Romans 2:1
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Whoever condemns another while doing the same things is without excuse and condemns himself, and God accepts the judge's own verdict as a just sentence against him. The likeness need not be the identical act, but includes the same kinds of wrong and lack of self-control, for the judge is not faultless. God's judgment is according to truth against all such doers, so the judging sinner cannot escape, and every life and its record will pass in review before Him. The work of judgment has not been given to human hands but belongs to God and to Christ alone, because He lived in humanity and alone can understand human weakness and striving for perfection. Instead of judging, a person must examine and set right his own heart and conduct, judge himself, weed his own garden, and test feelings and motives by the law of God as the only standard.
Judging Condemns the Judge
Whoever judges or condemns another while doing the same things is without excuse and condemns himself. In judging another he pronounces sentence upon himself, and God accepts the judge's own verdict as a just sentence against him. No one who practices what he condemns in another can escape, for the judgment of God is according to truth against such doers. Each person's life and life record will be reviewed and will soon pass in review before God.
The sameness does not require the identical act, for the judge is guilty of the same kinds of wrong and is not faultless. Condemning another for mistakes condemns the judge as well, because he also has made mistakes. Judging another while failing to control one's own conduct brings the same condemnation upon the judge. Those who accuse others are accountable when they themselves do the same things.
The judge is often guilty not only of the same sin but of the greater sin of conceit and censoriousness. Those who act as Pharisees in condemning others must take heed lest God condemn them for Phariseeism, for even when not guilty of exactly the same sins they may be guilty of sins much greater in the sight of God, and each will be rewarded according to his work. A lack of forbearance and love makes the critic magnify another's fault, misrepresent the gentle spirit of the gospel, and wound those for whom Christ died. Condemning others harshly over careless words and magnified suspicions while indulging greater faults is inconsistent, and one who stands under no less condemnation brings the rebuke of God upon himself, especially when using speech to dishearten and drive the helpless to destruction and despair rather than leaving them to the One who knows and helps the most helpless.
Readiness to judge exposes the judger himself, for keenness to see the failings of others comes from reason to distrust his own principles, from lack in his own experience, and from a condemning conscience that makes him suspicious of his brethren. Harsh judging proves the religious life is not well built, with no underlying godliness based on Jesus Christ, so that the first gale of temptation sweeps the foundation away, and this causes all the difficulties in the church. Instead of turning the eyes outward to watch lest the character of others should not be right while one's own course appears right in one's own eyes, the eyes must be turned inward to scan actions and test feelings and motives by the law of God as the only standard, emptying the heart of self-love, envy, evil surmising, jealousy, malice, unkindness and self-esteem. Condemning another for faulty financial management while knowing one's own financial embarrassment is not after God's order is hypocrisy like trying to pull a mote from a brother's eye with a beam in one's own eye.
Those in positions of responsibility condemn themselves when they judge others by themselves and according to their own deviation from righteousness while themselves doing things not in harmony with their profession. Judging others who have not seen the light condemns the one who judges, for his wisdom is foolishness. Many standing aloof are living more in accordance with the light they have received than are many who have greater light, so those who judge them condemn themselves, and God will demonstrate this by strange things that expose the folly of judging those with less light. Those who think their judgment perfect and turn aside means God moved a soul to give to a certain work for His name's glory climb onto the judgment seat Christ forbade. The very ones who neglected souls in peril and left them to wander and drove them into snares condemn themselves by their judging, and like the elder brother they will not rejoice with Christ when He brings back the lost whom He values because He died for them.
God's Judgment Requires Self-Examination
The one who condemns another while practicing the same wrongs has no excuse and pronounces sentence upon himself, for divine judgment falls according to truth against all who do such things and the judging sinner will not escape it. Each person's life will be reviewed by God, and each life record will soon pass in review before Him. Readiness to judge does not provide a way of escape but exposes the judger's own guilt. Taking God's work of judgment into human hands is therefore forbidden, and the warning is to remember the coming review rather than to find fault with others.
The work of separating and judging has not been committed to human hands but belongs to God, who can correct or remove those in responsibility. It has been given to Christ alone, because He has lived humanity and He alone can understand human weakness and human striving to attain perfection. Even though there are counterfeit Christians in every church, no one has the right to measure the characters of fellow men and condemn them for their faults. The church now is militant, not triumphant, composed of wheat and tares growing together until the harvest.
Instead of judging others a person must tremble and be afraid for himself, see that his own heart is right, and examine and set right his own heart and conduct. He must judge himself and weed his own garden, until faithful work there leaves him no time to find fault with the gardens of others. Rather than turning the eyes outward to watch lest the character of others should not be right while his own course appears right in his own eyes, he should turn the eyes inward to scan and criticize his own actions, testing feelings and motives by the law of God as the only standard of right. He must empty the heart of love of self, envy, evil surmising, jealousy, malice, unkindness, and self-esteem, and will not then climb upon the judgment seat to pronounce sentence upon others who in God's sight are better than he. He must seek God until the work of the Holy Spirit is felt in the heart, and make sure he is elect through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, purified by obeying the truth unto fervent love of others with a pure heart.
Quick censure must not fall upon those who bear responsibilities when their work and difficulties are not fully understood, for later experience may replace censure with sympathy. Lack of forbearance and love makes the critic magnify another's fault, misrepresent the gentle spirit of the gospel, and wound people for whom Christ died. The gift of speech must not be used to dishearten, discourage, and drive the one judged to destruction, perdition, and despair, for one standing under no less condemnation brings rebuke upon himself by so doing, and the helpless one should be left to the One who knows, understands, and helps the most helpless. Offense at others must not be taken, nor concern for feelings and reputation allowed to disrupt fellowship with Christ.