Life is relationships and relationships are about people. Much of our conversation is naturally about people in our family, church and world because we are interested and involved with them. Talking about people is not a sin. It is how we talk about them that can hurt our relationships.
Reasons We Observe Behavior
Protection – Curiosity –.Comparison – Responsibility – Love
To do the right thing the wrong way is to do the wrong thing.
I. Discernment vs. Judgment v.1-2
Judgment means to mentally or judicially condemn; to conclude, to decide, to determine, to call to account; to sentence
The right to judge only comes with the authority to judge.
Discernment means to test, to examine; to interpret, approve, discover; or make a distinction.
There is a difference between confronting a sin and condemning a sinner.
Judgment is wrong when you use the wrong standard or you do it in the wrong spirit.
Proper judgment should be kind, corrective and constructive, not condemning and critical.
You cannot judge a person by what others say about him, but you can judge a person by what he says about others.
Reasons We Judge Others
- To try to protect others
- To justify sin and shortcomings in our own life
- To look better than others
- To seem important or powerful
- To gain an advantage over someone
- Because we don’t know all the facts
- Because we are fallen v.2
- Because what goes around comes around v.3
- Because of the log jam in our eyes
- Spiritual Pride
- Perspective
- Personal Prejudice
- Premeditated Purpose
There are two words to notice. The word "first" and the word "then."
Jesus condemns selfish judgment, but he condones self-judgment.
