No judging

DEVOTION

ROMANS

NO JUDGING

Rom 2:1-4

2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

NIV

We just looked at, in the preceding verses, a lifestyle of wickedness the likes of have been prevalent from the beginnings of mankind. It was like that in the days of Noah, so much so God’s heart was filled with pain. He destroyed them all and started mankind over again with Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives. Mankind did not learn and it was like that again in this time of Paul and has not changed much in our current time. But Paul is also warning the believers of his time as well as us not to be judgmental regarding the attitudes and behaviors of the wicked as defined in those preceding verses. The whole idea is that as we judge, we will be judged. Sure we do not commit those heinous acts of sexual immorality, but these attitudes of envy, strife, deceit and gossip, especially that gossip are sure to be found in many of us believers. Some are even arrogant and boastful. We have even heard boasting not sinning in word, thought, or deed. How arrogant and boastful is that? But if we judge them, which is sounds like we are, we too will be judged by the same standards we judge. If we form any kind of judgement about someone we are surely sinning. It is not our place to judge, it is Gods. Because God shows his kindness to us and it has led us to repentance, we should also show kindness, which is part of the fruit of the Spirit, to others. Our kindness may not lead them to repentance, but then again maybe it will, as we would be reflecting Jesus to them. God has patience and tolerance with us. Should we not be that way with others? It is not that we should tolerate their sinful acts, giving approval to them, but we should not be judgmental of them either, or be like that Pharisee on the street corner.  

Luke 18:9-14

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 

NIV

We should know we have no righteousness of our own, Jesus is our righteousness and he alone is without sin. Therefore let us not pass any judgement on others. Although we can encourage each other in our joint walk with the Lord. We can admonish each other to live a worthy of our calling. We can speak to each other as we are told.

Eph 5:15-20

15 Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

NIV

Live a life of thankfulness to God for his great love and mercy toward us and love our neighbor, that means do not judge him, just love him. In the life of a believer there should be no judging which implies not thinking of ourselves more highly then we should. If anything we should judge ourselves.

Rom 12:3

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

NIV

Please, no judging