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? 

                                                                                                                 James 4:11-12 

It seems that the issue of judging comes up quite a bit in today’s culture. Unbelievers will often accuse Christians of being judgmental. Sometimes these accusations are legitimate but often they are merely an attempt to justify lifestyles and behaviors that the accusers know are wrong. Nevertheless, they will often use certain passages of scripture as a means of legitimizing their accusations. But even in the midst of this mishandling of scripture, Christians are to avoid having judgmental attitudes. Instead, we are to proclaim good news to a lost and dying world and we are to do so with gentleness and respect (Mark 16:15, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, 1 Peter 3:15).

I believe that a large part of the problem can be attributed to the misnomer that identifying destructive, sinful behavior is equivalent to being judgmental. This simply is not true. How can someone receive the good news of salvation unless they also acknowledge the bad news, that they are sinful and in need of a Savior? How can someone repent of sin if they have not accurately identified that sin in his/her life? We cannot afford to cease calling sin what it is…sin. And we certainly cannot afford to discontinue speaking the truth about mankind’s spiritual state. But we must do so while avoiding a judgmental attitude.

Consider someone who is being destroyed by drug addiction. We would not be doing our job if we didn’t identify that behavior as one that was sinful, destructive, and from the enemy. But as we intervene to help this individual, we do so with a heart of compassion, love, and grace. Because we do not want to see them destroyed by the addiction, we act. But as we assist, we are not judging the individual rather we are showing them compassion. To do nothing would be the most egregious and unloving thing we could do.

This is what it is like for someone who sees a lost and dying world and desires to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The truth must be spoken but it should be done with a loving and gracious spirit.

In today’s passage, James is making the point that none of us are in a position to “judge our neighbor.” He asks the question, “Who are you to judge your neighbor? This is in part because all of us are equally in need of a Savior, a concept that can be offensive to the religious. Consider James’ indictment on all of humanity:

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 

                                                                                                                        James 2:10 

Passages like this one (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 5:18) all speak of the universal problem of sin and the spiritual condition of mankind. When we are “born again” (John 3:3), it is the Spirit of God that comes and transforms our lives (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). This spiritual transformation literally moves us from spiritual death to spiritual life (Colossians 1:13-14). This salvation is received by faith and is not on the basis of works (Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8, Titus 3:5). And this spiritual transformation should produce in us the fruit of love, joy, and peace with God. But in addition, it should also produce humility, gratitude, and contentment. Patience, gentleness, and kindness with others should also be among the traits of someone who has been “born again.”

So as we examine the fruit of our lives, are we thinking, speaking, and acting in ways consistent with a heart of gratitude or are we approaching others with a condescending, judgmental, and haughty attitude? These are honest questions that every Christian should ask himself/herself.

But James is merely echoing what Jesus taught about judging others. Consider the clarity in His words:

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. 

                                                                                                            Matthew 7:1-2 

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

                                                                                                                 Luke 6:37, 38b 

When we are instructed not to do something, it would only be logical that we avoid that behavior. But that isn’t always what our flesh wants. We are also told to forgive but there are still believers who hold grudges. We are told not to gossip, but is there really anyone who believes this doesn’t take place among believers? And we are told to be generous, but isn’t there still stinginess present in the lives of some who claim the name of Jesus?

It couldn’t be any clearer. Born again believers in Jesus Christ are not to have judgmental attitudes. We have received salvation by God’s grace through faith. We are now reconciled to God but our reconciliation is not to be misused rather we are to share this same good news with others. As we continue to remember from where we have come (spiritually), we can then engage others around us with love, compassion, patience, and kindness. Remember, we are to speak the truth but we are to speak it in love (Ephesians 4:15).