Slides: Judging Others

Judging Others
Romans 2:1-5

¹ You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ² Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? 

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Speck and log

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5)

Approving others’ sin: Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (1:32)

Condemning others’ sin: You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else… because you who pass judgment do the same things. (2:1)

Judging the law

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. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12)

Judgment based on truth

² Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)

 
Storing up wrath

⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? ⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

 
Three kinds of sinners

• Rebels without restraint (1:18-32)
• Moralism without morality (2:1-16)
• Religion without relationship (2:17-3:8)

What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! … there is no one who does good, not even one. (3:9-12)

Judging others
“God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.”

 Accepting God’s judgment
“God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Falling short of God's glory

Who comes closer to reaching the moon: a person in a wheelchair at sea level, or a superb climber on the summit of Mount Everest?  The mountain climber might feel superior to the wheel-chair bound person—but only until he realizes that he has no better chance of reaching the moon. Standing beside each other, the climber might look healthier than the person in the wheelchair. But seen from the heavens, both are tiny and impossibly far away. If you want to reach the moon, you don’t need climbing lessons. You need a rocket!

Likewise, to reach the glory of God, you don't need lessons on better behavior. You need a Savior! It doesn't help to judge others as worse than yourself. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We fall so far short that it makes no difference if one person is a little better than another. We need to be in Christ in order to go to heaven and enjoy the glory of God.