Hypocritical Judging. Romans 2:1 There was no question that those who were written about in chapter one, were ungodly sinners whose sins condemned them - and they knew it. In chapter two the people addressed were passing judgment on the others who they felt didn't rise to their level of righteous living. The truth was, they were right. The problem was, as they were looking down on others, they were condemning themselves. They were doing the same things in their hearts - and "man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart."
The principles of righteous judgment they were overlooking. God judges according to the truth. His standard is His own holiness. God also passes righteous judgment based not on the deeds of men but on the actual carrying out of a work, not on one's opinion of their work or others' opinions. It is quite easy to be critical of another person while doing nothing. The sins of commission will be judged as true, as will the sins of omission.
Another criterion for God's righteous judgment is the amount of light of truth a person has. This light of truth has been given to many favored people. However, "If that light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Others are limited to the light of creation, of conscience, and of the goodness of God. Their judgment will be based on how they responded to that degree of light.
We judge people by whether we like to admit it or not. When we do that, we must speak out carefully, kindly, and considerately and be constantly aware of the fact that what we say passes judgment on ourselves, not just others. Hypocritical judgment condemns the one who judges because they also have the light of the Word of God, the light of the example of other believers, and the light of biblical ordinances and practices. The light of the Gospel and its results seen in the lives of those who have repented of sin and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ will also condemn hypocritical judgment. Those people have no excuse at all for their unbelief. By condemning others, that hypocritical judgment condemns them.