What's A Little Slander Among Friends?

Howdy and welcome to the Oklahoma Panhandle. It's been a day or two since I last posted. We are back in James, this time Chapter 4 vs. 11-17. Brothers, do not slander one another. (James 4:11). Slander - “Don't talk bad about people, don't tell lies about people. Especially other Christians.” Aren't we all guilty of doing this, is that an excuse to keep doing so? No, no it's not! We as Christians are to strive harder to be better, more Christ-like. Lord, knows I know it's not easy, I am known for having a sharp tongue so I have to work hard at this. So now my confession time is over lets see what James has to say.

James has warned us concerning the following sins: discrimination (2:1–11), cursing others with our tongues (3:9), envy and self-seeking (3:18), pride which leads to wars and fightings and conflicts of every kind (4:1–2). Now James again returns to the subject of the abuse of speech.

James gives specific instruction warning you and me and all Christians against the sin of speaking evil against others or judging them. In this passage the interest of the brother and the interest of the law seem to be identified. To speak evil against one's brother or to judge him is to speak evil against the law and to become a judge of the law. Yet we see in verse 12 that superiority to the law belongs only to God. He is the one lawgiver and judge, and in His hands are the issues of life and death.

James also reminds us in verses 13-17 that it is easy even for Christians to make plans and goals, expecting God to fall in line with us. It is easy to plan our lives as if we controlled the future and had unlimited authority over all factors affecting our life. Worldly living doesn’t always show itself in hatred towards God. Sometimes it appears in the form of disregarding God as we plan life’s daily activities.

At the start of the McCarthy era, Floridian Claude Pepper, one of the Senate's most outspoken liberals, was on the conservatives' "hit list" along with many other senators. George Smathers lashed out with some typical right-wing invective -- he called his opponent "the Red Pepper" -- and he launched a campaign to expose Pepper's secret "vices." Smathers disclosed that Pepper was "a known extravert," his sister was a "thespian," and his brother a "practicing homo sapien." Also, when Pepper went to college, he actually "matriculated." Worst of all, he "practiced celibacy" before marriage. Naturally, rural voters were horrified, and Pepper lost. – Book of Lists No. 2, pp. 36-37.

While this story may seem funny, slander is not and James addresses it here in verse 11.

James 4:11

11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

1. Self-Centered Living Produces Slander (v. 11). The term “speak evil,” or katalaléo (kat-al-al-eh'-o), can be translated as “malign” or “disparage.” The evil here referred to is that of talking against others-against their actions, their motives, their manner of living, their families, etc. This is in contrast to Paul’s encouragement to speak “the truth in love.” (Ephesians 4:15). Slander is the sinful activity of putting others down rather than the conduct of the Spirit of building others up with love.

It is not known to whom James here is particularly referring to, not that it really matters. There are few communities where such a command would not be proper at any time. And sadly more than a few churches where some might not be found to whom the exhortation would be appropriate.

Christians we are brothers and sisters in Christ and for us to malign one another is to live contradictory of the close family ties which should bind us together. Yet few things are more common in the world than a slanderous tongue; and nothing is more decidedly against the true spirit of God.

Instead of manifesting the feelings of a brother we set ourselves up as judge, and not only a judge of our brother, but a judge of the law. The law here referred to is probably the law of Christ, or the rules which all Christians should recognize and obey.

One of the most common expressions of our sinful natures is to attempt to build ourselves up by tearing someone else down. How many times have we said, “Well at least I don't look like ...” Or maybe, “I'm not as bad as ...” Comparing ourselves to others is a common practice, some of us more than others. But that is not good and doctors will tell us it isn't healthy. And as many of us have discovered, that approach simply does not work. The ones involved in such behavior find that they are simply torn down as they malign others. In this regard, John Calvin wrote, “Hypocrisy is always presumptuous and we are by nature hypocrites, fondly exalting ourselves by calumniating others.”

In the same way, the sin of judging others or criticism causes destruction rather than construction. Have you ever met Christians who have the gift of criticism? Well, the gift of criticism is not a gift of the Spirit but comes from the devil himself. Christ Jesus warns us about seeking a speck in a brother’s eye when we have a plank in our own. He states very clearly, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1–5). That is a strong warning against this subtle sin. You are to be judged in the same manner as you judge others.

A slanderous Christian must face two charges. First, when you practice slander you speak against the law. What law is that? The law that a critical Christian misrepresents is the law of love. “Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah.” (Leviticus 19:18). As a Christian you are called to love your neighbors as yourself. The slanderous Christian fails to do this.

Second, when you practice slander you judge the law. When you have a fault-finding attitude you set yourself up as a judge. God calls Christians to keep the law not to sit in judgment on it. But that is what you do slander someone. When you slander someone you are in direct opposition to God’s law of love, effectively saying that it is a bad law and not worth following.

