As we approach Independence Day in the United States, we hear the word “FREEDOM” in the songs we sing, written on clothing and bumper stickers, but as we look at freedom, God reminds us that we are called to proclaim that our true freedom doesn’t come from the Declaration of Independence or The Constitution of the United States of America. Jesus grants us freedom that was purchased with the sacrifice of His life alone. With this freedom, we need to thank our Lord for seeing our need and loving us enough to break the bonds that sin had on our lives and live in a way that proclaims God’s freedom to the world.
Jesus, in the Gospel of Matthew, during the Sermon on the Mount, reminds us that as we proclaim freedom from sin, we also understand that Christ has freed us from judgment. God’s judgment on our sin would mean certain death, but Jesus interposed His life for ours. We should wake up every day singing about our freedom in Christ. Many of our songs and prayers ask Jesus to break us free from illness, financial hardship, or some other oppressive force. The following passage reminds us that as followers of Christ, we are called to remind people that Jesus frees us and not to become an oppressive force from which people need relief.
The following is Matthew’s recording of Christ’s words.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 7:1–5.
When we read the words Jesus spoke to the crowd, there has been a misappropriation of judgment in the faith community. Judgment has a place in God’s Kingdom, but it is not intended for the followers to use as a tool against one another. Judgment is God’s prerogative to determine between that which is good and that which is evil. Good leads us to a greater relationship with God and others, which connects us to the Almighty. As we grow in our relationship with God, we allow God to communicate the areas of our life that need to be cleaned up. However, Jesus speaks to the crowds because judgment was too often used as a weapon against others. The Pharisees judged Jesus for His deeds. Similarly, they judged people as sinners and derogatorily acted toward them, and looked down on them and their associates. As Christians, we too often take a similar tactic, using judgment to boost our ego and ensure we hold onto a higher status over and against others. Jesus warns us against judgment because we will never fully understand another’s situation, and thus judgment shuts down our attempt at connecting with others.
The person that judges places themselves in the judgment seat that belongs to God alone. Jesus was sent to us to bring us peace, and that peace unites people under Christ. The character of Jesus would make Him the only person that could hold up to the standard of judging established in the Gospel. Therefore, only Jesus can judge the world, but time and time again, Jesus uses this judgment to bring peace into people’s lives. Therefore, we need to follow Jesus and help proclaim freedom into the lives of the people in our community as found in the Gospel. When we judge, our focus isn’t on how we can better follow Christ, but rather we focus on others’ shortcomings. This will also be a result of pushing people away as they would not want to live among us, partially due to not wanting to be an object of our scorn, but also that they don’t want to be around someone with such negativity. Jesus unites people and invites people to come to the mercy seat. In front of Jesus, we are equals, but judging tries to place ourselves above others.
Freedom from sin to live in the love of Christ is the message we are called to share with the world. The law was established by God to guide us toward the truth. However, people viewed the law as a shackle preventing them from accessing the Almighty, but Jesus freed us from the judgment in the law, to live as free to live in God’s love. Jesus looked at how people would sit in judgment with one another and saw how ridiculous people looked judging one another because all of us were mired in sin. Thus Jesus presented this obviously hyperbolic analogy that when we stand in judgment with anyone else, we blind ourselves to our own faults. Our faults alone are enough to keep us out of the Kingdom, and we need a loving God to grant us hope, making peace between us and God. Thus when we judge, we set aside freedom to live antithetically to the Gospel because we proclaim that Jesus’ sacrifice isn’t enough.
The Gospel calls out to us to lighten the load of people by calling them to come to Christ. The judgment adds to the burdens of the world and instead creates division and broken relationships. The Pharisees embodied the way of judgment and created a situation where people not only felt as if they couldn’t live up to the standards but also that they were devoid of hope. Jesus frees us from the burden and grants the world peace that only the Gospel could.
Elpis and Shalom 