Judgment
James is warning about judgment. If you read the book of James in its entirety, you’ll see that it parallels closely with Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount, one of the longest sermons in the Bible. Why? Because James is Jesus’ little brother – bold little brother. He’s used some crazy, even offensive words. We can back up his words with Jesus’ words.
Matthew 7:1-5 1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged,
and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'
when there is the log in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged,
and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'
when there is the log in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Discernment: seeking wisdom from God and trying to make the best decision.
Judgment: I’m holding a speck on my finger. If you’re sitting across the room from me, you can’t see it. But if I hold up a log in my eye, can you see it? Judgment is me standing in front of the room with a log sticking out of my eye and saying, “Hey, dude? There’s a speck in your eye. That’s just embarrassing, man. You’ve got to do something about that. I can’t even be seen with you right now.”
If I have this kind of sin, like the log sticking out my eye that everyone can see, then who in the world am I to talk to anybody else about the sin in their life? If I come to you and say that I’ve seen you’re having some trouble in your marriage - and never mind that I’m struggling with porn and slept with a prostitute last night - you’ve got to fix things with your wife, man. That’s judgment!! Take the log out of your own eye first!
As Christians, we have the right and the obligation to help our brothers and sisters in Christ conquer their sin, BUT don’t you dare do it without dealing with your own sin first! It starts like this: Look, I know you’re struggling with __________ and I’m not perfect either. In fact I’ll tell you all of my issues right now if you want to hear them, but maybe I can help you overcome this. I’m not telling you you’re any worse or better off than I am, but we struggle differently. I’m not judging you because you sin differently than I do, I’m just recognizing that you’re a brother/sister in Christ and need help just like I need help. Maybe we can walk through this together, or find someone who can help us both.
How different is that? Than me pronouncing judgment and condemnation on you while trying to keep all my skeletons from falling out of the closet? Does that sound familiar? You can walk out the door, or maybe just look in the mirror, and see that. James is saying to stop! Seriously! You are speaking evil of each other! If I have a plank in my eye, what right do I have to complain about the speck in yours? I can’t see you clearly enough to help!
Judge not lest you be judged means when we judge others without grace and without mercy, we make ourselves the lawgivers. We set ourselves up to be God. We set ourselves up to play God in someone’s life when we judge without grace and mercy. How do we know that? Look at verse 12.
Judgment: I’m holding a speck on my finger. If you’re sitting across the room from me, you can’t see it. But if I hold up a log in my eye, can you see it? Judgment is me standing in front of the room with a log sticking out of my eye and saying, “Hey, dude? There’s a speck in your eye. That’s just embarrassing, man. You’ve got to do something about that. I can’t even be seen with you right now.”
If I have this kind of sin, like the log sticking out my eye that everyone can see, then who in the world am I to talk to anybody else about the sin in their life? If I come to you and say that I’ve seen you’re having some trouble in your marriage - and never mind that I’m struggling with porn and slept with a prostitute last night - you’ve got to fix things with your wife, man. That’s judgment!! Take the log out of your own eye first!
As Christians, we have the right and the obligation to help our brothers and sisters in Christ conquer their sin, BUT don’t you dare do it without dealing with your own sin first! It starts like this: Look, I know you’re struggling with __________ and I’m not perfect either. In fact I’ll tell you all of my issues right now if you want to hear them, but maybe I can help you overcome this. I’m not telling you you’re any worse or better off than I am, but we struggle differently. I’m not judging you because you sin differently than I do, I’m just recognizing that you’re a brother/sister in Christ and need help just like I need help. Maybe we can walk through this together, or find someone who can help us both.
How different is that? Than me pronouncing judgment and condemnation on you while trying to keep all my skeletons from falling out of the closet? Does that sound familiar? You can walk out the door, or maybe just look in the mirror, and see that. James is saying to stop! Seriously! You are speaking evil of each other! If I have a plank in my eye, what right do I have to complain about the speck in yours? I can’t see you clearly enough to help!
Judge not lest you be judged means when we judge others without grace and without mercy, we make ourselves the lawgivers. We set ourselves up to be God. We set ourselves up to play God in someone’s life when we judge without grace and mercy. How do we know that? Look at verse 12.
James 4:12 There is only one lawgiver and judge,
he who is able to save and to destroy.
But who are you to judge your neighbor?
he who is able to save and to destroy.
But who are you to judge your neighbor?
The only one who can rightfully judge the law is the one who gave the law. Here’s what’s cool: not only did God make the law, not only did God give the law, God did this: Jesus came down after making and giving the law, and lived under the law! There is absolutely no way that Jesus is not fit to judge! He gave it, he made it, and he lived under it, and he didn’t stop there. He fulfilled it.
Matthew 5:17-18 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot,
will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot,
will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Jesus says he didn’t come to destroy the law! Not one iota, not one dot will pass from the law until all his accomplished. The last thing Jesus cried out from the cross was what? “It is finished!” He fulfilled it, he completed it, and he did what we can’t! He set himself up to do what we can’t do, so we need to look to him to be the judge. Stop judging others! Let him do that! We need to speak love, and not judgment.
John 19:30 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
He didn’t stay dead. Three days later he was up walking around, hanging out with his friends, and freaking people out. Can you imagine that??
Revelation 21:6 And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
Jesus says he’s got it. He’ll judge, not you. Stop speaking evil into peoples’ lives. So what do we do with all this? James said don’t speak evil against each other, because then it gets into judging, and I know you well enough to know that you’re just as bad as I am. So what do we do? Do we just shut up all the time and not say anything? No, we need to speak love instead of judgment
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
I may be so eloquent, able speak in many languages, but without love I’m just a bunch of noise! I am NOTHING. You can’t get a 75-80% on this, it says if I can all this but don’t have love, I am ZERO. It just sounds like banging. It’s annoying and frustrating. Guess what? That’s what your speech is like when you don’t have love behind it. When you’re talking to someone else and it’s not out of a heart of love and a motive of love and a desire to build them up, you might as well just be beating on a cymbal, because that’s all they’re getting. Just loud, obnoxious noise.
Ephesians 4:15 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
We are to encourage and help each other along. Stop judging, that’s like kicking them when they’re down. Don’t be a jerk! Even if you don’t say it, you may be thinking it, and it’s not coming from a heart of love but a heart of judgment.
Truth without love is brutality. Absolutely brutal, not beneficial in any way, shape, or form.
Love without truth is hypocrisy. You can’t separate the two. If you love them, and don’t speak the truth, you’re lying.
Truth spoken in love is Biblical. How do I know? Because the Bible is the truth that was spoken in love, all of it, every page, every word, every chapter, every book, is the truth spoken in love. Speak love, speak life, not judgment.
Truth without love is brutality. Absolutely brutal, not beneficial in any way, shape, or form.
Love without truth is hypocrisy. You can’t separate the two. If you love them, and don’t speak the truth, you’re lying.
Truth spoken in love is Biblical. How do I know? Because the Bible is the truth that was spoken in love, all of it, every page, every word, every chapter, every book, is the truth spoken in love. Speak love, speak life, not judgment.