Matthew 7 appears to be a series of unrelated paragraphs, but there is a connecting thread: personal relationships. We are not to judge others. Before we condemn others, we are to examine our own sins first. But Jesus is not asking us to suspend all judgments. For church discipline, Christians have to exercise judgment. Jesus’ additional teaching on prayer is ultimately about God’s goodness. For us, God’s goodness is the motivation for practicing the golden rule.