A Prayer for Unity by Trevor Bowen

http://insearchoftruth.org/articles/a_prayer_for_unity.html

A Prayer for Unity

Although we concern ourselves with unity of those we fellowship as members of the body of Christ, many people exist outside our fellowship, who call themselves Christians. Some of these may find confrontational and challenging Bible study a waste of time, because "We are all Christians already!", as they might say. Temporarily laying aside the necessary implications of our division upon our personal relationship with God, let us consider another undeniable reason for Bible study that questions our differences - unity. Unity was very important to Jesus. Let us consider, "Why?".

The Need for Unity

One of the dreadful consequences of division is lack of successful evangelism. Division depletes and diminishes our ability to reach the lost. In Jesus’ prayer for unity, he asks:

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21)

Unity enhances and extends our influence to the lost, which creates more opportunities to teach and possibly convert sinners to Jesus. If we care about reaching the lost, then we will also care about being unified with others who call themselves Christians. One who does not so care for the lost neither hopes nor loves as God hoped and loved (Romans 5:6-8; I Corinthians 13:7; I John 4:7-11; Romans 8:20).

Agree to Disagree?

In addition to describing the benefit of unity, the above prayer also provides us a qualifying imperative: It must be a true unity, which exists only in Jesus Christ and the Father. Some have adopted the notion of "unity in diversity" as a means of solving our differences. The philosophy is "Let us agree to disagree". Although division is certainly evil, unity should not be obtained at the price of compromising truth:

"This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James 3:15-17)

Division originates and is maintained wherever carnal desires reign. This occurs wherever man's will and wisdom are followed. However, if we submit our will to the "wisdom from above", then we will find peace. Yet, peace is not the most important goal of this divine wisdom. It is "first pure, then peaceable". Therefore, unity must never be achieved by sacrificing purity. Truth should not be sacrificed for a compromising peace accord (Jude 1:3; II Thessalonians 2:9-12; John 17:17).

What good is unity in error? Such unity only accelerates our rush into error, away from God, and into its consequential destruction. Only by seeking to unify on a pure, solid foundation may we find true peace (Philippians 4:13).

The Power of Prayer

How much power does Jesus’ prayer hold? James said that the prayer of a righteous man "avails much" (James 5:16-18). It is difficult to find a prayer uttered by a man more righteous than Christ; therefore, to those who esteem Him a righteous man, this prayer will hold great sway as it outlines Christ’s will for us. Never mind its influence on the mind of the Father as He provides for His children. The question for us is, "Do we feel any need to do our part to recognize the fulfillment of the Lord’s prayer?"

See also: When Jesus Prayed, The Gospel Guardian, vol. 6, num. 43, p. 5. March 10, 1955.

Author: Trevor Bowen

Our Triune Nature (Part 2) Our undependable Flesh by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1435

Our Triune Nature (Part 2) Our undependable Flesh

Our Triune Nature    (Part 2)     Our undependable Flesh

There is an amazing story in Matthew 26 which tells us what Jesus did on the last day before He died on that cross for us.

Before He was arrested we read the moving story of Him going to the garden of Gethsemane with His closest friends and disciples to pray.

He knew what was about to happen. He knew that He was going to be betrayed by Judas. He knew that He was going to be arrested. He knew that He was about to be mistreated. And He knew He was going to die a cruel death on a cross. I believe He knew full well He was the suffering servant of Isaiah 53.

And so of all things that He could have done that night He chose to eat the Passover meal with those closest to Him, (His Apostles) and then takes them out to one of His favorite spots to pray, in a garden of olive trees.

The last thing He asked them to do before He was arrested and put to death was to watch, and then to watch and pray so that they would not fall into temptation.   Read: Matthew 26:36-46 (click on verse to read)

He wanted His friends to be by His side to support Him, but they could not even do that. Not once did He find them asleep, but rather three times after asking them to watch and pray.

He also states a profound truth, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

So in our text today we see where Jesus makes a distinction between what our spirit wants and how weak our flesh can be at times. He also gives His disciples some advice on how to overcome and press through the weakness of our flesh and the temptations that may come our way.

