Romans 2:1-4
Exercising your judgment is a necessary part of wise living. People who make unwise judgments end up in bad marriages, they end up driving lemons, and it is very easy to separate them from their money. If you do not make wise judgments, your life is going to be much harder than it should be. The scriptures do not condemn making judgments; it condemns having a judgmental attitude. When someone attempts to sell me a car, I have to make a judgment about his or her trustworthiness. It is right and wise to make that judgment. I should approach that judgment without a biased, critical, negative and judgmental attitude.

Paul is warning against passing judgment on someone else, while at the same time doing the same things you are judging. Parents tell their children, “Do as I say, not as I do.” When they do so, their very words condemned them. Parents must judge their children; it is their job. When someone accuses the child of wrongdoing the parent must pass judgment, and it is only right that the parent do so. The same is true of people in authority and leadership. It is often their job to pass judgment; it is never their job to be a hypocrite. Paul is warning against passing judgment on someone you have no righteous reason to judge.

Paul’s warning is to Christians who have received the benefits of God’s mercy and grace. God has shown Christians His kindness, forbearance and patients. God has done this intending to lead us to repentance. He has offered us right relationship with himself with the intention that we would learn to live rightly with others. God is not deceived; he knows the truth about how we treat others. When Christians choose to be judgmental, and pass judgment upon others for what they have done themselves God is offended. We cannot expect God to forgive us while refusing to forgive others. We can accept God’s mercy and be merciful, or we can be unforgiving and face judgment.