Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. Romans 2:1 ESV
One of the hallmarks of narcissism is projection. Narcissists refuse to take responsibility for their actions or to acknowledge anything unflattering about themselves. Their go-to defense mechanism is to project their own shortcomings onto someone else–absolving themselves of guilt in the process. Yet, this action is the sin that keeps them from coming to God. Without a willingness to admit their wrongdoing, they cannot receive salvation from God since they are not asking for it. They are seeking to save and justify themselves by blaming other people instead.
People who have been on the receiving end of this are often highly considerate and sensitive to the needs of others. Initially, they receive this blame because they are motivated to examine themselves in order to strengthen their relationships. Yet, these people would better serve the narcissists in their lives by refusing to absorb their guilt and instead point them to God, their only hope of true peace and freedom.
Codependents can also project. They typically grow up in households with weak boundaries and therefore have a distorted sense of self. They have trouble knowing where others begin and they end. This can cause projection because a codependent might attribute something to another person that is actually coming from them.
Projection is a coping mechanism that falls short of God’s best in relationships. It is a sin that blocks the Grace that can change us. According to Romans 2:1, our own words will acquit or condemn us. If we receive Christ, we use our words to confess our sins and to receive His salvation. But if we refuse His gift of salvation, our words of judgment for other people will condemn us. Let us project all of the negative in our lives at the foot of the cross and receive God’s nature and character through His salvation!