What’s in Your Eye?

There is a pestilence within the Christian community. It is the predisposition to demand more of others than of self.

Jesus recognized this problem and addressed it in Matthew 7:1-5,

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

The following has nothing to do with our God given right to identify sin in people’s lives or the right to determine that a certain teaching is false. This is written to address the problem of excusing one’s own sin by accusing others of sin.

Jesus calls Christians with a plank in their eye, hypocrites. Therefore, this is a serious problem. It is a serious problem because when engaged in this practice, one does not have proper regard for his or her spiritual condition. Surely, all understand that a plank is a greater hindrance to godly sight than a speck.

Jesus is not rating some sins greater or more sinful that other sins. The plank is not a greater sin by nature. Rather, it is greater because of a failure to see the self-righteousness it represents.

Here are some examples to illustrate the problem.

A member of a local church leaves to attend elsewhere. They let it be known they left because of what other members did or did not do. The vacating member has now placed all the blame on other members and none on themselves.

A husband and wife have a serious marital conflict. Both express their grievances in a way that accuses the other of being to blame. The wife will say, “He is not a good husband.” Why does she say this? Because her spouse does not live up to the standard she set for him. In like fashion, the husband will accuse his wife of being a failure as a wife. Again, the problem resides in the standard the husband has set for his wife.

Men are mentioned who might qualify for an eldership in the congregation. Members began to pick away at their pasts and various personal characteristics. This is not done as per the teaching of the Scripture but by each member using a standard they have set within their own perception of what an elder should be, rather than God’s standard. The result is a standard for an eldership that can never be met.

What do these three examples have to do with Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1-5?

Christians can and do set a standard that is different than God’s. The standard may be too liberal or too conservative in contrast to God’s. However, that is not the issue here. The issue is judging other people by a different standard than you judge yourself.

A member who feels they have been slighted when it comes to visits, phone calls, or expressions of sympathy must ask themselves if they live up to the standard they require of their Christian brethren (Galatians 6:2).

Likewise, a husband or wife must look into himself or herself and ask, “Have I lived by the standard I have expected in my spouse (Ephesians 5:22-29)?”

Additionally, a local church must ask if it measures up to the standard that would exclude the apostle Peter from serving as an elder among them (1 Peter 5:1).

Another point to consider is Jesus’ warning that one will be judged by the standard which they use to judge others. Although the Bible says we shall be judged by God’s words (John 12:48), the judgmental Christian with the plank in his eye will be judged by the standard he judges others. Therefore, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

A Christian is responsible to help his fellow Christian. Christians are to restore the sinning brother (Galatians 6:1). The Christian who has a plank in his eye cannot help the Christian who has a speck in his. Remember Jesus’ words when he said, “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

The Christian must not excuse his or her personal sins by observing the faults and sins of others. Some may even try to excuse this sinful judging by saying it is just human nature to do it. Call it human nature if you must, but do not use it to excuse yourself.

“So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:12-13).