Well, good morning. It's good to see you all here.
It was one of the most significant moments of my life for many reasons.
Sitting in a room, seeking to resolve conflict with a good brother who loves the Lord,
a mediator looked at me and said, in effect,
that I had exercised judgment in a destructive way in the conflict I was having with this brother and in this relationship.
And in that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart,
revealed to me that the more that I care about something, the more judgmental I become of others.
It showed me how much I loved to judge other people.
Ah, to be the judge.
It feels good, doesn't it?
I don't think I'm alone.
In loving that role, it shows itself, I believe, in all sorts of ways.
From the casual, did you see what he wore last night to the party?
To the deeply destructive, you got fired?
I knew you would never amount to anything.
Judgment is something that can happen on a societal level.
As our society today is grappling with the fact for years,
this country has judged people on their gender and the color of their skin,
rather than their intrinsic worth.
It's created in the image of God.
Judgment can be brutal, like a lynch mob or a violent confrontation.
And it can be subtle, like the quiet whispers at a department cocktail party or a family reunion
or a church fellowship hour.
Judgment happens a lot these days online.
The culture of canceling is a culture of judgment.
Driven by a desire to impose our judgments on other people.
Why do we judge, my friends?
We love it because it makes us feel superior.
We love it because it gives us a sense of power over others.
We love it because it covers up our own insecurities.
And we gain against its significance
by distinguishing ourselves from others and disparaging them.
But friends, God has a strong word to us this morning.
To us who love judging others.
We're in the book of James, chapter 4.
We're looking at just verses 11 through 12 this morning
because this is such a significant topic.
We're going to focus on this.
If you're at home or here in the service, in person,
if you have an opportunity to turn there with me,
we're going to read James 4 together.
And as you're turning there,
just let me remind you what we looked at last week.
Last week, James reminded us that we have quarrels and fights.
And why is that?
He said because we're controlled by passions
that are ultimately fundamentally self-centered.
They're about us.
And in that, we participate in a world view
and a world pattern that is in rejection of God himself.
And that God calls us to repent of that
and to turn to God in humble repentance,
submission,
and ultimately to land in a place not of judgment,
but of humility.
That's what we saw in verse 10,
that we are called to humble ourselves before the Lord,
that he will exalt us.
And that leads us then to verse 11 and 12,
which we'll read now.
James 4, verse 11 and 12.
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters.
The one who speaks against a brother or sister
or judges his or her brother or sister
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.
Who are you to judge your neighbor?
Let's pray.
Lord, we ask this morning,
Lord, by your spirit,
will you do work in our hearts?
Lord, as we have confessed earlier,
how often we love to see the speck in our brother's eye,
our sister's eye,
how often we see it in our neighbors
and yet ignore the log in our own.
God, I pray that you would help us to see that this morning.
And Lord, we pray that by your grace,
we would see you
and ourselves in light of you this morning
and that you would root out this love
and change our hearts.
We pray this, Lord, in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, God has a hard word for us, does he not?
What does God think about judgment?
We are not to judge others
because God is the ultimate judge of all.
And in this passage, as we walk through it,
we're going to see two reasons
and then we're going to talk about two questions that arise.
We're going to do reason
and then a question that arises
and reason and then a question that arises.
So let, first of all,
in verse 11, what do we see?
What is the first reason in verse 11?
We are not to judge
because judgment is a violation of humility.
You see, in verse 11,
as you look through the flow,
it's actually a little bit more challenging
than we think to know what he's saying here,
but he starts by saying,
do not speak evil.
And this word has been translated in lots of different ways.
Sometimes it's slander.
Sometimes it's criticized.
In other translations, malign, disparage, backbite.
The core idea here is that of defamation.
That is, we speak to denigrate,
to speak down of someone else,
to speak poorly of someone else.
And here's the thing.
This word doesn't say that what you're saying is not true.
It could be truthful things that are being said,
but they're being spoken with the purpose
of elevating ourselves,
and more importantly,
of diminishing or oppressing
or sitting over someone else.
It is not actually as much a violation of love,
for we can speak the truth and love to someone,
but it is a violation of humility.
I am going to stand over you
in the words that I speak about you.
You see this because James then turns the corner,
right?
The one who speaks against one
or judges one,
and that's where you see he turns his vocabulary to say,
this is about our judgment of other people.
And to sit with a power to condemn others,
often, maybe always,
with a heart of selfishness or jealousy
that drives us,
we love to put others down.
We love to put others down
so that we might seem better than them.
And the focus here, I think,
is on verbal judgment.
We're in a long section
where Peter's been,
or I'm sorry,
where James has been talking about speech
and words.
But remember what we read earlier
in James chapter 2,
where he was talking about
how you treat people
when they walk into a meeting room
or a meal.
