Judging Others? Stop It!
Today we are going to have another “How To” sermon. Remember I have said that James is a very practical book – perhaps the most practical book in the Bible. He tells us “How to live the Christian life.” He tells us “How to Reach For Christian Maturity.” Today we are going to look at: “How to Stop Judging Others”. James doesn’t beat around the bush when he discusses judging other people – he gets right to the point. Follow along with me as I read from James chapter four.
“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” James 4:11-12 (NKJV)
James tells us right up front not to speak evil of one another – because by speaking evil of one another – we judge one another. Anytime I judge you – any time you judge me – you and I have stepped over the line – because we start playing God. It’s only God’s responsibility to judge people – not yours or mine.
Now let me tell you right up front – that it is my job – as a minister of the gospel to speak out against sin. I need to call evil – evil. I need to call sin – sin. I should not sugar coat it. I should not hide it. I should not say it’s O.K. But I always need to remember – that all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s glory – and that includes me. Allow me to proclaim sin as sin – but I pray to God that I would never talk about sin in a judgmental way. Whenever someone has sinned – it should grieve us. We should weep over the sin in our lives. When someone has stepped across the line and offended me or you – God gives us clear guidance as how to handle it. We are to go to them in private and discuss the matter in private with gentleness and love – not with a judgmental spirit. There should be no finger pointing going on. Let’s look at:
Why You and I Should Not Judge Others
The Bible gives us three reasons why we should not judge one another.
1. It is UNCHRISTIAN
Let’s read James chapter four and verse eleven again:
“Do not say evil against one another, my brothers. He who says evil against his brother or makes himself his brother’s judge, says evil against the law and is judging the law.” James 4:11 (BBE)
Notice how many times the word brother or a form of brother is used in this verse. Three times! Why? Because we should not speak evil of another Christian – because we are part of the same family. We’re brothers – we’re relatives. We have the same Father. “Our Father – who art in heaven.” We have the same Savior – Jesus Christ our Lord. We have the same Holy Spirit living and dwelling in us. We have been saved by the same blood – the blood of Christ. That is why Paul can say:
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-5 (NKJV)
We are family – and family should not speak evil against one another. It’s not a Christian’s job to go around speaking evil of other Christians – in fact it is the devil’s business to speak against God and His family. The devil is the Father of Lies and he is the one who loves to speak evil of God’s children. The devil loves to “bad talk” God and His family. When we speak evil against a fellow Christian – we’re doing the devils work. That’s what the devil’s job description is. In the book of Revelation the Bible says, the devil is the “accuser of the brothers”. It is unchristian to judge other Christians. That is not what we should be doing. The second reason we should not speak evil against one another is:
2. It is UNLOVING
Do you remember what Jesus said the Greatest Commandment was? It is found in Matthew chapter twenty two:
’YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ "This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ’YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ Matthew 22:37-39 (NASV)
When we judge one another we are breaking God’s commandment - we are breaking God’s law. Look at what James tells us in verse eleven:
“He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” James 4:11 (NKJV)
James tells us that when we speak evil of one another we are breaking God’s law and disobeying His commandment. By speaking evil against them - we are not loving our brothers and sister in Christ. We have become their judge – not their friend. To judge one another is unloving and unchristian – and:
3. It is UNJUSTIFIED
James tells us in verse twelve:
“There is one Lawgiver.” James 4:12 (NKJV)
- And guess what? You’re not Him!
The word “lawgiver” is used six times in the Old Testament and only one time in the New Testament. The six times it is used in the Old Testament – refers only to God. The same is true here – in the book of James.
Only God has a right to judge. It’s part of God’s job description. It’s not in your job description to judge other Christians. It’s not your job to judge other people. God has not created you to go around judging everybody you meet. He has not commissioned you to talk to everybody about everybody else. He has not made you to be a busybody.
One of the greatest mistakes all of us have – is to generalize people by just one mistake that they make. If they make a mistake we tend to slander their whole character. If a guy makes a foolish mistake – we consider him a fool. But this is not necessarily the truth. Maybe he is a good person who has just made one foolish mistake. Maybe he has just slipped and fallen in one time. Maybe he has just made a mistake.
How many of you have heard: “You can’t judge a book by the cover.” The same is true of people. Look beyond the mistake – look at the person’s real character – and you may be surprised what you find. Stop judging others – it’s unchristian – it’s unloving – it’s unjustified. That brings us to:
HOW TO STOP JUDGING OTHERS
Let me give you three thoughts about how to stop judging others:
1. Remember You Will Be Judged By The Same Standards You Judge OTHERS
The Bible tells us - that by the standards we set for others - we will be judged. If we are to be judged by the same standards that WE judge others – we should stop judging people so harshly. Why do I say that we will be judged by the same standards that we judge others? Look at a verse from the Lord’s prayer with me:
’And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (NASV)
Whenever you pray the Lord’s Prayer you are asking God to forgive you – in the same way that you forgive others. Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter seven:
“Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2 (NASV)
Since we will be judged – in same way that we judge others – many of us are in trouble! If you want to break the habit of talking bad about people – just remember that what you dish out is what you are going to get in return. It is the principle that you will reap what you sow. Also:
2. Remember You Are Accountable To GOD
The Bible says:
“Each one of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.” Romans 14:12-13 (NASV)
You are not accountable to me in the ultimate sense of your life. But – remember you are accountable to God. When all is said and done - I am not accountable to you and you are not accountable to me. Both of us are accountable to God who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the ultimate judge. He is the One that all of us will bow our knees before. You and I will be accountable for every action and every word that we have ever spoken - every good word and every bad word. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew chapter twelve:
"And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37 (NASV)
How is God going to judge? He is going to judge honestly, fairly, and truthfully. His judgment will not be based on heresy, rumors, or gossip – it will be based on hard cold facts. He will judge impartially. He will judge with justice. And also:
3. Remember God Is Merciful To YOU
In James chapter two he said:
“Judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13 (NASV)
God is merciful. He gives forgiveness where there should be condemnation. Shouldn’t we act the same way? Do you remember the story that Jesus told in Matthew chapter eighteen? It goes something like this:
A man owed $50,000 to his boss. His boss was kind enough to forgive him of the debt. The man then went out and found a guy who owed him $5. He strangled the guy because he wouldn’t pay up. When the boss heard the news – He went to man who had owed him $50,000 and said, “Who do you think you are? I forgave you a huge amount. This other fellow only owed you a little bit – yet you would not forgive him. What’s up with that? Is that how you play the game? Don’t give out what you so richly have received? Remember you will be forgiven in the same manner you forgive.”
God has shown us mercy. God has shown us love. God has shown us forgiveness. How should we treat those who are around us? How should be behave?
This past week I read a poem called: “The Wrecking Crew” Let me read it for you now:
I stood on the street of a busy town,
Watching men tearing a building down.
With a ho heave ho and a lusty yell,
They swung a beam and a side wall fell.
I asked the foreman of the crew,
“Are those men as skilled in all they do?”
“Oh, no, no indeed.” The foreman said.
“That’s just Bob and that’s just Fred.”
“Just common laborers are all I need.
To tear a tear down a building – is a simple deed.
They can tear it down in a day or two.
What took a skilled man a year to build – new.
No skill is involved - no skill do they need,
You see - tearing things down is a simple deed."
And then I thought as I went my way.
Just which of these two roles am I trying to play?
Have I walked life’s road with care,
Measuring each deed with a rule and square?
Or am I one of those who roam the town,
Content with the labor of tearing things down?
James tells us:
“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” James 4:11-12 (NKJV)
Are you going around judging others? Stop it!