But before we get deeper into this text, I’d like to review what we began to talk about last week concerning our spirit and our flesh. We began a new series of lessons and I mentioned the fact that we are a triune being. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and for the time being both our spirit and soul live in a body, a body of flesh.

I would like to describe each of these parts a little more because each of these part are different as Jesus mentioned here in this text. As a matter of fact last week we read in Galatians 5:17 that     “17 the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other”

Let’s begin today by talking about the most obvious part, our body of flesh. When I think about the body, our flesh, there are many things that come to my mind:

– It doesn’t like to experience pain or discomfort

– It never wants to hurt, thirst, feel hungry, or cold or too hot.

– Rather if the truth be told, our body always wants and seeks to feel good and have a continuing flow of good and pleasing feeling and experiences.

– The flesh loves to be pampered.. It craves and enjoys rest, comfort, tasty food and drink, whatever we can do to make it feel pleasure and momentary satisfaction, even if it’s not the best thing to do for our overall health.

And when the body of flesh doesn’t get what it wants or craves, well it nags us, it has a hissy fit because it wants what it wants, when it wants it.

How many of you realize that your body of flesh will try to boss you around because it has strong cravings?  – Like a piece of chocolate would taste good right about now…  or as you drive by and ice cream stand on a hot summer day, and the flesh lets you know, ’Mmm, that sure would taste good on a day like today.’ Or coffee   – Or the flesh says, ‘Oh man I like the buzz I get when I drink a lot of alcohol, it relaxes me, make me feel good and I laugh a lot.’

The bodies of those apostles said I am tired… sleep, sleep, sleep.

Many times our bodies crave things that are not in our best interest.

Our Soul is a bit more complex. It is who we are as an individual. It is the seat of our personality, not necessarily our physical brain, but rather our mind, our heart. It is the seat of our emotions. It is where we determine what we want, what we feel, what we think, its where we actually decide to do, or not to do. Ultimately it should control the body and do what’s best, but if we are not careful or disciplined enough, it’s the other way around.

Now your soul does not necessarily tell you anything about God, rather it tells you about you. It tells you what you want, not what God wants. It tells you about how you feel, not about how God feels. And it tells you what you think, not what God thinks. And as you know, what we want and think and feel can be quite different that what God wants and thinks, and feels.

Sad to say, for most of us our soul is more closely linked to what our body craves than what the spirit wants, and know is best.

Our Spirit is even a more complex and a difficult to describe. In Genesis 1:26, we are told that God created us in His own image and likeness. I don’t necessarily believe that God was referring to our physical body being like His.

Rather, it is with a soul and spirit that we are created like Him, in His image. Our soul being our individual personality and our spirit the very essence and life force of our existence (both of which are from God Himself).

In essence, God is a spirit, and so too are we in essence (a spirit). We are a spirit created to be like God. But at present and for the time being our soul and spirit are now in this body of flesh.

Now God’s own Holy Spirit communes with our spirit. Our spirit is the part of us that hears from God. God’s spirit helps us believe, and have faith, and know things, giving us intuition and revelation. Often many refer to our spirit as our conscious.

But unfortunately, it is this part of us we seemingly ignore the most. .

Why? Because our body wants what it wants, when it wants it. And our mind of flesh listens to the flesh and sometimes just thinks w a y too much, thinks or reasons why we should give the flesh what it wants.

In 1 Thessalonians 5 Paul said that he hoped that our whole being, body, soul, and spirit would be sanctified or set apart for God’s holy use.

God can do so much with us if we just let Him.  As a Christian, we can actually allow a Holy Spirit invasion to take place in our being and in our life, where we can be so filled that every room of our soul and our life will be influenced by the Spirit of God, … that is if we let Him….

– Where He gets into and influences our thoughts

– And where He get into and effects our emotions

– Where He gets in and has an effect on our will and the fruit of that will be seen in our flesh and in our life.

As a Christian, that should be our goal; to bear good fruit just naturally or just because of who we are and what we have become in Christ.

As we learn to listen to our spirit which is now being guided and led by the Holy Spirit of God, our soul’s mind can be empowered to do what is right rather than listening to what the flesh wants all the time.

