Are You God?
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Anyone who is around young things is privileged to see rapid growth and hopefully a trajectory of maturity. After several years, one hopes that their young thing will be different than they were. A baby cries. That is how they communicate. But, after several years, a baby should be able to communicate through words and sentences and not through tantrums. You hope that there is some maturity as there is growth. Now, in teenage years, everything changes. That’s another discussion. As something grows, one should also mature.
James is writing to Christians who had been kicked out of their homes because of their faith. He wrote them words of encouragement, telling them that their persecution was not in vain, but that they should continue to persevere. Then, he tells them that their faith, no matter their situation, should produce maturity in every area of their lives. As they grow in Christ, they should show change.
James has hit many different areas, concluding two weeks ago, that we should seek to be followers of God, not friends with the world. Several times in this letter, he has mentioned the tongue and our words should change because of our faith in Christ.
James returns to this subject and gives consequences for our actions and our speech that should motivate us to change. In these two verses, James tells us about 4 actors, two actions, and one choice.
He goes back to the tongue and give consequences for actions
Inclusio of speech in 3:1-4:12. This is a brief reprise of sins of speech.
1A. 4 Actors
1A. 4 Actors
In every situation on earth, whenever there is a meeting, a conversation, a controversy, a disagreement. There is always four actors at play. Before we can face our meetings, conversations, controversies, disagreements; before we can apply this verse to those times in our lives, we need to understand the four actors at play in all our situations.
1B. Us
1B. Us
James calls his readers brothers and sisters. This is a welcome change from the previous verses, when he called his readers adulterers, sinners, and the double-minded.
James is writing, by the inspiration of God, to us, assuming that we are followers of Christ, that we have turned from our sin and trusted in Christ alone, not in our works, prayers, church attendance, or family’s faith.
If you have not turned to Christ, but are still somehow trying to live life on your own, this verse does not apply to you. You can live however you want, treat people however you want, but you will be judged based upon your actions one day after it is too late to change.
In every situation, there is an us. In our situation, we are Christians, follows of Christ, slaves of God. Our identity as such demands that we react in a specific way. This way is not natural to us. It only comes through regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
James comes back to nice title of brothers, from adulterous , sinners, double-mindedz
2B. Them
2B. Them
In every situation, there is also a them. We as humans naturally approach situations as “us vs. them.” We will interact with people who are like us or who agree with us, but we will naturally throw up a wall of hostility (to borrow the language of Paul in ) against those who are not like us or who don’t agree with us, at least according to our perception or feeling.
In this passage, James narrows the “them” to a distinct group of people: Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. These are fellow believers. They are followers of Christ. They have turned from their sin and trusted in Christ. They are committed in some sense to living a redeemed lifestyle, reflecting Christ.
Unfortunately, as we have seen in recent years through tumultuous political years, and as a student of history would see through church debates over miniscule issues, Christians very often set up war camps against each other in an “us vs. them” situation.
Though James narrows this verse to situations concerning Christians on both sides of an issue, the application can be applied to situations where non-Christians are in the “them” category.
Two actors: us and them.
3B. The Law
3B. The Law
James was a Jew who had converted to Christianity. His original audience were Jews who had converted to Christianity. These are a community who understand very clearly the Law of Moses, the Torah. And they valued it.
They would agree with the Psalmist:
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
They loved the Law. The Law guarded their steps, teaching them how to live in a way that honored God, but even more so, the Law taught them who God was. They loved and valued it so much that they wanted to live according to it.
But, the Law that James refers to here is more than just the Torah. It is more than the Torah and the prophets. In James’ mind, the Law is that which is fulfilled in Christ.
The Law pointed to Christ, and as Jesus said:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
The Law points to Christ and is fulfilled in Christ. But, through Christ, the perfect law that gives freedom (as James refers to in ) sets a standard by which we are supposed to live. This is a Law which is not defined by Moses, but defined by Christ. A law of the kingdom, if you will.
Is this Torah? or is this Torah fulfilled in Christ?
This law is referred to by Christ throughout his teaching, in the Sermon on the Mount, and other locations, but is referred explicitly in moments leading up to his crucifixion in .
“If you love me, keep my commands.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
There is a law of the kingdom that is given through Christ, as he fulfills the Old Testament Law. All the love and reverence that James had for the Law is applied for this new law of the kingdom, the one which gives freedom. All throughout his letter, James tells us “Follow the Law of Christ, as contained in Scripture.”
So, in any situation, not only is there us and them, but the Law of the Kingdom, the Law of Christ, is dogging us.
4B. God
4B. God
The final actor James mentions, for every situation, is God. This might seem a little cliche: “Be careful what you do, because God is watching you.” But, James is speaking of something deeper, as we will see in the text.