He says,
if you pay attention to the one
who wears the fine clothing
and say,
you sit here in a good place,
while you say to the poor man,
you sit over there
or sit down at my feet,
have you not then made distinctions
among yourselves
and become judges
with evil thoughts?
So this judgment can be seen
by the things that we say
and it can be seen
by the way that we treat other people.
James goes on in verse 11
to then say this,
the one who speaks evil
or judges his brother
speaks evil against the law
and judges the law.
You see,
this violation of humility
is not merely because
we want to think better
of ourselves
than other people
and to put them down.
It's also that we
think ourselves better
than God's law.
Because when we judge other people,
we take on
a heart of arrogance.
We know what is right.
We know what is true.
We make ourselves
the judge, jury,
and executioner
of someone else.
We determine by our words
their standing
before God's law.
And we pronounce
their place
before God's law
by our evaluation.
Mother Teresa
famously said
that you can't judge others
because if you do,
there's no room
to love others.
when we spend
our time
condemning others,
we fail then
to become
a doer of the law
as James has been
encouraging us
throughout this whole letter.
When we allow
our minds
to be consumed
with thinking
and meditating on
and developing
our argumentation
for why someone else
is in the wrong
and why we should
disparage them,
we have no room
left in our heart
to actually love
someone.
We violate God's law
and it's called
a humility
and it's called
to integrity.
This is what Jody
read to us
in the passage earlier.
The words of Jesus.
Why do you look
at your brother
and see the speck
in his eye
and ignore
the log
in your own?
when we
speak
and think
and act
in judgment
of others,
we are denying
the reality
of our own
sinfulness
and our own
deserve
of judgment.
One commentator,
Alex Motier,
says this,
defamation
begins
and lives
on
in our minds.
It is something
we say to ourselves
long before
we pass it on.
But if our minds
were drilled
in biblical attitudes,
then love
for our brothers
would begin
to root out
censoriousness.
That's a big word.
Would root out
our critical spirit.
Consideration
for our neighbors
would begin
to replace
the hurtful
and arrogant
words.
Replace them
with helpful
and caring
pastoral
concern
for others.
Friends,
God tells us
to stop
judging others
because it is
a violation
of the humility
that he calls
us to.
what are the
contexts in which
we might be
tempted to?
I thought
about a few
in our culture
today.
Our political
leanings
and affiliations
are areas
where it is
very easy
to demonize
the other
who disagrees
with us
and to look
down on them
and to treat
them as less
because of
our disagreements.
it also
can happen
in lots
of other
ways.
In families,
how we
parent
is an easy
place for us
to sit in
judgment
of other
families
and other
parents.
It's easy
for us to
judge one
another in
the choices
of schools
that we
make.
It's easy
to look down
on a Yankees
fan if you're
a Red Sox
fan.
All right,
that's humor.
We can laugh
about that,
right?
But we do
this from the
trivial to the
very important,
how we spend
our money.
There's so
many different
areas in which
we are so
quick to
judge other
people.
What movies
will you watch
or not watch?
What media
will you consume
or not
consume?
all these
things.
It's so
easy for us
to judge
one another.
And look,
we need to
recognize something.
In all of
these areas,
from the
most serious
ones to the
most trivial,
there's a
great opportunity
for robust
discussion,
civil
disagreement,
and strong
feelings.
It's okay to
talk about
these things
and to have
disagreements
about them.
In fact,
we ought to
see them as
wonderful opportunities
for us to
grow by
discussing and
learning how
others who
think differently
than us,
how they think
about what
they believe
and how they
live.
So I'm not
saying that we
ought to never
talk about these
things or even
not to disagree
about them.
But when we
become the
police,
when we sit
in judgment
of others,
when we
dismiss them,
disparage them
in word or
in deed,
James says we
lack humility
and we have
failed to walk
in the path
of wisdom
and wholeness
that this book
is encouraging
us to walk
in.
So this is
the first thing
and it raises
a question for
us.
If you've been
in church for
a while or
even if in
our society,
there are times
when we have
this sense,
but doesn't
the Bible tell
us to judge?
Doesn't the
Bible says we
need to make
decisions about
things?
We need to
determine what
is right.
And the fact
is that the
answer is yes,
it is true.
Jesus himself
told the crowds
stop judging
by mere
appearances and
make a right
judgment about
the religious
leaders.
In Matthew
7, right
after the
do not
judge,
Jesus tells
the crowds
in 7,
15 and
following to
beware of
false prophets
of those who
will teach
untrue things
and who live
lives that are
contrary to
God's path.
In Galatians 2,
we see the
apostle Paul
confronting his
brother, the
apostle Peter,
because of his
behavior and how
he was disparaging
the Gentiles
and denying
the gospel in
the process.
