Sin-Sniffer?
Matthew 7:1–2
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” — Matthew 7:1–2
There’s a word that perfectly captures what Jesus is warning against in these verses: censorious. A censorious person is hypercritical. They judge quickly, harshly, and destructively. Their criticism isn’t designed to help the other person; instead, it’s designed to tear them down. They assume bad motives, expect the worst, and wear their disapproval like a badge. We might also call such a person ‘judgemental’.
Pastor John Miller (RCF) calls this kind of person a “sin-sniffer.” They actively seek out the failings of others. They enjoy the feeling of moral superiority — which is, in essence, self-righteousness without the discomfort of repentance. It is, as A.B. Bruce once put it, a very cheap way of feeling good about yourself.
It shows up in two common ways. First, we judge on the basis of appearance. We make snap assessments about how someone looks, dresses, speaks, or carries themselves. James had something pointed to say about this: “Do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with partiality” (James 2:1). Second, we judge by personal preference — elevating our own way of doing things into an unspoken law that everyone else is measured against.
And then comes the warning of verse 2 which says “…and the measure you use will be measured back to you.” This is illustrated vividly in the story of Adoni-Bezek in Judges Chapter 1. He was a king who mutilated seventy others and then had the same done to him. His own verdict? “As I have done, so God has repaid me” (Judges 1:7). The standard you use for others will be used for you. Precisely. Justly.
Reflect: Are there people in your life you have been quietly, or not so quietly, judgemental towards? What would it look like to extend grace instead?