James refers to God as the Lawgiver and the judge. As one person mentioned: God is both the executive judicial branches of the Heavenly government. God is the one who sets the standard for right and wrong. He is the one who gave the Law to Moses. He is the one who fulfilled the Law in Christ. He is the one who calls us to a higher living in Christ. He is the one who will judge us based upon those standards.
God is also the one who is able to save and destroy, eternally speaking, based upon how we live and what we do with Christ.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
God is God, and no one else can be God.
Two Actions
God will destroy, but he will also save. :28
Is judging speaking of the ultimate destiny of an individual?
In every situation, there are 4 actors: us, them, the Law, and God.
No one else can be God.
2A. Two Actions
2A. Two Actions
Have you ever gotten mad at someone. I should qualify this: have you ever gotten mad at a fellow Christian. Have you ever felt like cutting off communication, maybe not trusting them anymore? Maybe you haven’t felt anger to that extent, but a fellow Christian did something, or said something, or didn’t do or didn’t say something, and all your emotions suddenly blew up. You might have misunderstood what was going on, but you know you didn’t.
Perhaps this happened with a person in our congregation. Perhaps this happened with a famous Christian whom you have never met.
Either way, you throw up the line, it is me versus them. Or if someone else is in the picture and you have some “righteous anger” going on, it is us versus them. What is your next plan of action?
In every situation, we have two actions, or responses, if you will.
1B. Slander
1B. Slander
There are several different translations of this word: speak evil against, criticize, malign, disparage, and backbite. It describes many kinds of harmful speech, as the translations show. It can refer to questioning legitimate authority, as when the people of Israel spoke against God and against Moses time and time again. It can refer to speaking against someone in secret, as says. It can refer to bringing incorrect accusations, as Peter points out in .
slander: Translations: speak evil against, criticize, malign, disparage, and backbite
Notice that James builds on his verb slander by saying “speaks against a brother or sister” and “judges them”.
So, in our example, we can start speaking bad against this believer in our heart and mind. Soon, it boils up and we tell others about our perception of the case. We treat our fellow Christian differently because of what happened, slandering him in our actions. Mind, mouth, actions: they all come into play in the world of slander, speaking against, and judging.
Slander: this is a legitimate choice for us.
2B. No Slander
2B. No Slander
Or, we could not slander. We could not speak bad against this believer in our heart and mind. We could keep silent before others about what happened. We could not treat our fellow Christian differently because of what happened. This is radically different from what we want to do. This is radically different from what our culture tells us to do. Instead of throwing up a wall with our whole being against this person, we could seek reconciliation.
No slander: this is also a legitimate choice for us, even though, let’s be honest, we really don’t want to do it.
no slander
Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000), 198.
Neighbor-love is the command that is broken when we judge one another. ;
When we slander, we set ourselves up in judgment against a believer
The one who judges another member of the community can hardly be said to have humbled himself or drawn near to God, the one who is able to save.
Many times, in speaking against someone, we are really saying “God cannot use this person.” “I cannot be united with this person.” “I don’t believe this person is really saved.” Add on...
slander is many times a form of pride. No duh!
no slander
3A. One Correct Choice
3A. One Correct Choice
James tells us that there is only one correct choice for every situation. Since we read this passage, I don’t need to tell you that the correct choice is not to slander fellow Christians, whether it is in our mind, in our mouth, or in our actions. We are not to do it!
1B. Results of Slander
1B. Results of Slander
James tells us that when we slander, speak against, or judge a fellow believer we are doing 2 things.
First, we are speaking against the law and judging it. Remember, in every situation, not only is there us and them, but the pesky little law is hanging around saying: “will you follow me? Huh? Remember me? Remember what I told you that you are supposed to do in this situation? Will you follow me?” Kinda like the good angel on the shoulder, but not really. The law of liberty, that which is found in Christ, follows us everywhere, whether we want it or not. James thinks that we want it.
The Law states:
“ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
“ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.
“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
God tells Moses, that as the covenant people, they were not to slander any other Israelite, they were not to judge a fellow Israelite, or speak against him, and they were not to bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite. Instead, they were to love their neighbor as their self.
Jesus repeats this command to the Israelites:
honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
We already saw how Jesus told his disciples that they were love one another, and this would be how people would know that they were followers of Christ.
Paul lists slander as part of the sins of those with a depraved mind
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
28
Ouch! Not only do they do these things, but they approve of anyone who practices them.
Peter says:
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
We are not to commit slander. The OT Law tells us this, and the law of the kingdom, the perfect law of liberty in Christ, tells us this.
