Romans: Man’s Inability to Judge

"Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest does the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despises thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." (Romans 2:1-11)

The more we study the Word, the more we recognize God's holiness; and the more we recognize God's holiness, the more wretched a sinner we appear to be before His holiness. The Word convicts us, and the Word keeps us humble and compassionate towards one another; IF we surrender ourselves to the scrutiny of the Word that is.

If, however, we do not dwell in the Word (meaning to both read it and do it), we are like the man in James 1:23-25:

"Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does."

Both the Gentiles and the Jews in the Roman church had lost their compassion for one another, because they had not become doers of the Word, but judges of their fellow man. It is an amazing thing that a group of Christians who were well known abroad for their great works in the name of Jesus Christ, had lost their love for one another because they were not letting the Word keep them humble.

Instead, there was a contest of superiority going on. There was a judging and finding fault with one another. And the judgments were based on comparison to one another, rather than comparison to God Himself Who is the only true standard or measure of righteousness.

That is why Paul says we are not to judge one another; for the very words with which we condemn another are words which can be applied as well to ourselves.

The day will come when we will be judged by every word that proceeds out of our mouth. Thus, the judgment we have pronounced on our fellow man who is no more sinful than we ourselves are, this same judgment will be our judge as well….condemning us.

Do your words about others line up with those of the Pharisee or the tax collector?

"The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." (Luke 18:11-12)

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." (Luke 18:13)