To Judge or Not to Judge - James 4:11,12
When I was in high school, there was this guy in my class that was on the rough side. He smoked, cussed, had long hair. Later we became good friends but before that – I remember a day a Christian student approached him sharing a judgmental comment. This is how my friend responded. He took a drag off of his cigarette and said, “Well the Bible says, “Judge not, lest ye be judged, for the judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured back to you.”
I wasn’t expecting a quote from Jesus – Matt. 7.
We do hear Christians share a shortened form, “We’re not to judge.” But… in Matt. 18:15 Jesus says (TAB) “If your brother sins against you - go and show him his fault…” So (TAB) which is it? Judge or not judge?
In John 7:24 Jesus seems to give clarification. He says (TAB) “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:24
And it’s here we see that there is a right way to judge and a wrong way. And this makes more sense... First, let’s look at what (TAB) judging incorrectly is:
It’ here that we pick up with the book of James – we’ve been studying this book verse by verse. (TAB) James 4:11. (Feel free to open your Bible apps.) James 4:11 “Brothers, do not slander one another.
So we see here that (TAB) judging incorrectly is: condemning or speaking against fellow Christians. Notice he addresses his listeners as “Brothers” which means – these are Christians. He says, “Do not slander one another.” Which in the original language is, “don’t speak against one another.” I think we all will agree that Christians don’t look good when we bad-mouthing each other. James says, “Don’t do that.” He goes on in v. 11, “Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it.
He’s referencing God’s law in the Old Testament. And what does God’s law say about how to treat others: (TAB) “…love your neighbor as yourself” Lev.19:18. (repeat slower).
?Have you ever seen anyone going around, speaking against themselves? “Can you believe what I did - It’s shameful – because I did that - I’m not going to have anything do with myself anymore. If I see me out - I’m going to act as if I don’t’ know me. Serves me right!” Is that what we do? No! We do something wrong – we get over it pretty quickly… why? because we love ourselves, and we’re to love others the way we love ourselves.
Back to verse 11, “Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.”
In other words – to speak against a Christian is to put yourselves above the law - as if - you know better than God.
The word (TAB) “judge ” here - the root word in Gk. is “krino” and it means: “Set oneself over”. When you speak against another Christian – you’re putting yourself over them, in the place that God alone should be. This is why in v. 12 James says. “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy.”
He’s telling the reader: “There’s one God – and He’s not you.” Putting ourselves in the place of God? The audacity. This is serious stuff…. It’s usurping God’s authority. (pause) ?Isn’t that the sin that got Lucifer’s thrown out of heaven? Or Adam and Eve’s sin that led to the fall of humanity – “you’ll be like God”. James is saying, There’s one God and you aren’t Him! so don’t judge incorrectly.
(TAB) So judging incorrectly is: condemning or speaking against fellow Christians. But it’s more: Judging incorrectly is (TAB) condemning or speaking against non-Christians.
“What? Vern, are you saying how I talk about politics needs to change?” This does have far-reaching implications. Remember: James is all about “FAITH IN ACTION”.
Several years back before the Supreme court re-defined marriage, Disney decided to extend healthcare benefits to employees with same-sex partners. It caused quite the stir… the Southern Baptist Church, Focus on the Family, and others, rose up and declared a boycott of Disney. It was their way of letting Disney know – “You’re wrong.” Now, with that in mind look at 1 Cor. 5. (TAB) “I have written to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you’d have to leave this world… v. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church: Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.” Vv.9-12(select)
This is clear – when it comes to non-Christians… it’s not our job to judge them. That’s God’s job.
Now, I realize, this is especially hard these days with politics and social issues often going in directions perhaps we don’t like or want. The government and courts choose to go a way that’s opposed to what the Bible says. And it can make us mad. I understand – believe me… but remember this world isn’t our home. We’re just passing through. (TAB) We’re to be Christians before we’re Americans. When it comes to condemnation and speaking against non-Christians and a non-Christian world, it’s institutions and organizations… that’s God’s job, not ours (1 Cor. 5:12).
NOW PLEASE HEAR ME - I’m not saying you shouldn’t vote your conscience. As an American citizen, you have that right. When the government, courts or non-Christians, do something you don’t agree with – I’m not saying you have to like it… of course not. BUT be careful what you say and how you say it.
Remember, Jesus lived in a Roman world that was filled with worshipping false gods, immorality… and Jesus said almost nothing of the secular world. In fact, he was a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34). When the woman was caught in adultery and brought to Jesus ready to be stoned… did He say, “She’s disgusting – how could she do this.” No! He told those with stones in their hands, (TAB) “You without sin cast the first stone.” He told the woman, “I don’t accuse you – go and sin no more.”
Why didn’t Jesus condemn her outright?
?Why didn’t Jesus speak against the wicked Roman world? John 3:17, (TAB) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Jesus was on a mission – to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15), not give commentary on Roman culture. Rome’s sins didn’t throw Him off course. He was on a mission – and now He’s handed that mission to who? Us! The church! He says, (TAB) “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ ” John 20:21 Which means – we can’t get off course either… it’s not our job to seek to save the lost – not give commentary on American culture.
“But Vern, our world is going to hell” I know – all the more reason our focus needs to be on sharing the answer – JESUS – not the everchanging temporal landscape of politics and court rulings.
(TAB) Judging incorrectly is condemning and speaking against Christians… judging incorrectly is condemning and speaking against non-Christians. And we’ll in a minute we’ll talk about how we are to judge correctly… but first….(TAB) Why do I judge incorrectly:
#1 (TAB) it can make me feel righteous. When we point out others' wrongdoings – it makes us feel like we’re doing pretty good. Seriously, if you want to feel like a good person – just watch the local news. Robberies, murders… it will make you feel like an incredibly good person - so righteous. When we talk about others' sin issues… it’s as if we’ve got it together and it does make you feel good. But be careful, it can create a false sense of security. The Bible says, “All we like sheep have gone astray” “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We all need Jesus. AMEN!
