Who’s Judging Whom?

January 9, 2025/
Hope for Today (English)
Hope for Today (English)
Who’s Judging Whom?
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James 2:10-13

Thank you so much for listening; we are honored to be here and look forward to learning from God’s Word together. Every day is a good day to study the Bible. Today, we will be thinking about judging others. Here where we live, what Jesus said in Matthew 7 has become very common and often quoted. This is where Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Many times, this verse is used to say, “You can’t tell me what to do; that’s judging.” If there is sin pointed out in someone’s life, the response is. “Stop judging me; the Bible says don’t judge.” This is the wrong way to use this verse; Jesus did not say this at all.  

The next question is, then, what did Jesus mean? And what is proper judgment? These are good questions; I’m glad you asked. The Bible teaches this subject in many passages, but the passage we will look at is James 2. If you can, please follow along in your Bible. Pastor J Mark will give us three standards for judgment. Let’s listen and learn together.  

John Wesley told of a man he disrespected because he considered him miserly and covetous. Once, when this man contributed a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him. 

Later, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. Before his conversion, he had run up large debts. By skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself, he was paying off his creditors. “Christ has made me an honest man,” he said, “I can only give a few offerings with all these debts. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a once dishonest man.” Wesley then apologized to the man and asked for his forgiveness.  

How often have you and I found ourselves in a situation like that, where we’ve judged others unjustly? I’m ashamed to admit it’s been too frequent in my life.  

Here is James 2:10-13. 

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.  

11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now, if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  

12 So speak and do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.  

13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 

In this section of teaching, James reveals several STANDARDS of judgment. Let’s examine them and allow God’s Spirit to show us the proper standard.  

The First STANDARD is, 

The External Standard 

Just before the verses of our text, James instructs us on the evils of showing favoritism. He tells us that we violate God’s law and are guilty as lawbreakers if we show favoritism.  

We tend to be harsh with the failures of others and lenient with our own. But James reminds us the law was a unit. To violate one part of it was to violate the whole. When you and I think about showing partiality or favoritism, we don’t see that as a grave sin, especially compared to things like adultery or murder. James shows us the error of that mindset.  

James is writing to a primarily Jewish audience who were moving from being saved (they thought) by the works of the Law to being saved by faith in Christ, apart from the works of the Law. (According to Romans 3:20 and other Scriptures, salvation was never possible by keeping the law.) James was teaching them how a genuinely born-again person lives.  

Some Christians believe that acceptance and approval from God are based on performance. One evidence of this mindset is when people face trials and tragedy. Often, the question is, “Why me, Lord? I’ve tried to live a good life and obey your commands. Is this my reward for trying to be faithful?” They assume that life should go smoothly if I keep God’s commands. That mindset is not biblical. 

However, there’s another false assumption. It’s the idea that once I’ve accepted Christ as my Savior, it doesn’t matter how I live. Christ accepts me just as I am, and I don’t need to change. That mindset is not biblical, either.  

James points out that if we try to obey the law and break one specific command, we are guilty of violating the entire code. Why does he start with this concept? It goes back to our tendency to use a double standard in judgment, one for us and another for others.  

Too often, when we evaluate ourselves, we excuse our behavior. We refer to our ethical lapses, poor judgment, or unfortunate mistakes.  We try to soften the seriousness of our SIN. We compare ourselves with others, “Well, I’m better than they are, so I must not be too bad.” That’s the mentality of the Pharisees that Jesus pointedly condemned!  

The Pharisees looked down on anyone who did not follow their rules. They were proud of their external standard. They tithed on the smallest seeds. But Jesus rebuked them because they disregarded the more essential matters of the law: justice and mercy. They weren’t on the inside what they appeared to be on the outside. They forgot that genuine obedience to the external standard is only possible when there’s been an internal change.  

If we only have an external standard, we will most likely develop a double standard to make ourselves more comfortable with our mistakes. We will be more susceptible to a condemning, judgmental attitude. As long as we try to categorize sin, we will find the sins of others to be more repugnant to God than our own.  

The Second STANDARD is, 

The Internal Standard 

In verse 12, James reminds us, “So speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty,” This is the internal standard. Speaking and doing are actions, but we are motivated by what we think. Our thoughts are motivated by what we believe. James says our actions are to be judged or weighed in the balance of the “law of liberty.”  