Just because the body doesn’t feel like doing something it doesn’t mean we have to give into it. I’m sure there are many days you don’t feel like coming to church or going to Bible study, but something in your gut, in your spirit has convinced your mind that you should go; not only for your benefit, but others as well, your brethren need to be encouraged by you as well.

You may feel like you should throw more in the collection plate on a particular week, maybe double or triple your regular contribution. Your flesh cries out and says ‘Hey wait a minute, think a little more about this. You could use that money to get something nice for yourself.’  And depending on who you listen to, it will determine what your soul’s mind decides to do.

Just a side note: I believe God tell us to give stuff away all the time (food, clothes, stuff in our homes and not just that old stuff you don’t want, even money) But all too often we don’t want to hear that. We don’t want to give our stuff away. As a matter of fact the mind of flesh tells us that it would be even better if you gave you your stuff to me so I could have even more.

So there’s this battle going on in us all the time. But in reality if we want to have more peace and be blessed by God, then we have to obey what God is telling us to do.

If God is prompting you to give something away, maybe a piece of jewelry, clothing, or maybe even that nice set of dishes, or a tool, or even a cow or a vehicle or a piece of land.  Do you know what happens if you don’t give that something away especially if you think God is telling you to give it to someone? If you don’t give it, every time you see that object you just don’t feel right. God will no longer enable or anoint you to enjoy it. Did you ever feel like you should have given something to someone and when did you felt good inside (maybe more blessed than the one you gave it to. But if you didn’t give it the it kinda haunts you?)

I don’t always have to know why God wants me to do something. The lesson here is we just need to learn to do what He tells me to do, that is what it means to walk in the Spirit, you do what God tells you to do; then you feel good. If you don’t you won’t have that peace.

Can you just imagine how Jesus’ disciples felt the next day after they buried Jesus. What He said in the garden probably haunted them; “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?”

What advice did He give them? He told them, and it a lesson for us today. He said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

“Watch”  in other words be alert, be prepared because you will be tempted. Expect to be tempted. We need to be ready because our flesh is weak.

And He also told them to pray, to do what He was doing. In Luke’s account it tells us that as Jesus agonized in prayer an angel came to Him and strengthened Him (Luke 22:43). No angel went to the apostle to strengthen them because they were sleeping.  I wonder many times God sends His angel to help us sight unseen when we cry out to Him in prayer of faith?

So the lesson for today, Jesus said that if we watch and pray it will help us when temptations come (and they will come). The flesh is weak and wants to give in, but the spirit is willing to do what’s right… choose who you are going to listen to.

(Sermon series based on material produced by J. Myers)

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com

Christ is the End of the Law of Moses by Alfred Shannon Jr.

https://biblicalproof.wordpress.com/2011/07/page/2/

Christ is the End of the Law of Moses

We are no longer under the law of Moses. We are no longer bound to remember, rest, or worship on the Sabbath day. The 10 commandments, (the covenant) is no longer in force. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, and nailed it to the cross. Those who desire to be under the law are bound to keep the whole law, and failure to do so makes them guilty of all of it. If righteousness came by the law, then Christ died in vain. Those who justify themselves by the Law of Moses have fallen from grace, for Christ is the end of the law.

Today, we are under the perfect law of liberty, the law of Christ. Christ’s law states we must preach the Word of God in season, and out of season. We must speak only what the bible speaks, and be silent where the bible is silent. We must worship on Sunday, and attend the church Christ built, the church of Christ.We must remember the Lord’s death each first day of the week. We must sing, and make music in the heart to the Lord, and not with instruments. We must sing, and pray with the Spirit, and understanding. We must obey the gospel of Christ, and remain faithful until death.  If there be any other that the law of Christ contains, it is fulfilled with this: That we love one another as Christ also loved us. If we believe in the Man, we must also obey His plan, the man Christ Jesus.

