With what judgment you judge, you
will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you
—Matthew 7:2
This
statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God.
Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a
difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of
life is retribution— “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to
you.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the shortcomings of others,
remember that will be exactly how you will be measured. The way you pay is the
way life will pay you back. This eternal law works from God’s throne down to us
(see Psalm
18:25-26).
Romans 2:1 applies it in
even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is
guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also
at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts. To
begin with, we do not believe the statements of the Bible. For instance, do we
really believe the statement that says we criticize in others the very things we
are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of
genuineness in others is that they are all in our own hearts. The greatest
characteristic of a saint is humility, as evidenced by being able to say
honestly and humbly, “Yes, all those, as well as other evils, would have been
exhibited in me if it were not for the grace of God. Therefore, I have no right
to judge.”
Jesus
said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1).
He went on to say, in effect, “If you do judge, you will be judged in exactly
the same way.” Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, “My God, judge
me as I have judged others”? We have judged others as sinners— if God should
judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. Yet God judges us on
the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ.
(Taken from Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost
for His Highest” June 22)