Matthew 7:1 isn’t a verse that is given to us as a defense against criticism or rebuke. As believers, we ought to respond to others admonishing us whether they’ve got a huge plank sticking out of their eye or not.
This verse is given to those that are giving the rebuke to check their own hearts. To use it as a defense is actually to place yourself in the position of the guy with a plank sticking out of his eye. You, being guilty of cursing like a sailor and causing little ones to stumble (that’s your plank), are focusing on the way in which you were rebuked (that’s the speck in his eye).
Can Christians ever judge?
It’s clear even in the context of Matthew 7 that there is a way in which Christians ought to judge. In verse 5, the one giving the rebuke is told to take the log out of his eye and then worry about the speck in the eye of his brother. He doesn’t say, “Don’t worry about the speck.”
There are other places in Scripture where Jesus actually encourages people to judge. In John 7:24, he tells those listening to judge him—and to judge correctly. This implies that there is a fixed standard by which men may judge the truth of something. And it also shows that there are correct ways of making a judgment and incorrect ways of making a judgment.
Paul said much the same thing in 1 Corinthians 10:15). Yes, there is a right way to judge and wrong way to judge.
If your view of Matthew 7:1, then you aren’t reading those other verses correctly.
The believer is to make right judgments using the measuring stick of God’s Word (for his own heart and the life of others).
