Two things call
out for comment in Matthew 7 because they are so often misunderstood.
The first
is right there in verse 1, “Judge not.” It seems like for some people this is
the only part of the Bible that some folks know. To hear them talk the sum
total of Christianity is toleration. Whenever a Christian would condemn sin,
out comes, “Hey, now! Don’t judge.” As if the Scriptures have nothing to say
about human behavior.
Now, to be
sure, Christians could stand to be a little more careful in how they judge,
that is, in the way they name and condemn sin. Sometimes we do come off as shrews,
always willing to decry moral decay. St. Paul puts one limit on it in 1
Corinthians 5, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?
Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.” (1 Cor.
5:12-13). This is pertinent. A lot of Christians point out into the world and
identify sin as something out there. But the three uses of the Law don’t
include the Law as a club. No, the Law in its most important use is a mirror,
showing us our sins.
That’s
really Jesus’ point in Matthew 7:1-2. He’s not saying absolutely that Christians
never judge anything. Christians do judge and discern and even condemn.
However, we do it carefully and humbly, recognizing that we ourselves are
sinners who fall short of the glory of God. What a difference there is between
judging something from an attitude of superiority—that I am better than you because
you are wrong and I am right—and judging something with an attitude of humility—that
we are both struggling to live as God’s holy people. If we have to judge better
to remember that we also face judgment for our shortcomings.
The second
passage that we often misunderstand is verses 7 and 8, “Ask and you will
receive.” There’s a strain of Christianity that wants to pluck this verse out
and make it seem as if God will give us whatever we ask for, as if we are the best
judge (there’s that word again!) of our own needs. Verses 9-11 help us
understand this better, because Jesus is clear: our Father in heaven will give
us good gifts. The word that matters is good gifts.
I’ve always
loved Martin Luther’s explanation of the Lord’s Prayer in the Small Catechism,
where he teaches about the introductory words, “Our Father who are in heaven,” “With
these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that
with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear
father.” A child asks with boldness and confidence, yes. Ask and you will
receive. But a child also asks with humility, knowing, “I’m not an adult and
there are some things I don’t know.” And a child asks with trust, believing
that a parent will take care of him. This is a beautiful promise, to be sure, but
to act as if God is nothing more than a giant Santa Claus in the sky, reduces
that promise. God is the giver of every good gift, and we leave the definition of
good to Him.
Thanks Pastor Stowe!
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