| Yesterday's Bible Study |
Jesus is speaking in today's verse, telling His followers that they should not judge, condemn, or withhold forgiveness from people who hurt them. The reason is that if we judge, we will be judged. If we condemn, we will be condemned. If we forgive, we will be forgiven. Today, we'll look at the importance of treating others with grace, as this verse urges us to do.
When we judge or condemn another person, we are taking God's place in exacting justice. We're saying it's up to us to make sure the person pays for what he or she did, rather than leaving it in God's hands--as though we don't believe He is capable of handling it. This is an act of unbelief, and it's important that we recognize the gravity of what we're doing. |
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We know that no one gets away with anything, even if it seems like they do. The Bible says that what we sow we will reap--and so will all who have wronged us. Indeed, if we want to understand how seriously the Lord takes our sins against Him, we only have to look at the cross. Jesus's brutal death and separation from God was the price for our sin.
If the Lord could forgive us, we can forgive those who have wounded us.
This is why the verse says that if we judge, condemn, or do not forgive, we will experience the same. We cannot experience God's forgiveness unless we believe and know that Jesus is Lord. However, if we repent and come before the Lord to receive grace, He will supply it in abundance, and we will be able to share it with others in our lives.
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