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  EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS ON MATTHEW - MATTHEW 7:1-11
  by J.C. Ryle
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The first portion of these verses is one of those passages of Scripture
which we must be careful not to strain beyond its proper meaning. It is
frequently abused and misapplied by the enemies of true religion. It is
possible to press the words of the Bible so far that they yield not
medicine, but poison.

When our lord says, \"Judge not,\" He does not mean that it is wrong,
under any circumstances, to pass an unfavourable judgement on the
conduct and opinions of others. We ought to have decided opinions: we
are to \"prove all things;\" we are to \"try the spirits.\" (I Thess.
5:21; I John 4:1.) Nor yet does He mean that it is wrong to reprove the
sins and faults of others until we are perfect and faultless ourselves.
Such an interpretation would contradict other parts of Scripture: it
would make it impossible to condemn error and false doctrine; it would
debar any one from attempting the office of minister or a judge. The
earth would be \"given into the hands of the wicked\" (Job 9:24): heresy
would flourish: wrong-doing would abound.

What our Lord means to condemn is a censorious and fault-finding spirit.
A readiness to blame others for trifling offences or matters of
indifference, a habit of passing rash and hasty judgments, a disposition
to magnify the errors and infirmities of our neighbours, and make the
worst of them, this is what our Lord forbids. It was common among the
Pharisees: it has always been common from their day down to the present
time. We must watch against it. we should \"believe all things,\" and
\"hope all things\" about others, and be very slow to find fault. This
is Christian charity. (I Cor. 13:7).

The second portion of these verses teaches us the importance of
exercising discretion as to the persons with whom we speak on the
subject of religion. Everything is beautiful in it\\

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/jc-ryle/expository-thoughts-on-matthew-matthew-71-11/
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