Judging the Law In Our Judgmentalism

Evil Judgment and James 4 Logic

Jane was known for her relentless judgment of everyone around her. As she listened to the narrative about the Pharisee from Luke 18 who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector,” she smugly retorted that those people are self-righteous sinners in need of severe judgment. In blindness to her own judgmentalism, she then exclaimed, “Thank God I’m not like them!” But what was most memorable was that I found myself thinking, “Thank you, Lord, that I’m am not like this self-righteous woman!”

Oh, how quickly our heart can fall into elevating our own righteousness over others. Though we turn up our noses toward haughty Pharisees who glory in their own estimation of themselves, how often are we self-righteous toward the self-righteous? How can the wisdom from James help us?

James 4:11-12 says, “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Following the train of thought from the larger context of James 4, idolatrous desires often lead to quarrels (James 4:1-2). Quarrels flow from and feed our pride, which God is opposed to (James 4:6). Pride also motivates censorious, self-righteous judgment. Therefore, speaking evil and judging our brother flows from proud, idolatrous hearts. This logic of James 4 may make sense to our intellect and experience. Yet, we may begin to scratch our muddled heads when we read that judging our brother is akin to speaking evil against the law and judging the law. How do we understand this?

God’s Perfections and our Judgment

God’s law is perfect, holy and righteous. We are forbidden from editing his law because it reveals his holy character. Scripture affirms that Christ alone fulfilled the righteous requirements of God’s law. When we judge our brother contemptuously, we also arrogantly judge ourselves to be in compliance to the law that we deem our brother to be breaking. Like the rich young ruler from Matthew 19, we believe ourselves to be good like God. By necessity, we inadvertently adjust the law by softening or reducing the holy and unbending standards to a more manageable level. Manageable for us that is; yet not our brother. This self-justifying modification of the law “speaks evil against the law and judges the law.” (James 4:11)

When we amend God’s holy law to our benefit, we exalt ourselves above God as the new and improved lawmaker, lawgiver, and judge. We attempt a coupe in order to overthrow God by exchanging His rule for our own! James is quick to warn that there is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy (James 4:11-2).

Is There a Place for Judgment?

Does this mean that we ought never judge? Are we not called to speak the truth in love and judge fruit righteously? (Eph 4:15, Mt 12:33-37) How can we do this well and in a way that doesn’t judge or speak evil against God’s perfect law?

Judgment can be motivated either by sinful pride and idolatry or authentic love. The exhortation to take the log out of our own eye first (Matthew 7:1-6) often exposes our heart. We must believe the veracity of the words from the lips of Christ that what we see in our brother is a splinter in comparison to our plank. Yet, the judgment itself is proof of our blindness and unbelief regarding our sin. It is imperative that we locate ourselves on the spectrum of the sin that we are judging in our brother (I Cor. 10:12). If we find ourselves guiltless, our measurement is faulty and we are yet blind.

Our plumb line is to be perfect obedience. Galatians 3:10 says, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” When we squarely face the rigid, unyielding law and the requirement of perfect adherence, we are back on the spectrum of sin. By God’s grace, we may finally see and assess ourselves as guilty. This revelation moves us from pride toward humility and we are one step closer to humbly beating our breasts and pleading for mercy (Luke 18:13-14).

When we are humbled enough to confess our sin, James 4:6 assures us that God gives generous grace to appropriate to our needy souls. Owing only to the sufficient sacrifice of Christ for sin, we receive in faith full forgiveness and pardon from the Father. We willingly forsake the tenuousness of our own record, and cling instead to the imputed and flawless righteousness of Christ granted to us in the gospel. The relief and sweetness of the gospel changes our hearts from cold, self-righteous pride and judgment to hearts full of joy and gratitude to God for grace.

Having been broken by the demands of the law and genuinely comforted by gospel grace, we can approach a person like judgmental Jane as a fellow sinner in need of mercy. The lavish love of God that  rescued us from our sin compels us to extend the same rescuing love to her. Love that desires the best for Jane calls us to humbly and gently confront the sin that would seek to enslave and destroy her. Pointing Jane to the comfort, hope and strength that the gospel offers allows our judgment of sin to be redemptive, restorative and life-giving instead of evil, judgmental and self-righteous.