Matthew 7:1-5 "Do not judge lest you be judged. ² "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. ³ "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴ "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? ⁵ "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT/MATTHEW 7:1-5

"One of the most important principles of international peacekeeping operations is restraint in the use of force (weapons). This principle is usually formulated as follows: weapons may be used only under extreme circumstances, when there is no other way to protect the life and health of service personnel. Much significance is attached to the creation, adoption and observance of the ‘rules of engagement.’" What does this have to do with our sermon series? As I said last week, we are going to be engaged in conflict till the day we die. And, because this is so, we must be clear on how to handle them in a God-honoring way. God has given to us rules/principles by which we are to engage in said conflicts. So, we are going to consider this week and next ...

I) GOD’S RULES FOR CONFLICT ENGAGEMENT

A) We will be discussing four rules of engagement (ROE) that will lead to God-honoring resolution (peacemaking) of any conflict we are engaged in. We introduced Rule #1 last week, and that is that we need to make it our priority to glorify God in every conflict no matter who started it cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31. Again, we need to keep in our mind, in the midst of conflict, these questions: "How can I please and honor the Lord in this situation? How can I show what Christ has done for me?"

B) Rule #2 says "Get the log our of your own eye." The first question to ask in a conflict is "How can I please and honor the Lord in this situation." The second question to ask is "How have I contributed to this conflict and what do I need to do to resolve it?" Here’s what Jesus said, "You hypocrite, first take the plank (log) out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye" (Matthew 7:5). So, we are to remove attitude, word, and action logs to be effective peacemakers. Oh, before we forget, remember that one of the Beatitudes is "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9).

1) We begin here with ROE #2 by repenting of a critical, negative attitude that leads to unnecessary conflict. Before going on, let’s briefly consider what repentance is. Repentance is more than mere remorse cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10. Godly sorrow comes when we see sin for what it is: a personal offense against God cf. Psalm 51:3-4. Genuine repentance involves a change of heart, a different way of thinking cf. Isaiah 55:7-8. There are, at least, three signs of genuine repentance: confession, restitution, and change cf. Matthew 3:8; Acts 26:20. So, what are we to confess and repent of? Sinful attitudes which include, inherently sinful cravings or attitudes, such as pride, lust, greed or hatred (Matthew 15:19). John Calvin said, "The evil in our desires often is not in what we want, but that we want it too much." We need to confess and repent of sinful words which include, harsh, reckless or worthless words (Proverbs 12:18; 15:1; Ephesians 4:29), grumbling and complaining (Philippians 2:14; James 5:9), falsehood–any deception or twisting of the truth (Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 24:28), and gossip–revealing or discussing personal information about others with people who are not part of the problem or the solution (Proverbs 11:13; 16:28; 20:19; 26:20; 1 Timothy 5:13). We need to confess and repent of sinful actions which include, not keeping our word (Matthew 5:37; Psalm 15:1,4), not respecting authority (Mark 10:42-45; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:18-25), and not treating others as we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).

2) I want to conclude by giving you the "Seven A’s Of Confession" to help you get those big logs out of your eyes. Here they are: (1) Address everyone involved. (2) Avoid "if," "but," and "maybe." (3) Admit your faults specifically. (4) Acknowledge the hurt you’ve caused–Express sincere sorrow for the way you affected others. (5) Accept the consequences. (6) Alter or change your behavior. (7) Ask for forgiveness. Caution: "Never make a confession merely to simply get a burden off your shoulders or to minimize the consequences of your sin. Rather, your goal should always be to glorify God and to minister (bring healing and comfort) to the person you have wronged." Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who conceals his sins does not prosper; but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Examination time ...