Only God Can Judge

“Only God Can Judge Me” - That’s a phrase that we hear thrown around a lot, usually after someone has done something unseemly or wrong. The invoking of God means that people who say this believe to some extent that the sentiment is Biblical. They are not wrong.

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? - James 4:12

The Bible is clear that we should leave judgement to God. The problem (as is often the case when people try to turn God’s Word into trendy sayings) is that the way this saying is used is often out of place. Yes, it is true that only God can pass judgement on anyone, but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t to be held accountable for our actions by those around us. It doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we want with the expectation that no one has the right to say anything to us about our actions. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that helping people move away from their sin isn’t just the duty of Believers, it is an action that can save lives.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. - James 5:19-20

Living righteously can be difficult, especially when we are left to our own devices. We often fool ourselves into believing we are justified in our bad actions even when we know we are wrong. Sometimes we don’t even feel the need to lie to ourselves in that way. Sometimes we are so committed to our sin that we simply do not want to give it up. That’s why some choose to throw around a saying like “only God can judge me.” By taking that saying to heart, people come to believe they can ignore their transgressions and those who would attempt to correct them are actually the ones that are in the wrong.

It’s not always easy to accept when we are wrong, and sometimes it only furthers our guilt and shame when others point out our wrongs. This is the reason why humility is such an important part of our Christian walks. We have to learn to get over ourselves and focus on what is important: living righteously and being obedient to God. God will forgive us and help us to move past our shortcomings, but we have to repent for our sins.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

Therein lies the problem with attempting to sidestep our wrong doing. If we are more concerned with people knowing our wrongs and calling attention to our wrongs than we are with actually correcting those wrongs, we’ll never seek atonement. We’ll never walk away from our sinfulness. We’ll never repent. If we want to truly live righteously, we have to be willing to take hard looks at ourselves even if it takes someone else to force us to do so. Yes, it’s true that only God can judge us, but it’s also true that others can help us remain on the right side of His judgement.

Of course, there is another side to this issue. Sometimes this phrase about God’s judgement is thrown out because we as Christians are too judgmental. Yes, we are directed to hold each other accountable for our actions, but that is not the same as passing judgement on others. It is not our place to say whether other people are good or bad. It is not our place to say what should happen to people or how they should be treated because of their transgressions. It is our duty to remind each other of God’s will and what he wants from us, and we are to do that in a loving way, not a judgmental one.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:1-2

Truthfully, it can be tough straddling the line between being lovingly corrective and overly judgmental, but as we find again and again, doing the right thing is not always easy. It is, however, important. Keeping the Christian family together means keeping the bonds strong between everyone in the family. We cannot do that if we are constantly grating against each other. Further, if we hope to win more people to the Faith, we have to show them the benefits of believing. People have to understand that Believers only want the best for everyone. Again, this is where humility comes into play. If we are only interested in correcting others because we want to feel superior or better about our own moral standing, then we are, of course, acting improperly. Our attempts to hold others accountable should have nothing to do with ourselves. We should be motivated solely by the desire to see our brothers and sisters be at their best. We also always have to be aware of the fact that none of us are perfect. Being heavy handed when approaching people about their sin is hypocritical knowing that you have sin of your own. That is a lesson Jesus taught those around him.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. - Matthew 7:1-5

One day, God will judge us all, and it is true that only He has the right to do that. However, we should not use that fact as a rallying cry to justify or excuse our bad actions. We should also not make others feel like they need such a rallying cry. The goal is to live righteous lives, and that is not a goal any of us can achieve alone. Let us all do our best to help and be helped in achieving that common goal.

Chris Lawyer

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