What gives God the right to condemn people for sin?

James 4:12God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

God made the law, rightly declares the verdict, and solely administers the consequences.

Romans 3:4, 6-8, 10-11Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” . . . If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned. . . . As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.”

God not only created truth, he IS truth itself; therefore, he sets the standard for truth and justice.

Psalm 145:17The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

God is absolutely righteous and absolutely kind. He is a just and merciful judge who never issues an unjust sentence.