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MATTHEW 7:1

Intro: Difficult passage must be studied in its context, general and specific. Sermon on the
       Mount. Describes Christian attitude of world toward him. What influence he exerts in
       world. Relationship to law of God. His relationship to God, his relationship to worldly
       things. There is sharp contrast between attitude of Christian and Pharisee. As 
       Christian, I seek to relate to God and my chief concern is His approbation, Pharisees
       related to God seeking more the approbation of man God consciousness and man
       consciousness.

I. WHAT IS MEANT BY "JUDGE NOT"? YOUR JUDGING BROTHER.
        A. Verse 6, "Give not that which is holy unto dogs..."
        B. Verse 15, "Beware of false prophets."
        C. We are told to judge righteous judgment.

II. IN WHAT WAYS ARE WE FORBIDDEN TO JUDGE?
        A. Should not judge presumptuously.
                1. Treat rumors as facts.
                2. Judging motives of others.
                        a. Satan concerning Job.
        B. Hypocritically.
                1. Finding minor flaws in others while ignoring major flaws in ourselves.
                2. Romans 2:1, "Thou art inexcusable..."
                3. David judging Nathan's man.
        C. Hastily or rashly.
                1. Best to first attain all the facts.
                2. John 7:24, "Judge not according to appearance."
                3. Many have been destroyed through this type of judgment.
        D. Unwarrantably.
                1. In some things the scriptures are silent.
                2. Romans, Paul speaks about judging in meat or drink.
                3. Man has established certain rules that prohibit what God has not 
                   prohibited.
        E. Judge not unfairly.
                1. This often happens from prejudice.
                        a. I do not consider all the facts.
                2. I have already formed by conclusions, thus ignore certain evidence or pass
                   it off.
        F. Judge not unmercifully.

III. AGAIN IT IS A MATTER OF ATTITUDE OR SPIRIT.
        A. What kind of spirit seeks to condemn?
                1. Self righteous spirit, feeling of superiority, a better than thou.
        B. Look at I Cor. 13, it is an opposite spirit to this.
                1. Thinks no evil.
                2. Hopes all things, believes all things.
        C. The judgment forbidden is that which condemns not so much what the person has done
           or said, but the person himself.

"JUDGE NOT"