“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1)

You would think from interacting with people, reading internet posts, or watching interviews on television, that Matthew 7:1 was the single most important verse in the Bible to most Americans — perhaps the only one that most really know or act upon: “Do not judge.”

The only thing that seems to matter to them, measured by their responses and actions, is that no one should ever discern that anyone’s actions might be sinful or wrong. Never mind what the sin is, or if it is clearly condemned in scripture. It doesn’t matter what anything else in the Bible says, no one is ever to assert that a person’s actions are wrong. This is the only verse that matters:

— NOT Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins, go and reprove him in private …”
— NOT Luke 17:3 “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”
— NOT I Corinthians 5:1-3 “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you … for I, on my part, absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this …”.
— NOT I Corinthians 5:12 “Do you not judge those who are within the church?”
— NOT I Corinthians 6:2-3 “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?”

Nope, none of those others verses matters, America says. Only one verse does: “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Let’s just call it “America’s verse.” It seems to be our country’s favorite, and the only one most Americans need.