James, Session 10: Who Are You to Judge Your Neighbour?

Read the passage: James 4:11-12 (ESV, Bible Gateway)

Read James 4:11-12

If your speech was recorded for a week, how much criticism of others would it pick up?
What reasons might lie behind our speaking badly of others or judging them?
- Is there a difference between speaking evil of someone and judging someone?
Is there a right form of judging/evaluating another person? (If yes, give examples).

How does this differ from the kind of judging James talks about here?

How do you know when your right/wise/biblical evaluation of someone else or their conduct drifts into judgmentalism?
How might this kind of wrong speech show itself in churches or Christian friendship groups?
When we judge or criticise someone else we often do so based on our evaluation of their motives. How good are we at rightly evaluating motives? Do you have an example of when, in retrospect, you got this wrong?
Why is speaking badly of others, or judging them, equivalent to speaking evil against the law and judging the law? (For help, see Leviticus 19:16-18!)
- How do our words of judgement/criticism of others condemn ourselves?
How does how we speak of others tell us something about what we think of God?
According to v12, what danger is there in being a judge?
- How is sitting in judgment on the law similar to what happened in Eden (Genesis 3:1-7)?
- How do we see this desire to be our own lawmaker and judge – deciding for ourselves what is right or wrong – in our culture today?
How does the gospel get to the root of why we judge and criticise others?
- How can it help us to stop doing it?

Recap & Reflect

Of all that was discussed today, examine your own life and summarise: – One motive that you recognise is behind your judging and criticising of others – One way this plays itself out in your everyday life – One danger/consequence of our judging others – One way by which the gospel can transform this particular sin

Leader’s notes

The notes are here to help you lead a group and answer tough questions. The idea isn’t to read the “right” answer out after each question, but rather to give you support or a helpful nudge in guiding your discussion in the right direction. Feel free to use them as best suits your group.

What reasons might lie behind our speaking badly of others or judging them?
There may be valid reasons for criticisms of others’ behaviour. However, often when we vocalise these we are doing so to make ourselves look or feel good. Instead of trusting in Christ’s justification and righteousness we have to create our own. And so criticism of others becomes a form of self-justification. As such it can display our feelings of inadequacy or insecurity.
- Is there a difference between speaking evil of someone and judging someone?
  Yes and no! Yes, because (as we will discuss in the next question) there are times when we are called to make judgements about others. No, because when we are speaking evil of another we are making judgements about them: that they are less worthy/moral than us, that we are better people than they are. These kind of ‘judgements’ come from our prideful and sinful attitudes.

How does this differ from the kind of judging James talks about here?
There is: we are called to judge teachers by their fruit and doctrine; those who claim to be brothers by the divisive impact they have on churches etc. We also make appropriate judgements all the time – is this someone I’d like to employ or work with, do they have the necessary skills etc? Is this someone I’d like to marry? Is this person’s behaviour wise/godly, or are they the kind of person Proverbs tells me to avoid (Proverbs 13:20)? This differs from a judgmental attitude that is more about making me look/feel good by making this other person look bad.

How do you know when your right/wise/biblical evaluation of someone, or their conduct, drifts into judgmentalism?
We must constantly be on our guard for this. We should consider questions such as, am I thinking the best of them or putting the worst spin on things? Am I in possession of enough information to make the kind of judgements I am making? Do I want the best for them, and am I praying for that? Is their reputation safe in my hands? Do I feel better about myself because I am speaking them down?
Why is speaking badly of others, or judging them, equivalent to speaking evil against the law and judging the law? (For help, see Leviticus 19:16-18!)
The law tells us to love our neighbour and not slander them: If we don’t, it is like us saying ‘the law’s wrong, I know better than it; I know better than the God who gave it.’
- How do our words of judgement/criticism of others condemn ourselves?
  We often criticise people for the very things we do ourselves, even if in different forms. For example, we may criticise someone as being a judgmental, critical person! In doing so, our own words condemn us. They show us we know God’s law but do not do it.
How does how we speak of others tell us something about what we think of God?
If we lack mercy or grace in the way we speak of others it is likely that our hearts have not adequately understood God’s heart of mercy and grace towards us. If we are judgemental towards others, we have likely not understood that God sees the depth of sin in our own hearts and will one day stand in judgement against us. If we speak ill of people it is likely we do not understand how God speaks words of love and life and blessing over us – even though we deserve the opposite.
According to v12, what danger is there in being a judge?
We put ourselves in God’s place. But only he can save. Thus to make ourselves the judge cuts us off from the real judge and the only one who can save us.
- How is sitting in judgment on the law similar to what happened in Eden (Genesis 3:1-7)?
  In the Garden Satan tempted Adam and Eve to question what God had said they could and could not do. In wanting to decide for themselves what was good and evil they put themselves in the place of judge.
How does the gospel get to the root of why we judge and criticise others?
We can judge and criticise others as a form of self-justification. We feel better about ourselves in our own eyes and (we think!) in God’s eyes by bringing others down. This may be from pride or deep-seated insecurity. But the Gospel tells us we are freely justified by God’s grace to us in Christ, so we don’t need to judge and criticise others to earn God’s favour. We already have it.

Download the complete study: Bible study on James (PDF)