Paul Earnhart on Matthew 7:3-5:
The gospel of grace cannot be preached without convicting men of sin (John 16:8) and calling for a change of heart (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30). Even the souls of God’s redeemed people cannot be secured without admonishing the disorderly (1 Thessalonians 5:14) and seeking to convert “a sinner from the error of his way” (James 5:19-20). But such correction is offered in redemptive love, not as the vehicle of pride and anger. The righteousness of the kingdom warns, but it does not attack. Citizens of God’s kingdom, struggling with their sins and beset by weaknesses, need a brother—not a “judge.” In all our dealings with others, we need to remember that we are not agents of the Lord’s judgment, but of His salvation. Vengeance belongs to the Lord. Our task is to seek and to save the lost.
Invitation to a Spiritual Revolution: Studies in the Sermon on the Mount