You Who Judge Another

You Who Judge Another

(Romans 2:1)

Toward the Jews who considered themselves righteous while condemning the actions of the Gentiles, the apostle Paul declared, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

1. You Know What Is Right
The fact that the Jews judge the Gentiles shows that they already know what is right and wrong before God. While Gentiles can discern right from wrong to some extent through their conscience, the Jews have additionally received God’s revelation. If such people sin before God, will they not receive a greater punishment than the Gentiles who never received the revelation? The same applies to us as Christians. We must remember that the more we take pride in our knowledge of the truth, the greater our responsibility becomes.

2. You Are Endlessly Generous Toward Yourself
The Lord said that a servant who knows his master’s will and yet does not act accordingly will be beaten with many blows (Luke 12:47). People often judge others by strict standards, yet they are endlessly generous toward themselves. They point out the speck in someone else’s eye while failing to notice the log in their own. The Lord warns those who underestimate both God’s righteousness and the depth of their own sin: “With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:2).

3. You Cannot See Your Own State
No one can judge another—because we are all unrighteous. To those who question back, “But I have never committed unrighteousness?” the Lord replies: “If your heart is evil, you have already committed sin.” What we truly need is repentance. This is especially true for those who know much about God. Let us not disregard God’s righteousness. Let us not underestimate the power of sin. Let us not take the seat of judgment over others. Instead, let us face our own reality. Let us seek God’s forgiveness for the rest of our lives and continue to overcome our weaknesses by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim