Judges

Who is the best judge here?

Judging is something totally different in todays culture than when it was there. Today we have judges all the time on various tv shows, and sporting events, there are a lot of judges that we look at, but the weight of that word is different today than it is in the Bible.

James 4:11 ESV

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.

James, while still talking about community and how to prevent fights among the people through Godly wisdom, and here he adds something different. He adds this idea of judging.

Jesus talks about this in Matthew 7 as well.

Matthew 7:1–2 ESV

“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.

To me, this is one of the most terrifying verses in the Bible. To read the words “in the way you judge is the way you will be judged”. Were not talking about just the look that you give someone the side eye, but the idea that we pronounce judgement on their eternity.

We have no right to judge someones eternity

We don’t. In no way should we look at someone and say of them that because of their sin they are going to hell. Or because of what we know that they did they cannot be saved. That is not for us to decide, and no where should we say that.

The second that we do, we put ourselves above the Lord and His judgement.

In fact, in the same context of last week, this is something that causes fights among us. Even further, Jesus says that the way that we judge is how we will be judged.

So then,

What are we called to do?

James 4:12 ESV

There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Recognize that God alone is the only one who can judge

See our sin how God sees our sin

Matthew 7:3–5 ESV

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.

God sees our sin as sin, and yet we focus on other peoples sin. In reality, we are called to look at and recognize our sin and what the Lord ultimately saved us from.

As God is God, He could have made us pay the punishment for our sin, but instead He sent Jesus. So, if knowing our sin, He sent Jesus, how dare we sit there and say that someone else is not worthy of heaven.

Recognize that God alone is the only one who can judge

See our sin how God sees our sin

Humbly help others with their sin

Matthew 7:5 ESV

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.

The Lord says to deal with our sin so that we can help our brother deal with their sin. This means that when we come before the Lord, broken over our sin and fall before Him and ask Him to help us, we can then see clearly to help our brothers our. Not as a judge, but as someone who wants to see our brother be more Christ like.