Judgey Christians
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December 4th - Ugly Sweater Fellowship
December 21st - Outreach Day
December 24th - Christmas Eve service
Dec 29th all worship
Jan 5th - Holiday Dinner
Jan 6 starts 21 Days of Prayer and fasting
Jan 17-19 Winter Camp
We are here nearing the end of the book of James, learning from the younger brother of Jesus - the what’s and the hows of living the Christian life. James doesn’t discuss theology much, but focuses on how we aught to be living. If you have a bible please turn to James 4.
11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Last week we focused on verse 11 and the issue of Slander.
And slander is where we use words - speaking out loud - about someone else in a way that is harmful to the opinion of others towards that person.
And you might have gotten the impression that a person can think it - they just can’t say it.
The rest of verse 11 and verse 12 challenge that view by adding that not only are we to not slander, but we are also not to judge.
So now we are going to deal with our minds, because judgement doesn’t require speaking.
Before we go too much further, I need to tell you, this is going to get muddy; it might feel confusing. Some of it is going to look circular. And because it is muddy, we have to be very careful to properly understand what is being instructed here by James.
Part of the reason for that is language barriers. Greek is a dead language. It isn’t used, it does’t change at all. English, is very actively changing. There are words the kids are saying today that we don’t understand. And even with out our language changing, we are still attempting to understand what was written so long ago.
What is judgement?
So we start to piece this together - what is judgement?
even that can be confusing.
James tells us not to do it. What is it?
If the Bible has to work together, if it does not contradict itself. Then we can use other passages of the Bible to help us understand what this one is supposed to mean to us.
Because what the world would want here - what the enemy would want right here, is to convince a group of Bible believing, Holy Spirit filled people that James is telling us that we are supposed to support, encourage, and celebrate sinful behavior.
The world has it’s own definition of Judgment and that seems to be to: To be critical in any way of any behavior that makes someone else happy.
If you do that, then the world cries out that we are rude and judgmental.
Judgey Christians.
This verse becomes the anthem of those who want to live on sinning - while pretending that they are saved.
Who are you to judge me?!?
And in some ways, they are right.
We shouldn’t be judgey christians. It’s not our job.
And, at the same time, we have to deal with other instructions we see in scripture.
The reality is - James gave us this instruction as something that we have to work to do, so along the way it is something that we have most likely struggled with.
11 But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.
12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside?
Judgement in the context of James 4 is: The sinful condemnation of a believer for the sins that they have committed. It is to pronounce guilt and sentence with punishment.
Judgement in the context of 1 Cor 5 is the righteous evaluation of the behavior of a brother, for the purpose of restoring the brother and protecting ourselves.
The differences seem subtle, but the implications are huge.
Judge - know them by their fruit.
Don’t judge - they don’t deserve grace.
I wonder if the holy spirit brought the parable of the prodigal son to mind for James as he was writing this.
We know the story, it is written in Luke 15:11-32
The younger son asks for his inheritance - and then goes off into the world and wastes it. He leaves home. Ends up in poverty and sickness, ends up working as a pig farmer.
Eventually he comes to the place where he realizes hey - if I just go home… I can at least be a servant. And as a servant, I will live better than this.
So he goes home, and as he is walking down the road towards home, his dad sees him… and runs for him. He gives him his robe, and his ring, and throws him a party. He restores his son. And all is well..
Except for the older brother.
Why would you do that for him? I have been doing it right!
In a moment, the older brother passes judgement.
HE DOESN’T DESERVE GRACE!
He doesn’t deserve what I got!
He certainly doesn’t deserve MORE than me!
Maybe.. the holy spirit brought to mind Jesus’ sermon on the mount.. where Jesus tells
1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.
2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.
3 Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.
We can’t be out here creating our own standards, and forcing people to live up to our expectations.
Approach a believer the way that Jesus approached us.
Understanding
Grace
Restoration
Understanding:
Jesus talked about having a plank in our own eye.
Paul wrote in Romans that all have sinned and fallen short…
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.
We have all fallen short. We all fail. Jesus came to pay the price for my sins and yours.
5 Better an open reprimand than concealed love.
6 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.
14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
5 The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.
Grace
14 I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.
4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
Restoration:
3 Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.
Don’t give up.
We have a responsibility towards one another. Not to be the judge - but to hold one another accountable.
24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
In the context of James 4, Judgement is final.
Only God Gets to do that.
Jesus will judge us. We want to be in the right place.
11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
James speaks of Jesus as the one who was sent, who is able to save and destroy. His focus is to save. His aim is to restore.
We celebrate in this season that Jesus came so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
Conclusion:
We were created to speak truth, and to steward the world. When corrupted - by the fall - that becomes slander and unrighteous judgement.
Jesus, and James tell us not to judge. And yet decernment must be a part of our daily lives. With ourselves, and with the people around us.
When those who call themselves believers fall short - we need to be involved - not as judge and jury, but as counsel and restorers.
God looks at us and sees our whole lives. From conception to death, and is - because he is God, instantly involved in all of those times, and able to see all of those details together. God does not handle us based on one sinful day. He sees the beginning and the end.
9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
We should be as gracious with one another as Jesus is with us.
As we work to be more like Jesus, this is part of it.
I am sure he is frustrated when I sin.
Communion: 1 Cor 11:22-28
22 Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.
