave a speck in someone’s eye if you are able to help. Do not judge does not mean never correct, it doesn’t mean pretend something isn’t a sin, it doesn’t mean never hold people accountable for their wrong actions, it means don’t condemn. It means grace is deeper than our sin, and that we need grace just as much as anyone else.
Listen to the full sermon for greater context.
Bulletin: http://www.fpcalbemarle.org/Images/Bulletins/2025-12/28.p...
