Sour Speech
Notes
Transcript
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Before we begin, let’s review what James has taught and look at this command within the context:
Placement Within Instructions
Placement Within Instructions
In James 3:13 to 4:10, James makes the case that pride, envy, and selfishness comes not from above, but from the world (below). In order to experience true peace, we need to resits the world, the flesh, and the devil and submit to God. Those principles are then put into practice in practical ways. The first way was in chapter 4 where James asked them where all the fighting was coming from. As you will recall, it comes from within - our heart. He then taught in verses 7-10 how to combat that tendency-
Submit to God
Resist the Devil
Draw near to God
Confess Sin to God
Practice Humility
James: Verse by Verse The Sin of Backbiting and Judging (4:11–12)
James now returns to the sins of the tongue, applying this material to the problems that are in danger of destroying the community. He once more addresses them as “brothers and sisters” to show he regards them as family members under God (in contrast to 4:4, 8).
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Command to Stop Sour Speech
Command to Stop Sour Speech
Speak not evil —
The phrase here means - Do not talk down about one another, brothers...
The word conveys the thought of speaking down - we sometimes talk of cutting someone down with your words - that is the idea here
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
It is interesting that the persecution that these believers experienced from outside is similar in character to what they are inflicting upon each other:
D. Edmond Hiebert listed 4 possible ways that this might be done:
False accusations and lies
Exaggerations of real faults
Needless repetition of real faults
Slander - destroying someone’s reputation/testimony through false or even true statements
Maybe you are thinking here that you don’t engage in this behavior. Please remember tthat words like this do not need to be heard by the other person.
What about when you are driving?
What about when you are talking with someone else?
What about when you are correcting your children?
But what about Paul’s command in Galatians?
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
James does not mean that we should not correct others or confront and encourage one another to obeying God’s commands, but rather that we need to take heed that we are not cutting one another down while doing it or
James: Verse by Verse The Sin of Backbiting and Judging (4:11–12)
Judging, on the one hand, involves looking down on people and enjoying telling them their faults. There is an absence of love or compassion. Admonishing, on the other hand, involves standing alongside others in love and trying to restore them to the Lord
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
James then goes on to explain why we should obey this command
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Reason to Avoid Sour Speech
Reason to Avoid Sour Speech
When you slander a fellow believer, you are turning against God’s law and judging it!
High Definition Commentary: James James 4:1–12
When we speak badly of other believers, James tells us that we are actually doing far more: We are maligning God’s law and the giver of that law too! Speaking to others in this way is equivalent to judging them, and judgment is reserved for God alone
James is probably not speaking of the Mosaic law here, but the law that he had previously spoken about - the ultimate law:
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Does my speech reflect love for my neighbor?
Does my correction to others reflect God’s grace and love?
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Reality of Using Sour Speech
Reality of Using Sour Speech
The danger of slandering the law is that I ultimately am slandering God Himself.
When you slander another believer, you are not just cutting them down, you are usurping the role of the ultimate Judge - God Himself.
And James finishes this up with saying in so many words:
who do you think you are?
Again, this does not mean that we are not to encourage and exhort one another to good works and to correct sinfulness,
but that we need to recognize that God is working on other people and I need to give them grace - because ultimately, God is the judge and I am not God’s equal!
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
James: Verse by Verse The Sin of Backbiting and Judging (4:11–12)
When they slander each other, they are not just sinning against one another but against God and his law. They are setting themselves in God’s place as Judge and replacing him as the “judge” of the law. Only he can be the true Judge of the law, and he is the Judge of us as well. So when they turn against God’s demands by sitting in judgment of each other, they are bringing the true Judge down on their heads in judgment against them.
And how does God respond to those who are repentant?
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.