Judging Sin

How quick are you to judge sin in someone else’s life?   It is so easy to condemn someone else because they sin but so easy to overlook your own sin.  That may be one of the biggest problems in our churches today, people condemning people because of their sin.  I have been guilty of this sin to my shame and I believe there are many others that are in the same boat, so to speak.  It seems to be so easy to become self-righteous and judgmental.  Instead of showing mercy and grace we become the sin police.  

The Word says this in Matthew 7:1-2, “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.”  The problem many of us have is we need to examine ourselves and figure out why we are judging the other person.  Are we just trying to make ourselves look good or are we truly trying to help the other person.  We may have godly discernment but our motives may be all wrong.  

I have always tried to be transparent and this is no different, I have judged people and found out that I didn’t get the information right or I didn’t listen carefully enough and thought I heard something but interpreted it in the wrong way.  I know there have been times that I have been misunderstood also in something I said and it hurt other people as well, when the person told them what they thought they heard.  

Sometimes I think we get into critical thinking which tends to make us critical of everything and everybody.  If we could remember these words, “If not for the grace of God there go I,” it might help us not to be so judgmental of others.  In Matthew 7:3-5 it says, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not 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.”  When you are self-righteous it is easy to dismiss your sin while you focus on someone else’s sin.  

Jesus dealt with this problem with the Pharisees; it says this in John 8:1-11, “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?’ They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’”  

The penalty for adultery was stoning so Jesus handled this in a way that would reveal to them their own sin.  Jesus wanted them to show compassion and forgiveness instead of having a high-minded attitude.  The Pharisees were a very self-righteous group looking down on others.  But when they were confronted with their own sin they had nothing to say and they all left with no more accusations.  Jesus didn’t condemn her either He told her to go and sin no more.  

Let us learn a lesson from this and show compassion to others instead of a judgmental attitude.  Let’s leave the judging to the Lord.  God bless you and have a great day!!