Living the Four Universal Laws of Christ

10/5/2025

Luke 6:37-38

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Jesus taught many lessons throughout his ministry. This Bible verse is an excerpt from Luke 6:17-49, which is known as “The Sermon on the Plain.”  Jesus’ teaching here is both simple and profound, outlining four universal spiritual laws that govern how we relate to others and how God relates to us. These principles – do not judge, do not condemn, forgive, and give – form the basis of our spiritual journey. They offer transformative wisdom for peace, mercy, and generosity as we walk our path.

The first law, or commandment, is “Judge not, and you will not be judged.” Biblical scholars widely agree that Jesus’ command "judge not" in Luke 6:37 is frequently misunderstood and taken out of context. God gives us wisdom and the power to discern right from wrong morally, That statement does not prohibit all forms of judgment or discernment, but instead warns against a spirit of self-righteous condemnation and premature, harsh criticism of others.

As a human being, each of us has a basic natural ability to differentiate good from bad or productive from nonproductive behavior based on personal experience, logic, and observation. Even children and animals exercise this kind of discernment instinctively. However, it can be incomplete or flawed because it is limited to surface appearances and personal biases.

As we mature, we develop moral discernment, learning to recognize right from wrong, good from evil, and ethical from unethical. However, humans often struggle here due to pride or self-righteousness and may quickly jump to condemn others rather than seek understanding or compassion.

We see this on television as the political parties defame each other. What is the sentiment behind their words? I have seen people who claim to be Christians, yet speak ill of other people, fomenting division, hatred, and chaos, not love and unity. If someone’s language does not reflect the language of love, of Christ, they do not earn my attention.

As we develop our relationship with Christ and become open to God’s grace, His words become clearer. True discernment is a gift given by the Holy Spirit that goes beyond natural or moral judgment. It involves perceiving spiritual realities, distinguishing between the spiritual motivations behind behaviors and words, and understanding deeper truths that shape godly living. This discernment is exercised with humility, prayer, and love, and it grows as we mature spiritually. The Bible encourages discernment but warns against judgmental attitudes that harm relationships and go beyond our God-given authority.

Jesus himself illustrated this principle in Luke 6:41-42, warning how foolish it is to focus on the tiny faults or "specks" in others while ignoring our own larger faults, or the “log” in our own eye. Christ wants us to self-reflect rather than judge others harshly.

The second law is “Do Not Condemn, and You Will Not Be Condemned.” To condemn is a step beyond judgment. It is to pronounce someone guilty and deserving of punishment, something only God can do. Jesus warns that condemning others in this way invites similar condemnation upon ourselves.

The story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is a parable told by Jesus about a man who had two sons. The younger son asks for his share of the inheritance and then leaves home to spend it recklessly in a distant country. After losing everything, he decides to return home and ask his father for forgiveness, willing to become a servant.

When the father sees his son returning, he runs to him, embraces him, and joyfully welcomes him back by giving him the best robe, a ring, and holding a feast. The father’s love and forgiveness are unconditional and extravagant.

Meanwhile, the older son, who had stayed and worked faithfully on the family farm, becomes angry and resentful that the younger son is celebrated despite his past irresponsibility. The father gently explains that they must celebrate because the lost son was “dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

The parable highlights God’s mercy and readiness to forgive the wayward child. It also contrasts the father’s grace with the older son’s self-righteousness and lack of forgiveness, symbolizing the Pharisees who criticized Jesus for welcoming sinners. The story teaches about condemnation, forgiveness, restoration, and the nature of God’s love for both the lost and the self-righteous.

The third law is “Forgive, and You Will Be Forgiven.” Forgiveness is also another reciprocal spiritual principle; showing forgiveness to others results in our receiving forgiveness. This law reflects the heart of God’s mercy and calls for a willingness to forgive as a mirror of the forgiveness we seek from God.

Forgiveness goes hand in hand with avoiding condemnation and removes barriers to God’s grace. While condemnation builds walls that hurt both the judge and the judged, forgiving others mirrors God’s forgiveness toward us. Matthew 6:14-15 tells us, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Forgiveness breaks the cycle of resentment and restores relationships. It is an active choice to release offense and embody God’s mercy.

A young boy came home upset after his friend said something mean to him at school. His father gave him a wrapped gift and told him to hold onto it tightly. The boy clenched the gift tightly, but it began to hurt his hand. His father said, “Holding onto anger and hurt is like holding this gift tightly – it only causes you pain. Sometimes, the best gift you can give yourself is to let go and forgive.” This story shows that forgiveness can release us from the pain caused by holding onto anger and allows healing to begin.

The last law is “Give, and It Will Be Given to You.” Generous giving – whether in love, mercy, or resources – results in abundance. The imagery of “pressed down, shaken together, and running over” shows God’s overflowing blessing for the generous heart. This giving is not conditional but a reflection of God’s open-handed favor upon us. Jesus calls us to a life marked by radical generosity and trust in God’s provision.

In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus praised a poor widow who gave two small coins because she gave all she had. This teaches that giving is measured not by quantity but by the heart’s generosity and sacrifice. God honors the spirit behind giving and blesses abundantly, even when it feels like we have little to give.

These laws outline a pattern for living mercifully and graciously, reflecting how God treats humanity. The first three laws involve responses to others’ actions (not judging, not condemning, forgiving). The fourth is an active principle of generosity toward others, with the assurance of abundant return based on the measure we use toward others. When living in alignment with these laws we reflect the character of Christ and participate in the blessings of God's good.

We can apply these four laws to ourselves. Some of us need to not judge ourselves, not condemn ourselves, just because we are not living up to a standard that we see a in someone else. We think, "Well, I'm not giving as much as that person. I can't do what they can do. Therefore, I'm not as worthy as that person." And we judge ourselves based upon these comparisons to other people. It really is not fair at all what we do to ourselves. We would never do that to one of our friends. We condemn ourselves. "Oh, Patrick, you've going to hell because of ... whatever.

I once took a Bible study course with a friend who belonged to a particular Christian denomination. It was at least three weeks long. We would read the Bible and he would tell me how his denomination interpreted the passages. I would then tell him what that passage meant to me. At the end of this course, he said, "Patrick, you're a good man, but you're going to hell."

All I can do is love that person, because we just do not know what we do not know. Sometimes we do not know that we are not walking with Christ. That denomination is not walking with Christ if that is what they believe, because that is not what Christ believed or taught. Not at all. What are we sharing with people through our attitudes and actions and words? Are our beliefs spilling out in an antagonistic way? Are we condemning people to hell just because they do not think like we do?

If somebody's language is not reflective of Christ, they don't get my attention. Period. I think most people react the same way.

It is my prayer that we open our hearts to Spirit and reject harsh judgment and condemnation. I pray that we embrace forgiveness, and give generously – not for reward, but as a natural outflow from lives transformed by grace.