The Dangerous Trap of Judging Others While Doing the Same

# The Dangerous Trap of Judging Others While Doing the Same

We live in a world obsessed with judgment. Social media has become a modern-day courtroom where everyone serves as judge, jury, and executioner. We scroll through our feeds, quick to condemn, eager to point out the failures of others, and ready to pronounce sentence on those who fall short. Yet in all this judgment, we rarely turn the mirror on ourselves.

The book of Romans confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: when we judge others for sins we ourselves commit, we stand inexcusable before God. This isn't just about hypocrisy—it's about fundamentally misunderstanding our position before a holy God and our relationship with others who also stand in need of His grace.

## Without Excuse

The foundation of this truth rests on a principle established earlier in Romans: God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen through creation itself. Every human being, by virtue of being created in God's image, has an innate understanding of the divine. The question isn't whether we know or understand; the question is whether we accept or reject.

We have no valid excuse for rejecting God. We may have hundreds of justifications, but all of them are simply ways of rationalizing our rejection of God and His Word. This reality makes our position as judges even more precarious.

## The Problem with Playing Judge

When Jesus said "Judge not, that ye be not judged" in Matthew 7:1, He wasn't suggesting we abandon all discernment. Rather, He was addressing a specific kind of judgment—the kind that condemns others while ignoring our own failures.

The Greek word used here is "krino," a legal term referring to mental or judicial decision-making that leads to condemnation and punishment. This type of judgment belongs to God alone. We simply don't possess the authority, power, or wisdom to judge as God judges. There's no way we could even think we could judge fairly when we ourselves are guilty of sin.

We're called to inspect fruit—what we can see and compare to Scripture—but we have no authority to condemn people. That power belongs exclusively to God.

## David's Blind Spot

The story of David and Nathan the prophet provides a powerful illustration of how easily we fall into this trap. After David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband Uriah's death, the prophet Nathan came to him with a story.

Nathan described two men: one rich with many flocks and herds, another poor with only one beloved lamb that he treated like family. When a traveler came to visit, the rich man, rather than taking from his abundant flocks, took the poor man's only lamb and prepared it for his guest.

David's anger burned against this injustice. "The man who did this deserves to die!" he declared, ready to pronounce judgment and exact punishment.

Then Nathan delivered four devastating words: "You are the man."

David, who had taken another man's wife and orchestrated that man's murder, was ready to execute someone over a stolen lamb. His righteous indignation blinded him to his own far greater sin. He judged harshly what he himself had done in even more egregious fashion.

## The Sins That Trigger Us

Here's an uncomfortable truth worth examining: the sins that anger us most in others are often the very sins taking root in our own lives. The difference is usually just a matter of degree or sophistication in how we commit them.

We justify our own versions:
- "I do that because I have to"
- "I do that because of my past"
- "I do that because of my family and upbringing"
- "I have an illness or condition that makes this different"

But these are just sophisticated ways of rejecting God instead of confessing, repenting, and drawing close to Him.

Consider gossip as an example. Most of us get upset about gossip—except when we're the ones doing it. Then we rationalize: "I'm only telling them what this person did so they won't be surprised." Leviticus 19:16 is clear: "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people." Gossip is sin, regardless of who does it or how we justify it. And yes, that includes social media. When we post, repost, or even "like" gossip, we participate in sin.

The character flaws that drive us crazy in other people are usually our own character flaws staring back at us.

## God's Righteous Judgment

God's judgment operates on an entirely different plane than ours. His judgment is always according to truth. God is faithful, just, loving, kind, and merciful—and He never changes. As Malachi 3:6 declares: "For I am the Lord, I change not." Hebrews 13:8 affirms: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

This unchanging nature means God's judgments are always true and just. If we commit sin, we are guilty, and the only just response is consequences. Yet so many of us get angry at God when He judges rightly. We may not say it outright, but when we throw fits and run from His discipline rather than drawing close and learning from it, we're essentially declaring God unjust and unfair.

We arrogantly think we can judge others for things we ourselves do while somehow escaping God's judgment. But God is not mocked. We will reap what we sow.

## The Riches of God's Patience

Here's the beautiful paradox: God's patience and forbearance don't equal approval of sin. God hates sin. He never accepts it, never approves it, never blesses it. Yet God loves us with an incomprehensible love.

Second Peter 3:9 reveals God's heart: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

God's patience is an act of love. He holds back His judgment to give us time to turn from our sin. His forbearance creates space for repentance.

## The Forgiveness Test

Here's a challenging thought experiment: Think of the person who hurt you most deeply in your life. Picture that person clearly. Now ask yourself: If they got saved, would you genuinely rejoice?

If the answer is no, you despise the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering. You must forgive as you have been forgiven. You must have the heart and character of God Himself, who rejoices when anyone comes to repentance leading to salvation.

People will hurt you. People will willingly sin against you. You have a choice: forgive and love God, or refuse to forgive and despise God. There are no other options.

## Living in God's Character

If you are saved because of God's character, you must live in His character through faith, love, and obedience. When God convicts you of judging others while doing the same, what is your response? Is it confession and repentance? Or is it hardening your heart and rejecting God?

We will sin. We will judge others. The question is: what happens when God's conviction comes? Truth is truth, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes us. The goodness of God leads to repentance—but only if we don't despise it by refusing to extend to others what has been so freely given to us.