Scripture Passage: James 4:11-12; Matthew 7:1-6; James 2:12-13,5:9

The Road So Far with James

•Christians are born of the word of truth (1:18)
•We are called by virtue of such a birth to be maturing in faith (1: 21,22)
•A perspective of Trials and Temptations (1:2-18)
•Lack of Faith in Action is lack of maturity (2:14-25)
•We are capable of being the same people we were before we knew Christ (3:9-12;4:1-4)
In submitting to God we mature…maturity seeks to resist that which God detests and also draws near to God (4:5-10)

What sort of ‘Judging’ is spoken here?
•The verb krinō is used for technical legal decisions, but also more generally for forming judgments and reaching conclusions about both things and people.
•The verb is not in itself necessarily negative, but the following illustration shows that here the emphasis is on criticism of other people’s failings, and the warning “so that you may not be judged” makes it clear that this sort of “judging” is not something to be welcomed. (R.T. France, Commentary on Matthew)

 

Why is ‘Judging’ someone a big issue?

•Our judgement is often colored, it lacks Godly purity
•We are oft quick to be other-critical than self-critical
•A fault-finding mentality and speech that ‘kills’ does not have Gospel quality
•Reciprocity and the Royal Law

What kind of ‘Judging’ is then OK?
•Judging that is loaded with mercy… cradled in the Gospel
•It reflects the Royal Law and the reciprocity of the Gospel
•It allows God to be the final arbitrator of things, for he is pure in his justice. (1 Cor 4 & 5)
•Conscious judgement considers the proximity of God in our judgement
 Take Away:  Before you cast judgement, cast mercy