ARE YOU PLAYING GOD?

James 4:11-12 James says that anytime I judge you, anytime you judge me, we're playing God. It's only God's responsibility to judge. James says we’ll be a lot happier if you learn how to deal with this issue.

Romans 2:3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them, and yet do the same thing, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Paul says one reason we tend to judge other people is to excuse our own faults. We think by pointing the finger at somebody else, we don't look so bad.

The always “Practical” James gives 3 reasons why we shouldn't judge other people. It's unchristian v11 Brothers, do not slander one another... anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law.

Notice it says, "Brothers, do not slander..." The word "slander" and the word "devil" are the same word. The word "devil" means slander. Satan is called the accuser of the brethren.

The devil's number one activity is putting people down. Sadly even church goers get involved in this activity. James warns brothers not to criticize, malign, or judge. When we do we're doing the devil's work for him. It's unchristian to judge others.

I heard about a guy who came to a pastor one time and said, "I only have one talent." The pastor asked, "What's your talent?" The man said, "I have the gift of criticism." The pastor thought a moment and said, "The guy who had only one talent went out and buried it. Maybe you ought to do that with yours."

We shouldn't judge others because it's unloving. James says when I judge you, I'm breaking the Royal Law - the law of love - Love your neighbor as yourself. James 2:8

We say, "It's just words - people will forget them."
It's unjustified "There's only one lawgiver and one judge." The word "lawgiver" is used six times in the OT and once in the NT each refers to God. Only God has the right to judge.

We tend to judge in other people things we dislike in ourselves. What we see is usually just a mirror of self.

WHEN IS IT WRONG TO JUDGE OTHERS?
We are to judge certain things, ourselves for example.

But there's seven times it says, don't do this. Romans 2:1-3 For at whatever point you judge others you're condemning yourself for you who pass judgment do the same thing. It's wrong to judge other people when I do the same thing.

Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? It's wrong to judge when it blinds me to my own faults. We are great speck analyzers, nitpicking specks when we have a logjam in our own eye.

It's wrong to judge others when you draw conclusions based on outward appearance. Ouch! 15 seconds is all it takes.. the way they look. Their face, clothing, hairdo.

I Samuel 16:7 God doesn't look at the appearance. God looks at the heart.

John 7:51 Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing? It's wrong to judge when you condemn somebody before you hear the facts.

Colossians 2:16 don’t let anyone judge you by what you eat, drink, or in regard to religious festivals, new moon celebrations or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the thing to come. Reality, however, is found in Christ.

You can't tell where a person is at with God by the church they attend, what they eat or drink or if you worship on Saturday or Sunday. Just a shadow…. Reality is found in Christ.

v13 let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. Don't offend others. Don't judge each other. Whatever you do have a clear conscience about it.

v22 whatever you believe about these things, keep them between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

If you can't watch TV with a clear conscious, you better not watch it. Keep it between you and the Lord, don't flaunt it. Enjoy the liberty you have but you don't flaunt it. Don't use it to be a stumbling block.

v20 Don't destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean but it's wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It's better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else to cause your brother to fall.

It's wrong to judge when it causes you to speak evil about another Christian. Anything that causes me to speak evil about another Christian, is wrong. We are to hate wrong but we're to love people even when they are doing wrong.
Ephesians 4:29 speak only those things that build up and encourage.

We’ve no right to judge other people's motives. Nobody really knows what's in somebody else's heart. You can guess but you don't know. I Samuel 17

I have a hard enough time just trying to figure out my own motives, much less making a good guess at yours.

HOW DO YOU BREAK THE HABIT OF JUDGING OTHERS
1. Realize that I'll be judged by the same standards I use to judge other people.
2. Realize that each of us will have to give an account of himself to God.
3. Realize how much God has been merciful to me.