Overcoming Judging Faultfinding I What Judging Is Wrong

Overcoming Judging & Faultfinding

I. What Judging Is Wrong?

Sometimes judging is forbidden Matt. 7: 1 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Jas. 4: 11, 12 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.

Sometimes it is encouraged Jn. 7: 24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. " Lk. 12: 57 "And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? l Cor. 5: 12, 13 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.

Judging Jesus does not forbid 1. Judgments by civil courts Rom. 13: 1 -7 2. Discipline disorderly members 1 Cor. 5: 1 -13; 2 Thess. 3: 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

Judging Jesus does not forbid 3. Recognize wrongdoers Matt. 7: 6; 7: 15 -20; 3 Jn. 9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. Tit. 3: 10, 11 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being selfcondemned.

Judging Jesus does not forbid 4. Recognize trespasses of others Gal. 6: 1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Jas. 5: 19, 20 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Judging Jesus does not forbid 5. Preaching - truth vs. error - lost & saved 2 Thess. l: 7 -9 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 2 Pet. 2: 1 -ff 6. Identify false teachers 1 Jn. 4: 1; Jude; 1 Thess. 5: 21

Judging Jesus does not forbid 6. Identify false teachers 1 Jn. 4: 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 Thess. 5: 21, 22 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. Jude: ungodly, turn grace into licentiousness, deny the Master, do not believe, do not keep proper domain, indulge in gross immorality, go after strange flesh, defile the flesh, reject authority, revile angels, follow instincts, care for themselves, grumblers, fault finders, follow lusts, arrogant, flatterers, cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit

The judging Jesus forbids? • "All judging from surmise, or from insufficient premises, or from ill-will is prohibited. " (Mc. Garvey) • "The habit of highly critical, sharp, unjust criticism. Our word critic is from this very word. " (Robertson) • Judging without evidence, judging motives, judging by appearance, harsh judgment, fault-finding spirit, hypocritical judgment

The judging Jesus forbids? • It is to impute unworthy motives to others, to put the worst possible interpretation on their works & actions. . . Forbidden here all judgments exercised without sufficient information by people who are without right to do so, & whose design is destruction, slander & defamation of character. " (Guy N. Woods) • Harsh, hasty, unfounded, censorious, hypercritical, uncharitable, malicious, slanderous, ill-natured judgment.

II. What Causes Judging & Speck-Hunting?

Divert attention from one's own sins Jn. 12: 5, 6 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people? " Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. - Faked concern for the poor Wanted to steal from the box Accused Mary of wastefulness Judas accusing Mary

Justify one's sinful life & console conscience • • • Find similar fault - magnify - “I’m not bad after all” Cannot whitewash ourself by blackening others Judging others often reveals the truth about ourselves Rom. 2: 1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ‣ “Others are indifferent” - maybe spiritually lazy ‣ “These are the most unfriendly people” - cool & unfriendly

Build up oneself by tearing down another • Pharisee & taxgatherer Lk. 18: 9 -14 11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get. ' - Originates with an inferiority complex

Envy & hatred • Saul vs. David, Haman vs. Mordecai - Envy seeks to be rid of its victims Does so by hurting, wounding & stabbing with unfounded, harsh, fault-findingly malicious, uncharitable & critical judgments

III. The Harsh Judge & Speck Hunter is Worse than His Victim

Has a "log" in his eye - hypocrite Matt. 7: 3 -5 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye, ' and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Mk. 3: 1 ff; Matt. 15: 1 -ff Pharisees criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath - failed to help parents • Called a hypocrite Matt. 7: 5 - Pretends to abhor sin Does not condemn himself or his friends

Hypocrite • Called a hypocrite Matt. 7: 5 "You hypocrite, first take the log - out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Pretends to abhor sin Finds fault in those he envies or dislikes Does not condemn himself, his family or friends Pretends to be what he is not

Overcoming Judging & Faultfinding IV. Why Is It So Unjust To Judge Others? V. The Remedy For Sinful Judging VI. Judgment Will Come To the Harsh Judge & Unjust Critic

Overcoming Judging & Faultfinding

Overcoming Judging & Faultfinding I. What Judging Is Wrong? II. What Causes Judging & Speck-Hunting? III. The Harsh Judge & Speck Hunter is Worse than His Victim

