Do Not Judge

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Scripture: James 4:11-12 (NIV)

11 Brothers and sisters do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Devotion:

            James here is teaching, indeed commanding, that we do not slander one another in the church. This is another biblical command that is difficult to practice in real life. In the life of a church people get on each other’s nerves making it all to easy to slip into gossip and slander against our brothers and sisters in the Lord. James explains why such evil speaking of one’s neighbor is wrong. When we judge another, we stand above our brother or sister which we must never do.

            God has created all humans in His image. All have equal value in His eyes. When we judge our brothers and sisters, we take a position of superiority over them which God has not given us. It is truly difficult to refrain from doing this. We read the Bible and think we know its meaning and are capable of judging others by it. However, as James says here in verse 12, there is only one being that is truly capable of judging according to the law and that is not us.

            Elsewhere in the scriptures we are admonished to be encouragers of our brothers and sisters. If we could just learn to practice this. If we think our neighbor has fallen into some sin, we must go to God with our complaint to make sure that we have the understanding of the wrong our neighbor has committed. If the Lord makes it clear that our brother or sister has fallen into sin, then we are to approach them in humility and confront them. We are never to go to others behind our brother or sisters back with the issue.

            Correction and repentance for our neighbor’s failings ultimately belongs in God’s hands not ours. Only God has the right to break another human heart and cause godly sorrow and repentance for sin. Our role is simply to be as one who bears a message pointing our brother or sister in the right direction. The ground is level at the foot of the cross and we are neither above nor below our neighbor. A correct understanding of this is crucial to being faithful witnesses to God’s love for our neighbor. Let us go before the throne of grace and ask for discernment in this matter.

Prayer:

            Hear us when we cry to you dear Lord. We worship and adore you for you have created us and in you we live and move and have our being. Hear our confession of sin today. We confess that we have often not done unto others as we would have them do unto us. We are miserable sinners in need of your amazing grace. Cleanse us, heal us, and make us able to serve you in humility and love. We thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness to us. Teach us how to live as your servants in the world. May we be bringers of the message of the gospel wherever we go. Amen. 

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