Another reason we’re quick to judge incorrectly is… (I've eluded to this): (TAB) it takes the focus off my mistakes. When I was 10 years old and bored, ended up hanging around a kid I wasn’t allowed to be with. He picked up a rock and threw it at an old metal shed in one of the neighbor's yards. It was incredibly loud and AMAZING. So I threw one. After 20 minutes of throwing more & increasingly bigger rocks, the whole side of the shed was caved in. That night, there was a pounding on our front door, the neighbor who owned the shed… He informed my mom what I was a part of… “Vernon Ray Risner… How could you do that… Why would you do that? ” you know what my reply was, “Jerry threw the first rock!” See what I did! I put the focus on Jerry as if it was all his fault – it didn’t work.
When I judge others incorrectly - it makes me feel righteous, it also takes the focus off my mistakes. And notice the common denominator of both (Me, My) (TAB) Pride! Prov. 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
1 Cor. 10:12 says, (TAB) “…if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
When we judge incorrectly (condemn, speak against Christians and non-Christians) Watch Out! Pride is lurking! Be careful! Okay, Okay, we’re not to judge incorrectly – SO how do we (TAB) Judge correctly.
Judging correctly is: (TAB) Sharing truth (repeat) Some of you are thinking, “That’ 's exactly what I do” stick with me. When that woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus … John 8 tells us that Jesus stooped down and began writing in the dirt. Now we don’t know for sure what he wrote, but some believe he was writing the 10 commandments. If so, he shared the truth about how they had broken God’s law. He then said, “You without sin cast the first stone.” He’s speaking the truth.
Now, days people are confused about what the truth is –THIS IS TRUTH (John 17:17 “Sanctify them with truth – your word is truth), It’s what we’re to be led and guided us. We need truth – all of us do. “Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Jn. 8:32. If we’re going to judge correctly then we need to share the truth… but that’s not all. To judge correctly we need to share truth (TAB) in love.
Yes, the Bible says, “Judge not lest ye be judged” But Jesus goes on in that same passage to says, (TAB) “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time you have a plank in your own eye? (it appears he’s using a little humor here) You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matt. 7:4, 5.
Jesus wants us to help others – and when we share truth in love – we’re working to help others. If there was anyone who could have come to earth with a Billy-Club it was Jesus. He was sinless, He knew the truth – He came to earth where everyone’s a sinner… He could have let us have it… but no! “God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten son” He didn’t come to condemn - He spoke the truth in love. Judging correctly is sharing the truth in love. Because we care. You might think, “Vern, sometimes love is tough.” You’re right… and 1 Cor. 5 tells us that… a guy in the church was sinning in an egregious way. He doesn’t want to change – and so Paul tells them to put him out… that they should be in tears and mourning and put him out of the church. Why? It’s a last-ditch effort to help him come to his senses… turn from his sin and back to Jesus. But 1 Cor. 5 gives us permission only to do this tough love with our own. Our families and the church. Sometimes loving is tough. (TAB) Eph. 4:15 says, “…speak the truth in love.”
This brings us to the (TAB) last ingredient to judge correctly - to judge correctly we need to share the truth, in love, why? (TAB) To save. (see they all go together). Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost (Lk 19:10). This was His mission… Now it’s our mission. Sometimes, especially to the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus came across harsh – it was in an effort to get through to them – tough love – when they tried to trick him, when they were secretly planning to trap, arrest and kill him…(they were also His people – God’s people supposed to share the truth of God) But he did it in love… at the end of one of this most pointed discourses in Matt. 23, Jesus said, (TAB) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” V.37
And so we see that we have an obligation to judge correctly, (TAB) sharing the truth, in love so that people can be saved.
A great example of this is 40 days to life organization. For years, Christians would go to abortion clinics with gory signs, calling the women going into the clinics “baby killers”, “murderers” They only had 1 of the three. 40 Days to life was a Christian group who took a different approach. They came speaking truth in love. Not only to save babies but to save the young women. They loved them. Befriended them. And many have been saved eternally because of them.
All of us have a tendency to judge incorrectly… Oh, as salt and light in this world, we need to get this right. Jesus came to make things right… , He came and even took the judgment of our sin, on Himself. It’s what the cross is all about. He who was truth, sacrifice Himself in love to save us. That’s getting it right. He not only wants us to accept that – but live sharing that truth, in love to save.
Someone wrote:
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 the sidewall fell
I asked the foreman of the crew “Are those men as skilled - As those you’d hire if you’d wanted to build?”
“Ah, no, no indeed, - just common laborers are all I need.
I can tear down as much in a day or two - as would take skilled men a year to do.”
And then I thought as I went my way – just which of these roles am I trying to play?
Have I walked life’s road with care – measuring each deed with rule and square?
Or am I one of those who roam the town – content with the labor of tearing down?
Jesus says, “…judge correctly", sharing truth, in love, to save some. Please bow with me.
It’s an area we all have to deal with – in fact, judging in-correctly is an all to common problem with Christians.
IF you could use help in this area – would you pray with me:
"Lord, help me to stop playing God – but instead to share truth in love that I might save, help and lead others into a deeper relationship with you."
And if you have never accepted what Jesus came to do for you – do so now, commit to a life following after Him and His ways. Pray, "Jesus, forgive me, I know I’ve sinned. To spare me being punished and judged for my sin – you took my place. Then you defeated it by rising from the dead. You did this for me. Thank you. I turn from the ways of my sin to you… I accept what you’ve done for me. Help me, from this day forward, to learn and go your way in life. With you my savior and Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen."
