The text reads, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Jesus taught in John 7:24, “Stop judging by mere appearances but instead judge correctly” (NIV). The English Standard Version has it, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” King James calls it “righteous judgment.” Appearances are very deceiving and “gut feelings,” no matter how good you think you are in measuring someone, are not according to right judgment. Right judgment is based on an objective assessment of fruits (Matt. 7:15-ff) and that takes time. Matthew’s text forbids hypocritical judgment, the one who does not cast out the beam out of his own eye, first. Thus, he says, judge not that ye be not judged. Self-examination is a necessity and responsibility (2 Cor. 13:5, 1 Cor. 11:31, 38). We and we only can change ourselves. We can’t change anyone else, yet we make it a priority to assess everyone else first. Jesus is teaching us to make it a priority to judge ourselves, first. Psalm 119:59 reads, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”
Furthermore, Jesus is not condemning the practice of judging brothers and sisters in Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 5:9-13). Most apply Matthew’s passage incorrectly to include the idea of refusing to measure any and all human conduct. This is not its meaning, nor is it possible in carrying out other injunctions. Two observations are worthy of repeating to those who would think this way. First, judging is not based on human appearances but upon a fair and impartial assessment of another by comparing his or her fruit to the standard of God’s Word. Second, the judgment is not a sentence of death or announcement of our condemnation. That is the prerogative of God, not man. One brother use to refer to this as “whitling on God’s end of the stick.” There is only one judge who knows the hearts of men and will judge them accordingly. So, there is a judgment that is necessary, proper, and right to give. Then, there are types of judging that should be avoided. Do not lump them, together.