James 2:1-13; Wicked Judgement

Introduction

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Every culture has their own “cultural sins”. In Japan, it is expected to take your shoes off before entering someone’s home. To disregard this custom would be rude and unsanitary. In West Africa, Iran, and Greece giving a thumbs up is similar to giving someone the middle finger in America. If you are traveling in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East you better not be left handed. Eating with your hands is the default way to eat. But, the left hand is used for hygiene purposes. If you eat with your left hand it is unsanitary and insulting.

Every culture has their own “does” and “don’ts”. Some of them are harmless cultural preferences and some of them have good reason.

In America, one of the most previous sins a person can commit is that of judging another person. Labels such as racist, bigot, and judgmental are used as hitmen seeking to assassinate the character of the accused.

1If there there is one bible verse that an unbeliever can say it is Matthew 7:1 “1 “Judge not, so that you be not judged.” It is as if “judge not” is the eleventh commandment in America.

Need

However, there is a larger context to Matthew 7. Jesus is going to continue and tells us that we should not judge hypocritically. We need to remember that the same judgement we use will be used upon us. We must first be able to take the log out of our own eye so that we can rightly see to take the speck out of our brother’s eye.

We don’t leave ourselves OR our brothers blind. NO! We must address sin and unrightousness in our lives with a righteous, not wicked, judgement.

James is going to help us better understand this truth of Jesus in his “lermon”

Topic

James is going to take Jesus’ teaching on judgement and warn us against wicked judgement or what he is going to call partiality.

The topic of partiality is so important for James. Douglas Moo writes,

The Letter of James VI. Structure and Theme

Basic to all that James says in his letter is his concern that his readers stop compromising with worldly values and behavior and give themselves wholly to the Lord. Spiritual “wholeness,” then, we suggest, is the central concern of the letter.

Referent

James 2:1-13

Organization

Blind Judgement

Balanced Judgement

Sermon in a sentence:

I will judge like Jesus.

Blind Judgement (vs. 1-8)

The faith we hold is “the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Christian faith is not one that we get to make up. Its not ours, it comes to us from God the Father and the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ.

Our faith and actions are representative of Jesus.

James uses 2 illustrates to show how they participate in partiality and why it is wrong.

The Societal Treatment

Feeding the Football team at Gate City

The Judicial System

Cops Showing Favoritism to other Cops

Balanced Judgement (vs. 9-13)

(vs. 9) Partiality is sinful, not just unpleasant.

(vs. 10-11) If we treat people with partiality, we will expect up for us.

James is not saying that all sin is equal (vs. 10)

Not all sins are called an abomination before the Lord.

Not all sins cary the same punishment. (The OT didn’t demand stoning for stealing)

Jesus himself speaks of different levels of judgement in the age to come.

We will always down play our sin when we compare it to others. We will always say, “At least I didn’t do that.”

(vs. 10 and 12) - We also don’t realize that if we are trying to use the Law, we cannot dissect it. The threefold division of the Law. We have to see the entire law covenant as that, a covenant. We are under the law of liberty (James 1:25 and 1 Cor 9:21). Brian Rosner’s Paul and the Law

3. (vs. 13) God will grant us a balanced judgement. The judgement we use on others will be the same judgement He will use. The same grace we use on others, he will use on us.

Matthew 18:32–35 ESV

32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Conclusion

According to PBS the average American adult makes roughly 35,000 decisions each day. https://www.pbsnc.org/blogs/science/how-many-decisions-do-we-make-in-one-day/

The questions is not “will I judge?” but “how will I judge?”

Can you say this week, “I will judge like Jesus”?

Application

You cannot be spiritually whole apart from the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ. You will be unable to see clearly and make righteous decisions. God almighty righteous judged your sin on the cross. He can be fully just and justifier of the wicked.

As you make decisions this week, ask yourself WWJD. How Would Jesus Judge?