We know that
in Matthew
18 and in
1 Corinthians
5 and 6,
the church is
called to
address sin
in the lives
of a brother
or sister,
even to the
point of
declaring them
no longer
consistent in
their profession
of faith and
their life.
So we need
to acknowledge
that yes,
the Bible does
call us to
have discernment
and even at
times to
make judgment.
But listen
to Galatians
chapter 6
verses 1
and 2
or 1
through 3.
The apostle
Paul writes
this,
Restore a
fallen brother
or sister,
but do it in
all humility.
Brothers,
if anyone is
caught in any
transgression,
you who are
spiritual should
restore him.
in a spirit
of gentleness,
keep watch on
yourself,
lest you too
be tempted.
Bear one
another's burdens
and so fulfill
the law of
Christ.
For if anyone
thinks he is
something when
he is nothing,
he deceives
himself.
So what the
Bible says is
there are times
to make
determinations,
to make
evaluations,
to discern
truth and error
right from wrong.
it is right
to do that.
But the only
way that we
are able to
do that
before God
properly
is with the
kind of
humility
that James
has talked
about in the
previous passage
and the kind
of humility
that Paul
addresses here.
I am not
better than you.
I know that
I too am
prone to sin.
I know
that I am
not beyond
failing.
I know that
I don't have
all wisdom
and knowledge
and yet I
bring this
to you,
brother,
sister,
with gentleness
and with
tears
and humility.
That's the
kind of
judgment
that God
does expect
us to
exercise
more broadly.
And so
Doug Moo
in his
commentary
says,
James is not
prohibiting the
proper and
necessary
discrimination
that every
Christian
should
exercise.
James rebukes
jealous,
censorious,
again there's
that word,
critical speech
by which we
condemn others
as being wrong
in the sight
of God.
And friends,
this leads us
to the second
reason why
judgment is
wrong.
It is because
judgment of
others usurps
God's right
role as the
judge of all.
The end of
verse 12,
he says,
who are you
to judge
your neighbor?
And the
answer is,
you are
nobody.
Because,
go back to
the beginning
of the
verse,
because there
is one
God,
one
judge,
one
lawgiver,
and it
is not
you.
You were
not tasked
with being
the judge
of the
world.
You were
not tasked
with making
all things
right
everywhere.
It is
not your
job to
redeem and
fix the
world.
There is a
God in
heaven.
But we
love judgment.
Do you know
why?
It's because
it's at the
very root of
our sin
nature.
Go back
to the
Garden of
Eden.
Do you
remember what
the serpent
brought to
Adam and
Eve?
doubting
God.
Did God
really say?
And then
denying God's
truthfulness.
You will
not surely
die.
And then
baiting him.
In fact,
you can be
like God.
You can
take God's
place of
determining
what's right
and wrong
in the
world.
You can
take God's
place to
be the
judge of
your own
goodness
and
happiness.
James
says,
there is
only one
lawgiver
and one
judge.
And it
is not
us.
It is
the God
who created
the heavens
and the
earth.
And the
root of
our self-centered,
self-important
passions,
the root of
our sitting
above God's
law or
sitting above
our brothers
and sisters
and judging
them and
putting them
in their
place is
ultimately
a rejection
of God
himself.
God who
is the
only one
who by
his nature
is the
lawgiver
because he
is the
one who
embodies
all that
is perfectly
right and
good in
the world.
He is
the only
judge for
as creator
all of
his creation
is accountable
to him.
He knows
all things.
He has
created all
things and
given all
things life.
life.
And the
Bible
affirms
over and
over again
that he
is altogether
right in
all of his
evaluations.
James goes
on and
says he
alone has
the power
to save
and to
destroy.
We
recognize
that as
our creator
God holds
our life
in his
hands.
He holds
right and
wrong in
his hands.
he holds
the
eternity
our
eternity
in his
hands.
And he
is able
to both
save and
destroy.
And when
we take
up that
place,
when we
sit in
the seat
of judgment,
we are
usurping
God.
Friends,
this is a
frightening
place to
be.
Listen to
the words
the writer
of Hebrews.
A warning
to us.
He says,
for if we
go on
sinning
deliberately
after receiving
the knowledge
of the
truth,
there no
longer remains
a sacrifice
for sins,
but a
fearful
expectation
of judgment
and a
fury of
fire that
will consume
the
adversaries.
Anyone who
has set
aside the
law of
Moses dies
without
mercy on
the evidence
of two or
three witnesses.
How much
worse do you
think will be
deserved for
the one who
has trampled
underfoot the
Son of God
and has
profaned the
blood of the
covenant by
which he was
sanctified and
has outraged
the spirit
of grace.
For we
know him,
that is God,
who said,
vengeance is
mine, I
will repay.
And again,
the Lord will
judge his
people.
It is a
fearful thing
to fall into
the hands of
a living God.
God.