IV. Why Is It So Unjust To Judge Others?

Never fully know the circumstances of others • Father holding his crying baby • Bloody dog

Difficult to be impartial in judgments • Greeks: court in the blackness of night • Persian king - unjust judge killed & flayed • A mother’s son & daughter

Not everything we condemn is actually sin ‣ Hannah accused of drunkenness 1 Sam. 1: 12 ff ‣ Jesus accused of blasphemy Mk. 2: 7

The right to judge is not ours; but Lord's 1 Cor. 4: 3 -5 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

The right to judge is not ours; but Lord's Jas. 4: 11, 12 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? ‣ ‣ Infringement on God’s prerogative Unjust judging forbidden Judge & become a judge of the law Substitute own standards

See only the outward man, not inner man • 2 Cor. 4: 16 -18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. ‣ Inexperienced sailor: “small iceberg” ‣ Experienced sailor: “greater portion beneath water” ‣ Motives, intents, inner battles & desires

V. The Remedy For Judging

Love • Love 1 Cor. 13: 7 "always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient. " Moffatt 1 Pet. 4: 8 Love covers a multitude of sins ‣ The faults of others will appear thick our love for them is thin. ‣ Brotherly love: "'Tis gentle, delicate & kind, To faults compassionate or blind. " if

Consider how despicable it is • Blind, hypocritical Matt. 7: 3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do notice the log that is in your own eye? ‣ Anxiously looks for a fault upon which to pounce. • Bad motives Jn. 12: 4 -6

Practice the golden rule Matt. 7: 12 "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. ‣ Law and the Prophets ‣ Substitute “think about & judge" for “treat"

Self-examination 2 Cor. 13: 5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? ‣ "there is so much good in the worse of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it little behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us. " ‣ "If we are critical of ourselves, we will be charitable toward others. "

Self-examination 2 Cor. 13: 5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? ‣ Discover our own log ‣ Use a mirror & not a telescope ‣ Before condemning another’s faults, count ten -- ten of your own

Look for the good in others • God saw the possibilities in Saul 1 Tim. l: 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; Acts 9: 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; Acts 26: 16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; • • • Be a bee (see sweet & beutiful) not a buzzard (dead & foul) Dog: ugly & mangy - “But he wags his tail. ” Don’t concentrate on one small dot - miss the white paper

Look for the good in others • Be a Barnabas & see the good in others ‣ Saul Acts 9: 26 -31 ‣ John Mark 15: 36 -41 Works With John Mark Supports Saul

The Remedy For Judging • Ask God for help in overcoming this sin Matt. 7: 7 • Consider how much hurt you inflict ‣ Wounds, discourages, destroys reputation & influence ‣ Potential for good hampered

The Remedy For Judging • Consider - the victim is your brother 7: 3, 5; Jas. 4: 11, 12 • Put yourself in the other person's shoes Ezek. 3: 15 -17 Matt.

Remember our judgments are often so wrong • Samuel looking at David’s brothers 1 Sam. 16: 6 -13 • Eliab misjudged the motives of David 1 Sam. 17: 28, 29 • Lysias misjudged Paul Acts 21: 37, 38 • Nathanael was wrong about any good thing coming out of Nazareth Jn. 1: 46

Consider what judging will do to you 1. Blind you to your own faults Matt. 7: 1 -6; Lk. 18: 9 -14 2. Makes repentance & confession impossible Acts 8: 22; 1 Jn. 1: 8 -10 3. Destroy your friends 4. Put your eyes out to the beauty & virtues of others 5. Rob you of happiness

VI. Judgment Will Come To the Harsh Judge & Unjust Critic

Judged with the same judgment we render Matt. 7: 2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Gal. 6: 7, 8 Reap as we sow Matt. 5: 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Jas. 2: 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. ‣ ‣ Mud thrower will get plastered Life is an echo

We will also receive judgment from God Jas. 2: 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. Matt. 12: 36, 37 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. "

Conclusion • J. W. Mc. Garvey: "The Christian must not be censoriously judicial, but he should be discriminately judicious. "