Amos 8:5,9; Heb 4:3-11; Ex 34:28; Heb 8:6-13; Lk 16:16; Rom 7:1-6; 2 Cor 3; Gal 3:24,25; Eph 2:15,16; Col 2:14; Rom 3:19,20,28; Rom 6:14,15; Rom 10:4; Gal 3:10,13; Jam 2:10; Gal 2:21; Gal 5:4; Jam 1:25; Gal 6:2; 2 Tim 4:2-5; 1 Pet 4:11; Acts 20:7; Mt 16:18; Rom 16:16; Heb 10:25; 1 Col 11:24-26; Eph 5:19; 2 Thess 1:7-9; 2 Jn 9; Jn 13:34; Lk 6:46

Chapter 4 IRRESISTIBLE GRACE by CA Feenstra

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Feenstra/C/A/1931/ch04.html

Chapter 4

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

Man's words

Canons of Dordt - Third and Fourth Heads of Doctrine

Article 11

But when God accomplishes His good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion. He not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illuminates their minds by His Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit He pervades the inmost recesses of man; He opens the closed and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised; infuses new qualities into the will, which, though heretofore dead, He quickens; from being evil, disobedient, and refractory, He renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.

Article 12

And this is that regeneration so highly extolled in Scripture, that renewal, new creation, resurrection from the dead, making alive, which God works in us without our aid. But this is in no wise effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation that, after God has performed His part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted or to continue unconverted; but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable; not inferior in efficacy to creation or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scriptures inspired by the Author of this work declares; so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe. Whereupon the will thus renewed is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence becomes itself active. Wherefore also man himself is rightly said to believe and repent by virtue of that grace received.

* * *

"We believe that, to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery, the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ with all His merits, appropriates Him, and seeks nothing more besides Him." (The Belgic Confession, Article XXII)

* * *

"But they do not consider, that when the apostle makes hearing the source of faith, he only describes the ordinary economy and dispensation of the Lord, which he generally observes in the calling of his people; but does not prescribe a perpetual rule for him, precluding his employment of any other method; which he has certainly employed in the calling of many, to whom he has given the true knowledge of himself in an internal manner, by the illumination of his Spirit, without the intervention of any preaching." (Calvin's Institutes, the Westminster Press, Vol. II, page 622)

* * *

"The Calvinist, on the other hand, says that in the last instance the difference lies with God and not with man. In the one man the Spirit is not working in a saving way, and because the man is spiritually dead, he cannot believe, even though he hears the external preaching of the Word and perhaps reads it for himself many times. In another man, however, the Holy Spirit works irresistibly, regenerating him so that he understands fully that he is a sinner and needs God, and therefore, wants to be saved and to believe." (The Five Points of Calvinism, Edwin H. Palmer, Th.D., page 48)

* * *

"Thus the once dead sinner is drawn to Christ by the inward supernatural call of the Spirit who through regeneration makes him alive and creates within him faith and repentance.

Although the general outward call of the gospel can be, and often is, rejected, the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made. This special call is not made to all sinners but it is issued to the elect only! The Spirit is in no way dependent upon their help or cooperation for success in His work of bringing them to Christ. It is for this reason that Calvinists speak of the Spirit's call and of God's grace in saving sinners as being "efficacious", "invincible", or "irresistible". For the grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect cannot be thwarted or refused, it never fails to bring them to true faith in Christ!" (The Five Points of Calvinism, Steele and Thomas, page 49)

* * *

Q. Is Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that faith comes only by hearing the Word of God?

"So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Rom. 10:17

"Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name." John 20:30-31

"Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word." John 17:20

"But many of them that heard the word believed." Acts 4:4

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Rom. 1:16

"Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house." Acts 11:13b-14

"And he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks....and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." Acts 18:4, 8b

"Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures....receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:18, 21b

"...I (Paul) begat you through the gospel." I Cor. 4:15c

"Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, ... by which also ye are saved" 1 Cor. 15:1-2

The sower went forth to sow his seed....Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God....And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:5, 11, 15

* * *

Q. Where does GOD'S WORD teach that the Holy Spirit directly, miraculously, and irresistibly opens the hearts of unbelieving, unrepentant sinners, and regenerates them?

Q. According to GOD'S WORD, did God open Lydia's heart by the direct irresistible operation of the Holy Spirit, OR did God open Lydia's heart by the gospel preached by Paul and by Lydia hearing this gospel preached?