It is very freeing to discover that God did not commission us to go and to judge others. Instead, He has sent us to go and to share the Good News: And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15). And to share love: Jesus answered, "The foremost is, "HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is this, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29–31).

While James aims his message to those who are already Christians it is still good council for those who do not know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.

James 4:12

12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?

2. There Is Only One (v. 12)

In fact, there is only one who is qualified to be a judge and lawgiver. The term “Lawgiver,” which is used some six times in the Old Testament, occurs just once in the New Testament. In each situation in which the term is used, “Lawgiver” refers to God and God alone. He is the only Lawgiver. With this in mind it is the reasoning of James that only the one who gives the law is qualified to judge the law.

Just one quick point here. If we are observant we can tell when someone’s actions and words do not match-up. If it is a Christian brother or sister we need to let them know they are messing up. I guess that old phrase is applicable here, “We are not called to judge, but we can be fruit inspectors.” But we must do so in a loving way, not a critical or judgmental way. If the person is not a Christian we can still let them know what they are doing is not right. But again in a Christ like manner, not with a judgmental attitude.

It is the sin of pride that tends to motivate us into thinking that we are capable of judging someone else. Because of this James poses the direct question, “Who are you to judge another?” God is the only Lawgiver and Judge, the only one able to both save and destroy. Only God has the competence and the right to find and punish those who break His laws. Your are called to respond in supportive love rather than biting criticism. Harder said than done is some cases I know, but how will you respond? Christ-like or world-like?

James 4:13-17

13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

3. Self-Centered Living Ignores God’s Will (vs. 13-17)

Now for an abrupt change. This set of verses seems more related to the following verse 5:1-6 than the preceding ones. This kind of quick change in subject was characteristic of this kind of teaching called paranesis. So James’s readers would not have been surprised or uneasy at the radical change between speaking evil and planning for the future.

James does not object to our planning for the future. James doesn’t even object to our desire to make money. James is reminding us who really hold the future, and that we should consider God in the plans we make. And so James gives us very practical advice regarding how to plan for the future.

James considers three specific sins which would prevent you from planning for the future according to God’s will.

1. The sin of presumption (vs. 13–15). The merchant here presumes that his plans are his to make, and that God has nothing to say about it. Wrong! We tend to forget that we are mere human beings who are finite. We do not know what tomorrow will bring. Only God has that ability. He alone is infinite and all-knowing.

James tells us we should also not be presumptuous about life itself. Life is like a vapor or mist which appears for awhile and then vanishes away (v. 14). As much as you might like to think so, your life is not in your hands. It is in God’s hands. Remember the parable of a rich man who was so wealthy that his barns were filled to overflowing. He said to himself, “I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.” But the Lord said, “You fool! This night your soul will be required of you” (Luke 12:15–21). It is presumptuous to think that you can live and plan without God. Life itself is a gift from God which comes to you by His love and mercy.

2. The sin of boasting (v. 16). The word for boasting finds its roots in the characteristic of a wandering quack which was not unlike the medicine man of the frontier days in America. The quack offered cures which were not cures; he boasted of things which he was unable to do. That provides a graphic description for the sin of boasting.

This sin is based upon the invalid assumption that you are able to control your own destiny; that you have the power to determine the course of your own life. The word “boasting” appears only two times in the New Testament—in this James passage and in 1 John 2:16 where it is translated “pride of life.” James says that this boasting is evil. It is the same word that James used in warn us about becoming “judges with evil thoughts” (2:4).

3. The sin of omission (v. 17). Finally, James warns against the sin of omission when he writes, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (v. 17). Without a doubt, this is a most difficult form of sin with which to deal. Sin is missing the mark by not only doing wrong, but by failing to do what is right.

Again, James is urging you to be “doers.” To know what is right and then not to do it is a form of disobedience. The Lord gave you a commandment, now you either ignore it or simply fail to do it. Of course there is one more choice, you can obey and be in God’s will for your life. In doing this you will reap the many blessings God has in store for you.

Doing God’s will is not always easy. It demands humility, repentance, discipline, and unflinching commitment. Not everyone wants to give that kind of response to God. And while you may not see it right away, doing God’s will always brings good. It may or may not be good in the sense that you are thinking, but do not be mistaken if you are in the God’s will you will be blessed.

For those who want to quit in the face of a hard task or even refuse to listen when God calls, affliction will come to you. Again it maybe not right away or maybe not even in this life, but it will come. Because someday every knee will bow and tongue will confess that Christ Jesus is Lord. Someday everyone will stand and be judged by the Holy and Righteous Judge – God Himself. On that day how will you plea? How will you be judged by your Creator God?