So, when we slander, when we speak against, when we judge, we are telling the law: “I’m going to choose which parts of you I will follow. That part applies to me, but this part doesn’t.” Who are we to say which of God’s standards we should obey and which ones we shouldn’t?
Are we saying the Bible is wrong? Are we saying that the Bible does not apply to me? Earlier, in Chapter 1, James told us: if the Bible says something, do it! “However high and orthodox our view of God’s law might be, a failure to actually do it says to the world that we do not in fact put much store by it.”
When we slander, we judge the Law.
The second thing we do is make ourselves God. You see, when we slander, we set ourselves up in judgment against a believer. Many times, in speaking against someone, we are really saying “God cannot use this person.” “I cannot be united with this person.” “I don’t believe this person is really saved.” “I understand the Bible better than he does.” “I understand his actions better than he does.” We are judging him.
But, remember that fourth person who is with us in the situation: God, the lawgiver and judge. He is the only one who can truly judge a believer, and he will judge them, based upon his own righteous standard, not ours.
For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Heb 10
In the moment of slander, when we are judging our fellow believer, we are setting ourselves up as God, paralleling the Fall in . “We can be God! And we can do as God does!”
In the moment of slander, when we are judging our fellow believer, we are setting ourselves up as God, paralleling the Fall in . “We can be God!”
Oh, the pride!
The one who judges a fellow Christian can hardly be said to have humbled himself or drawn near to God, as James just told us last week to do:
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
We are filled with pride and we are being a friend of the world, incompatible with God’s jealous desire to have his people’s wholehearted allegiance.
2B. How not to slander
2B. How not to slander
We are judging the law by saying which ones should be obeyed and which ones shouldn’t be obeyed.
Neighbor-love is the command that is broken when we judge one another. ;
When we slander, we set ourselves up in judgment against a believer
The one who judges another member of the community can hardly be said to have humbled himself or drawn near to God, the one who is able to save.
Are you saying the Bible is wrong? Are you saying that the Bible does not apply to yourself? Again James reference: if the Bible says something, do it! “However high and orthodox our view of God’s law might be, a failure to actually do it says to the world that we do not in fact put much store by it.”
slander is many times a form of pride. No duh!
slander is many times a form of pride. No duh!
We are setting ourselves up as God, paralleling the first Fall
We are being a friend of the world, and are incompatible with God’s jealous desire to have his people’s wholehearted allegiance.
So, how do we not slander? What do we do in our “situation?”
slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
First, I have to note the following. James does not remove our duty of discernment. We have a duty as brothers and sisters in Christ to discern truth. When a brother or sister in Christ is speaking falsehood we are to call them out. When a brother or sister in Christ is sinning, we are to call them out. When a brother or sister in Christ is teaching false doctrines, we are to call them out. Not judging does not mean not discerning.
That being said, the method of approaching all of the previous situations is the same as the “situation” where our fellow Christian did something that we didn’t like, said something we didn’t like, etc.
Rom
First, we should not think bad about them, speak bad about them, or treat them bad. We are not to slander them in mind, mouth, or actions.
Yeah, easier said than done. Which is why we should do point two as soon as possible:
Second, we are to seek reconciliation.
This means that we are to approach the offender and talk with them.
“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
If a brother or sister in Christ is sinning, speaking falsehood, teaching false doctrine, we are to rebuke them, with the purpose of restoration, a rebuilt relationship.
If they just did something that we didn’t like or that we misunderstood, we are supposed to go and talk with them, just between the two of us and try to win them over. Jesus told us that in .
Through this process we are to get to know them, not speak against them, not judge them, but get to know them and seek mutual understanding, always speaking truth but in love.
Do not talk bad about them
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
How do we not judge?
Do not talk bad about them
That is important. This confrontation should be done with enough love. Basically, we should ask ourselves: “How would I want to be treated if the situation were flipped.” Notice that through the passage in , when God tells Moses about the evils of slander and how they are to confront a fellow Israelite, He says:
Seek reconciliation
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
The Golden Rule was given in the midst of reconciliation and restoration issues. So, will we follow it? If we don’t, we are picking what part of God’s standard we will follow and we are playing God.
Get to know them
During all hard situations, our faith demands that we mature. We should not act like little baby Christians, throwing a tantrum whenever we want. As mature Christians, we are to love our fellow Christians: to remember that us and them are not the only actors present, but the Law and our God are also there. We are to follow the law (to not slander, speak against, or judge) and allow God to do what he does best.
Hope because God will judge! Pity because God will judge....
Famous Christians?
Famous Christians?
Situation analysis
Hope because God will judge! Pity because God will judge....