IT'S HOW YOU JUDGE THAT'S IMPORTANT James 4:11-12

“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against 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 only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:11-12 ESV

THE BOTTOM LINE: It's all about how we judge that determines our witness to the world.

So what should we think about the idea of judging other people? Should it always be avoided?

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 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?

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? 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.” Matthew 7:1-5 ESV

The question to ask is what is Jesus teaching against? Is he teaching against judging?

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:10 ESV

In fact, you can tell a person who has judgmental spirit by the following: 1. What they say destroys people. 2.They have a fault-finding mindset. 3.They enjoy hearing and talking about another’s faults but not in telling them.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV

Why does speaking evil against others mean that we are speaking evil against God’s law?

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20 ESV

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;

reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV

THE BOTTOM LINE: It's all about how we judge that determines our witness to the world. Application: 1. Do you have a judgmental spirit? If so, repent of it now. 2. Who are people that you know that are lead astray from God that you need to speak the truth in love to? 3. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us to judge rightly and to speak the truth in love.

Lord Jesus I have come to You for help. I am struggling with judging others because of my pride. Lord I want to ask You to forgive me and take this from me. I come to you in humility and ask that You teach me how to pray for others when I realize they are struggling instead of judging them.

Help me to have a heart that shows compassion and mercy to people who are hurting or are not in relationship with you. Help me to speak the truth in love to those that need it. I acknowledge that You are the righteous judge over all creation. I surrender to You. I pray You would bless those whom I have judged and that Your grace would be real to them. Amen

IT'S HOW YOU JUDGE THAT'S IMPORTANT James 4:11-12