Quit Judging Others - James 4-5

James 4:12 (ESV)

There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

God reserves the right to judge people.  We do not.  There are a number of verses in God’s word about God being THE judge:

Isaiah 33:22 (ESV)

For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver;

the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Psalms 50:4 (ESV)

He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

Ecclesiastes 12:14 (ESV)

For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Hebrews 12:23 (ESV)

and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

There are also a lot of verses, like the above, that tell us NOT to judge others:

Matthew 7:1 (ESV)

“Judge not, that you be not judged.

Luke 6:37 (ESV)

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

John 8:7 (ESV)

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Romans 2:1 (ESV)

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

James 2:13 (ESV)

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

We are not the judge of others.  We don’t have the holiness to do so.  God is the perfect judge because He is perfectly holy.   Only those without sin can judge those with sin.