How to Study the Bible

Question: In the sermon on the mount, Jesus Said, “judge not” (Matt 7:1) but later He Said, “judge righteous judgement”  (John 7:24). Explain please.

Opening: 3 keys to unlocking a puzzling passage are: context, context and context. 

• A. Exegete—what it meant, Hermeneutics—what it means. 
• B. Matt 7:1-3 suggests a negative connotation for “Judging”. 
• C. 2 kinds of judgements we are not qualified to make:
  • 1–judging others. 
  • 2–pronouncing final judgement into heaven or hell. 
• D. Scripture says some things are evil. We are obligated to call evil evil. 

I. Abortion

• E. When we call abortion murder of a baby made in the image of God, we are quoting scripture. 
  • 1–Protester with signs say “it’s my body.”
  • 2–I Cor 6:19-20 – 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.Therefore honor God with your bodies. 

II. Homosexuality 

• F. When we call homosexual relations wrong, we are citing Scripture (LGBTQIA+ —Lesbian Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersexual, and Asexual -All Inclusive sexual immorality).  
  • 1–Objection: Jesus does not condemn homosexuality!
    • Wrong! Matt 5 & 19–Divorce acceptable in case of Adultery (Greek—Porneia meaning any type of sexual immorality, Lev 18-22). 
  • 2–Gen 1:27 says, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
• G. So God created males as males and females as females—Men cannot just decide to be a woman and it be OK. 
• H. A woman cannot decide to be a man and it be OK. 
• I. I’ve been asked, “if a person has decided to be baptized and dies on the way to the baptistery will he go to heaven?”  
  • 1–That is one of the kinds of judgements we are not qualified to make. 
  • 2–God knows hearts and we do not. (Gen 18:25)
  • 3–God will make the final judgement. 

III. Baptism 

• J. If a person dies just before baptism, God is qualified to make that judgement and we are not. 
• K. Acts 22:16 says baptism washes our sins away—we are not authorized to make exceptions to that rule, but God is sovereign and can do as He wills. 

Close: Stay out of the judging business.