"And when he (Paul) had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them ... And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul." Acts 16:10, 13-14

"No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day." John 6:44

Q. Does John 6:44 teach Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace"?

Q. According to GOD'S WORD, in the verse following John 6:44, how does the Father draw men to Christ?

"It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me." John 6:45

"Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way." Psalm 25:8

"...God our Saviour; who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth." I Tim. 2:3-4

"Jesus answered and said ... Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:25, 28-29

"...it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe." I Cor. 1:21

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; ... For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith:" Rom. 1:16-17

"So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Rom. 10:17

Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that the saints at Ephesus had at one time been dead in trespasses and sins?

"To the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:" Eph. 1:1

"And you ... when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world,..." Eph. 2:1-2

Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that these spiritually dead Ephesian sinners, first heard the WORD, then believed and obeyed the WORD, and were then sealed by and given the Holy Spirit?

"...Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." Eph. 1:12-13 AV

"Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples ... they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 19:1, 5

Q. Where does GOD'S WORD teach that the Ephesians or any others, were ever miraculously regenerated by the Holy Spirit before they heard, believed, and obeyed the gospel of Jesus?

Q. Is Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that God gives His Holy Spirit only to those who hear, believe, and obey the gospel of His Son?

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:16-17

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified." John 7:38-39

"And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38

"And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Acts 5:32

"And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6

"To the saints that are at Ephesus ... Christ: in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, -- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Eph. 1:1, 12-13

"This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. 3:2

"That upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Gal. 3:14

Q. Is Calvinism's "Irresistible Grace" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that man can resist the truth and in this way can resist, grieve, and quench the Spirit?

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I (Jesus) have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Matt. 23:37

"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth...." II Tim. 3:8 AV

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye." Acts 7:51

"Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands." Neh. 9:30

"But they rebelled, and grieved his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them." Isa. 63:10

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" Eph. 4:30

"Quench not the Spirit." I Thess. 5:19

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Judging by Gary Rose

Well, here is something new for me to think about. Although I have heard people use “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged” (Matthew 7:1) many times, I have never thought about them using judgment to make the determination (judgment) that I was judging. Along with this, it never entered my mind that THEY were being hypocritical. To be fair, lets consider the passage in its context to avoid any possibility of misusing the Scriptures…

A Misunderstood passage

Matthew 7 ( World English Bible )

 ¹  “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. (emphasis added)  ²  For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.   ³  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?   ⁴  Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?   ⁵  You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. 

This passage is found in the third chapter of what is commonly called “The Sermon on the Mount”. To even the causal reader, these three chapters of Matthew are to be taken together and considered a teaching for those who wish to follow Jesus and become Christians. Notice 7:1 :it is not the only verse of the chapter; it is part of an eight verse teaching. It is aimed at the person who is judging another’s sin and at the SAME TIME is involved in a far greater one. This makes the person who is judging a HYPOCRITE. Jesus tells this person to FIRST remove the beam (greater sin) out of their eye (life) and then they can correctly help the person who has sin in their life to remove it.

Judge what is right

John 7 (WEB)

 ²¹  Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel because of it.   ²²  Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.   ²³  If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?   ²⁴  Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (emphasis added)

Luke 12 (WEB)

  ⁵⁴  He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.  ⁵⁵  When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.   ⁵⁶  You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?   ⁵⁷  Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?  (emphasis added)

Further, in two other places, Jesus says “..judge with righteous judgment” and “… judge for yourselves what is right”. If Christians are NOT SUPPOSED to judge, why would Jesus say such a thing? Consider the Luke passage, Jesus calls them HYPOCRITES. This is a judgment by Jesus himself, so not all judgment is wrong. Judgment can be correct, if the person is correct; both in the judgment and in his or her own heart.

Listen to who is really speaking

John 12 (WEB)

 ⁴⁴  Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.   ⁴⁵  He who sees me sees him who sent me.  ⁴⁶  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.   ⁴⁷  If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.   ⁴⁸  He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day.   ⁴⁹  For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.   ⁵⁰  I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.” (emphasis added)

In reality, The problem with Matthew 7:1 is that the one who uses this passage does it to avoid facing the sin in their life and is trying to “turn the tables” on the presenter of God’s word. They ignore the fact that God, the father gave Jesus a message and THAT MESSAGE is what ultimately will be the standard of JUDGMENT!!!

May every single person who reads this listen to what God’s has said and do HIS WILL. You will be blessed if you do!!!!