Judge Not

Today's reading Romans 2. Paul has given us his thesis in 1:16. Then he began to establish his first main point that all men are sinners. He started with the perverted gentiles-the Pagan Man (1:18-32). Now in chapter two he points out that the Moral Man (2:1-16) and the Religious Man (2:17-29) are sinners as well. What should get our attention is 2:1. The self righteous Moral Man, at this point, would protest that he does not commit the vulgar sins of the Perverted Pagan of ch.1. But the key word here is 'inexcusable'. Paul is saying, "Have you ever criticized anyone for anything? Then you are without excuse, because your criticism arises from the fact that you have a conscience, which now recognizes sin in another, because it (your conscience) is aware of the existence of sin in self." In other words, the very fact that you can detect sin in another proves your own sin fallen condition. It takes a sinner to recognize a sinner. And Paul is saying that in the very act of condemning others, you automatically condemn yourself, because you're guilty of doing the same things. Even psychologist will tell you that people tend to criticize in others the negative traits that they themselves are guilty of. Psychologist call this "projection".
But we better be careful, for when God judges, He looks not only at the act itself, but also the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking into our hearts. And Jesus said, "With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Matt.7:2. Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, "My God, judge me as I have judged others"? We have judged others as sinners--(which we forget, we are too)--and if God should judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. But thank God, He judges us on the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ. [Oswald Chambers].
Prayer:
"Lord, I have no excuse for my personal sin, because I criticize others who do the same sin. Lord, in judging others, I condemn myself because they behave no differently than I do. Lord forgive me of my judgmental spirit, and I thank You for judging me on the basis of the miraculous atonement of the Cross of Jesus Christ, in whom I have placed my faith. In Jesus Name, Amen."