Three Essential Questions
After watching the message take some time reflect on the following three questions.
- What did you hear? What point in this message was most impactful for you?
- What do you think? How did this message challenge, change, or affirm your thinking?
- What will you do? How will you put into practice what you've learned today?
"Brothers and sisters, never say bad things about each other. Anytime you speak against fellow believers or you judge and bad-mouth them, you judge and condemn God's Law! And when you judge God's Law you aren't keeping it yourself! Instead, you set yourself up as the Judge! Remember, God is the only true Lawgiver and Judge! He alone has the authority to save or to destroy. So then, who are you? And what gives you the right to pass judgment on others?" James 4:11-12
WHY ARE WE SO QUICK TO JUDGE OTHERS?
1. GUILT: WE WANT TO EXCUSE OUR OWN FAILURES
"When you, a mere human, pass judgment others, do you think that by pointing your finger at others you will distract God from seeing all your misdoings and keep him from judging you?" Rom. 2:3 (Mes/NIV)
2. PRIDE: WE WANT TO FEEL SUPERIOR TO OTHERS
Job: "You are trying to make yourselves look better than me by using my disgrace as an argument against me." Job 19:5 (GW)
Action Plan: Make a list of people you are currently or recently have judged. Include how you judged them. Use this list in the following Action Plans.
WHY SHOULD I NOT JUDGE OTHERS?
1. JUDGING OTHERS IS UNLOVING
"The Royal Law found in the Scripture is 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself!' If you obey this law, you do the right thing." James 2:8
"Anytime you speak against fellow believers, or you judge or bad-mouth them, you judge and condemn God's Law!" James 4:11
2. JUDGING OTHERS IS GOD'S JOB, NOT MINE!
"Remember, God is the only true Lawgiver and Judge! He alone has the authority to save or to destroy. So then, who are you? And what gives you the right to pass judgment on others?" James 4:12
"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own Master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Rom. 14:4 (NIV)
3. JUDGING OTHERS IS UNCHRISTIAN
"God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him!" John 3:17 (NCV)
HOW CAN I LEARN TO BE LESS JUDGMENTAL?
1. REMEMBER I'M NOT THE STANDARD!
"We should never dare to classify or compare ourselves like those who rate themselves so highly. How foolish they are! They make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and then judge themselves by their own standards!" 2 Cor. 10:12
Action Plan: By each of the 'judgments' you listed, write down why you thought you were better than the action you were judging.
2. REMEMBER I DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE STORY
"It is shameful and stupid to decide before knowing the facts!" Proverbs 18:13
Jesus: "Stop judging by appearances." John 7:24 (NIV)
Action Plan: By each of the 'judgments' you listed, write down other possible scenarios that would make that 'judgment' not accurate.
3. REMEMBER I NEVER KNOW ANYONE'S MOTIVATION
"No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like except that person himself." 1 Cor. 2:11 (LB)
"Therefore judge no one before the appointed time; wait till the Lord returns. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and he will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive the right praise from God." 1 Cor. 4:5 (NIV)
Action Plan: By each of the 'judgments' you listed, write down your personal motivation for judging.
4. REMEMBER I HAVE BLINDSPOTS I CAN'T SEE
Jesus: "Why are you so concerned about a speck of sawdust in someone else's eye when you have a huge log in your own eye? How dare you say, 'Let me get that speck out of your eye!'. . . Instead judge yourself and first remove the log in your own eye so you can see clearly to help others." Matthew 7:3-5
"If we judged ourselves in the right way, God would not judge us." 1 Cor. 11:31 (NCV)
Action Plan: By each of the 'judgments' you listed, pray and ask God if you have any blindspots that are making it easier for you to judge others.
5. REMEMBER LISTEN FIRST
Nicodemus: "According to God's Law we cannot judge people before listening to them and hearing what they've done." John 7:51
6. REMEMBER I'LL BE JUDGED BY THE STANDARD I USE
Jesus: "Do not judge others, or YOU too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged! And with the same measure you use, YOU will be measured!" Matt. 7:1-2
"You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him. Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God. . . Yes, each of us will have to give an account of himself to God. So then, don't criticize each other anymore!" Rom. 14:10,12-13
Action Plan: Write down examples of your own behavior that others have judged you for. Are any of them similar to what you judge others for?
7. REMEMBER HOW GOD HAS SHOWN ME GRACE
"It is by free grace that you are saved and delivered from judgment through your faith. And this salvation is not of your own doing. It is God's gift to you!" Ephesians 2:8
Action Plan: No one is perfect, we are all flawed. On a new piece of paper, write down how God has shown you grace. Ask Him to help you freely give the grace you've freely been given.
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