Sermon on the Mount Pearls to Pigs

Matthew 7:6
Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample
them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (7:6)
Jesus has taught: do not judge, or you too will be judged, and in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged (7:1)
A judgmental attitude brings Gods judgment upon us, and an unmerciful attitude toward others
brings about a lack of mercy toward us just as Jesus taught earlier in the Sermon when He said,
if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if
you do not forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins (6:14-15)
This is not a heavenly accounting system or divine scorekeeping, but rather a principle in
relationships and attitudes the same selfish refusal to love and forgive others is the attitude that
shuts out Gods ongoing forgiveness of our sin and His sanctifying work of restoration in us
We cannot compartmentalize our faith walk with God from our relationships with others
The passage that follows do not judge teaches self-judgment before dealing with others: first
take the plank out of your own eye and then . . . remove the speck from your brothers eye (7:5)
Note that the action here is that of rendering assistance so we do not judge but we do bring help
Our role is not that of condemnation or the determination of someones eternal destiny, but we do
lovingly confront, reprove, and exhort a brother for their good and the good of the church (18:15)
Now comes the discernment involved in confrontation: do not give dogs what is sacred and
do not throw your pearls to pigs (7:6) we do not confront sin or reprove everyone we meet,
but through Spirit-empowered guidance, we respond to Gods leadership in relationships
An example of this principle is the way Jesus responded to the interrogations of Pilate then
Herod He answered Pilates questions about who He was and His divine authority (27:11), but
was silent before Herod who was simply curious and wanted to see a miracle (Luke 23:8-9)
Another example: Peter and Barnabas determined that unbelieving Jews in Antioch had judged
themselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46), and so they carried the Gospel to the Gentiles
In the serious action of loving confrontation, we would do well to remember Jesus words: He
that has ears to hear, let him hear (11:15) only God can direct us when to speak or be silent
We give sacred things to dogs or throw pearls to pigs when we carry Gods message with no
direction or discernment whether that message is the gospel of Christ (II Corinthians 5:18) or
speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) to a brother who has left the truth (James 5:19)
The wisdom of the Proverbs explains there are times when we do not answer a fool according to
his folly, or you will be like him, and times we answer a fool according to his folly, or he will
be wise in his own eyes (26:4-5) only Gods Spirit can direct us when to do one or the other
We would be wise not to ask ourselves what human being would be a dog or a pig instead
we should remove any plank from our eye (confess our sin) and ask Gods direction daily as to
our interaction with others, resisting judgment and criticism and seeking to render help as we can
Judgment is not our role, for we passed from judgment unto life (John 5:24); we should be
relieved that God is the ultimate judge, and that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13)