And friends,
it is to
our peril
when we
choose to
try to
usurp that
God's role
and to be
the judge,
jury, and
executioner
ourselves.
And this
raises a
second question
for us that
is a very
pertinent one
today.
God doesn't
seem to be
getting it
right.
What about
the injustice
of the world?
What about
the wrongs?
What about
the wrongs
that I have
suffered?
What about
the wrongs
that have
happened in
our history?
What about
the wrongs?
It looks
like evil
is winning
sometimes.
We're afraid
that evil
will triumph
triumph.
And that
God's
judgment
is not
sufficient.
And he
does not
execute his
judgment in
our timing
quickly enough.
There's a
whole other
sermon to be
preached in
response to
this question,
but I want to
give just two
thoughts.
First,
there is a
right place
for speaking
the truth in
love.
There is a
right place
for resisting
evil.
There is a
right place
for confronting
sin, both
individually in
relationships with
others, and
societally and
globally.
It is right to
call sin,
sin.
It is right to
point out what
was wrong.
This command
that to not
usurp God's
role as a
judgment does
not mean that
we cannot work
for a better
society.
It does not
mean that we
cannot look
to and call
our society
to a higher
standard.
But in the
end, we must
recognize that
we will never
create the
perfect society.
Our ability
to judge
and our
ability to
redeem
are similarly
weakened by
our creatureliness
and by our
sinfulness.
We are not
the ones to
make things
right in the
world.
ultimately,
God is.
We will all
stand before
his judgment
one day.
We will all
appear before
the judgment
seat of Christ,
says 2
Corinthians 5.
So is God
not doing it
right?
Well, friends,
the Bible
assures us that
God will judge
every sin.
He has
promised to
eradicate all
unrighteousness.
He has
promised a
kingdom that
is coming that
will be perfectly
just and
beautifully right.
The arrogant,
the wrongdoer,
the proud,
the violent,
and the bigoted,
they will all be
judged and they
will receive
their reward.
When we feel
like the
unjust are
winning,
there is great
comfort.
And throughout
history,
the church has
found great
comfort in
knowing that
even if God
does not punish
them today,
there will not
be one who
will get away
with what
they are doing.
You see,
the gospel
tells us
something much
more wonderful.
God is so
committed to
justice,
so committed
to righteousness,
so committed
to punishing
evil,
that he
sent his
very own
son to
die on
the cross
so that he
may redeem
sinners.
You see,
friends,
if we were
honest,
we would
recognize that
as much as
we want to
judge others,
we are
terrified of
God judging
us.
If we are
humble enough
to know our
own sin,
then we are
terrified that
God is a
judge.
And only
the proud
would think,
I have the
right to
judge others
because I
can stand
before God
as a
righteous
man.
The gospel
says,
no,
we are all
sinners,
and because
of that,
we are all
under God's
judgment.
And God
takes that
so seriously
that he
will not
give us
a pass
because we're
a little
better than
someone else.
He won't
give us a
pass because
we've been
doing good
church things
for a long
time.
He doesn't
give us a
pass simply
by our
own
righteousness.
It will
never be
enough to
satisfy his
righteous
standards.
For God
to be the
judge of
the world
and the
justifier of
the ungodly
like you
and me,
there was
only one
way he
could do
it.
He sent
his son,
Jesus
Christ,
the perfect
man who
deserved no
judgment.
And he,
the just,
went to
the cross
to bear
the punishment
for the
unjust,
which is
you and
me,
that he
might bring
us to
God.
And friends,
this is the
good news
of the
gospel.
This is the
great news
about judgment
is that
judgment is
real and it
will happen,
but God
has created
a place
of safety.
He has
created an
ark by
which we
might ride
through the
storm of
God's
judgment
when all
evil will
be judged.
And that
is in
faith in
Jesus
Christ,
our only
Savior,
the only
righteous
one,
the only
one who
has the
power to
judge.
Friends,
it is on
this basis
that James
calls us
to forsake
our sin
of judging
others,
forsake our
proud,
self-justifying,
forsake our
trust in
our own
discernment
and our
own
righteousness,
forsake our
judgmental
spirit and
our condemning
words and
our shunning
actions.
To forsake
all of these
things and
the humility
come to
the cross,
come to
the place
where justice
and mercy
meet,
come and
know the
grace of
God.
And in
doing so,
let God
be the
judge of
all things.
Let's
pray.
Lord, we
are thankful
for you
this morning.
Lord, we
are thankful
that even
though we
deserve
judgment,
you have
made a
way for
us in
Christ.
Lord, may
we not
trample on
the greatness
of that
salvation by
becoming
judgmental
people who
look down
and disparage
others.
But Lord,
help us with
humility to
walk before
you.
And Lord,
help us to
be those who
walk in a
path of
wisdom for
righteousness
sake.
We pray
this in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.