What is this law of liberty? In its simplest form, a law is a principle that can be counted on to produce the same results every time. For example, the law of gravity: what goes up must come down. The law of gravity can be overcome, but that is done using other laws like lift and thrust. So, a law is a principle that has a predictable function.  

And how do we define liberty? Much of Christianity in this 21st century has turned the word liberty upside down. The word as it is used in the New Testament does not mean a license to do what I please. It is not an excuse to gratify the flesh.  

James speaks of the law of liberty as the ability to do what we know is right. It is a higher standard than the external law. This is the law by which we will be judged. Under Moses’ law, a man was not stoned for lustful, immoral thoughts. But if he acted on those thoughts and committed fornication or adultery, judgment followed.  

Christian liberty is a higher standard. It deals with thoughts and motives. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that to look at a woman and entertain lustful thoughts makes us guilty of committing adultery in our hearts. We are not to refuse sin simply because of the fear of punishment. No, we have a higher motivation. Our love for God and His grace in our hearts gives us the desire and the power to do what we know pleases Him. The internal law of liberty is much more powerful than the external law of compulsion.  

Those who live under external law are fearful, afraid they’ll get caught violating one of the commands. Those who live by the law of liberty have nothing to fear. They are motivated by their relationships with God and their fellow men. They judge cautiously and righteously.  

The Final STANDARD is, 

The Lateral Standard  

In this final standard, the focus is on horizontal, person-to-person relationships. James warns us about how we exercise judgment toward each other. The epistles echo the commands of Jesus. In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus commands us not to judge each other unjustly. It could very well be that James thought of this discourse as he wrote these words. 

He reminds us to exercise judgment tempered with mercy. Jesus said in Matthew 7:2, For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” James says we can only expect the same for ourselves if we exercise judgment without mercy.  

In Matthew 18, Jesus told the unmerciful servant that he would receive the same because he exercised judgment without mercy. He was given to the tormentors until he paid the entire debt. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus linked our judgment with our response to the perceived offenses of others. We cannot afford to exercise harsh judgment on our brothers and sisters.  

James closes our text with the statement, “Mercy rejoices against judgment.” In John eight, the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus whom they said they caught in adultery. They said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery in the very act. In the law, Moses commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” They hoped to trap Him in His answer so they could accuse Him.  

Ignoring them, Jesus stooped and began writing on the ground, but they kept questioning Him. Finally, He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Eventually, they all walked away because their consciences convicted them.  

When Jesus had raised Himself and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus told her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Mercy rejoiced over judgment and condemnation. We are called to follow Jesus’ example.  

Which of these standards of judgment are you using? Are you trying to earn God’s approval by keeping some external standard? The Scriptures make it clear that it is impossible. Or have you discovered the freedom that comes by following the law of liberty?  

If you haven’t discovered that freedom, you will only find it when you surrender control of your life to Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit, living in your life, will empower you to live in freedom and joy. Now, that doesn’t mean that you need to make no effort. It does mean that you will take whatever steps are necessary to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in you.  

And what about the lateral standard, your relationship to others? Do you show mercy toward them as the Lord has shown mercy to you? Remember, whatever standard of judgment you or I use toward others will eventually be used toward us. So, from now on, let’s think more carefully about “Who’s Judging Whom?” 

Thanks, J Mark, for sharing these standards of judging with us. This gives us a better understanding of judging and judgment. As followers of Christ, we want to handle this subject well, and we must be careful how we judge others because, as we have heard, this is how we will be considered.  

Thanks again, J Mark, for sharing this practical teaching with us; if you have any questions about this teaching or want to hear more from Heralds of Hope, here is how you can reach us. Our email is [email protected]. You can also contact us via our website, heraldsofhope.org.  And of course, you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. Or call us at 877-792-7275. You could also mail your request to HOPE FOR TODAY, BOX 700 Milverton ON N0K 1M0. Use any or all of these ways to contact us; the important thing for us is to hear from you.  

Thank you so much for being with us for today’s teaching. Lord willing, we will be together again next week; I am close to what Jesus said concerning judgment. He said, “For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” It is good to remember this and let it impact the way we live.

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

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