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LOVING THE LAW AND OUR BRETHREN

James 4:11-12

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Quote:  “I cannot believe you asked the congregation to do that.  You were trying to get us to give to you.  I would not treat my dog the way you treated us.”

1.      This was a quote from a man in a men’s business meeting

2.      Two weeks prior, I preached a sermon entitled:  “Things to Consider before Giving.” 

3.      The church normally took up the contribution before the sermon.  That day, I asked the men if they would take up the contribution after the sermon.  The men agreed to do this.

4.      This caused the man to bring this up in a business meeting. 

5.      In this meeting he impugned my motives and spoke evil against me before the men.

 

B.      I am not the first person to be evil spoken of.  The first person ever spoken against was God.

1.      Satan tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.

2.      When Eve told Satan of God’s commandment and the consequence of death if it were violated, Satan spoke against God (Gen. 3:4-5).

 

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

 

a.      First, he said God lied.

b.      Second, he wanted the woman to believe that God was holding back something special from them.

3.      Satan was slandering the Creator.

 

C.     Evil speaking has been a problem since the dawn of time.

1.      It continues today.

2.      Christians sometimes get caught up in this sinful behavior.

3.      It was a problem in the first century, too.  James addresses the issue in James 4:11-12.

 

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?

 

D.    Let’s look at this text in more detail.  The title of our lesson is:  “Loving the Law and Our Brethren.”

 

I.                   THE PROHIBITION (James 4:11a)

 

A.    James begins this discussion with a very powerful prohibition (James 4:11a).

 

Speak not evil one of another…

 

1.      The words “speak not evil” are one word in the Greek language.

2.      They mean:

a.      Do not be a slanderer.

b.      Do not be a traducer.

c.       Do not be a backbiter.

3.      The call James makes is:  “Quit doing it!”

 

B.      We may not think this prohibition is needed in our lives, but if we will slow down and contemplate our behaviors, we will find that we speak evil of others more than we think we do.

 

C.     Examples:

1.      Against leaders of the church

2.      Against people who have personalities that are different than ours

3.      Against those who have body types that are different than ours

4.      Against our neighbors

5.      Against the children of other people

6.      Against parents of children

7.      Against different races

8.      Against different classes of people

9.      Against people who hold different opinions than ours

10.  Against those who are “movers and shakers”

 

D.    Others:  cashier, waitress, postman, weatherman, police, customer service representative, the President, our doctor, and sometimes our closest friend.

 

E.      Have you ever made statements like these?

1.      The elders just do not know what they are doing.

2.      Why would the preacher preach that lesson?

3.      Who does sister “so-and-so” think she is?

4.      Did you see how those children were behaving?

5.      Brother “so-and-so” thinks he knows it all.

6.      All that couple wants is a handout.

7.      Why does that good sister dress in all those colorful outfits?

8.      They think they run the church because they have a lot of money.

 

F.      We make statements about others to others and do not realize we are doing it because it is so common.  Even if we know it, we do not see our words as evil speaking.

1.      We are just being brutally honest.

2.      Because we are “honest,” we fail to see the evil in our words about others.

3.      NOTE:  What makes them evil involves another component we will address in another section of our lesson.

 

G.     James is not the first person who taught about evil speaking.

1.      Moses to Israel (Lev. 19:16)

 

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people…

 

2.      David speaks of the fruits of the wicked in Psalm 50:20.

 

Thou sittest and speakest evil against thy brother…

 

3.      Peter’s exhortation (I Pet. 2:1)

 

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speaking.

 

 

II.                THE PROBLEMS (James 4:11b)

 

A.    In this portion of James’ writing, he sets forth four problems that are involved with speaking evil of one’s brother (James 4:11b).

 

…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.

 

B.      The four problems discussed:

1.      #1:  He judges his brother.

 

…and judgeth his brother…

 

a.      In order to speak evil of another, one must first judge the individual.

b.      At the outset of this discussion, let’s agree that not all judging is wrong (John 7:24).

 

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

1)      The key word is “righteous.”

2)      Our judgments are not always righteous.

a)      They are made without all the facts.

b)      They involve our personal preferences and opinions.

c)      They are based upon hidden agendas in our hearts.

c.       When we speak evil of another, we assume the position of a judge against our brother.

1)      This is not our position.

2)      God did not put us on earth to condemn all those who do not conform to our views, opinions, and practices.

d.      Example:  Satan judged according to the appearance in regard to the noble patriarch Job.

1)      God pointed Satan toward Job (Job 1:8).

 

Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in all the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

 

2)      It was at this time that Satan judged Job (Job 1:9-11).

 

Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for naught?  Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?  Thou hast blessed the works of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

 

a)      It was true Job was blessed.

b)      It was not true that Job served God for His blessings.

c)      Job would serve God for naught.

d)     Satan slandered this righteous man. 

e)      Thus, God allowed Job to be tested.

2.      #2:  He speaks evil against the law.

 

…speaketh evil of the law…

 

a.      This is not outward in nature, but inward.

b.      The individual says:  “God should have addressed this matter in His law and did not.”

1)      In essence, he is saying the law is not complete.

2)      The law should have included this individual’s beliefs in order to make the words of his evil speaking justified.

c.       Example:  Meats offered to idols sold in the market place

1)      Meats were offered in heathen worship, and afterward they were sold in the marketplace.

2)      Question:  Should they be eaten?

3)      Two New Testament books address this situation:  Romans and I Corinthians.

4)      Two sides developed:

a)      These meats were defiled and should not be eaten.

b)      Idols were nothing and there was no harm in eating the meats in a common meal.

5)      Paul noted that this was a matter of option in I Corinthians 8:8.

 

But meat commendeth us not to God:  for neither, if we eat, are we the better, neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

 

6)      Both sides spoke evil one of another.

a)      One side said the other was in sin for eating.

b)      The other side said their brethren were ignorant and tried to coerce them into eating the meats.

7)      Paul addressed both groups.

a)      Those who would eat the meats (I Cor. 8:1).

 

Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth…

 

b)      Those who would not eat meats (I Cor. 8:4).

 

We know that an idol is nothing in the world.

 

8)      Their evil speaking involved speaking evil against the law.

a)      Eating of meats is sinful.  Yet, God did not say that.

b)      We should not have to be quiet about the individuals who forbid us to eat meats.

9)      NOTE:  God knows better than we do about such matters (Isa. 55:8-9).

 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

3.      #3:  He judges the law.

 

…and judgeth the law…

 

a.      Here is a person who has the gall to call divine law into question.

b.      There are two ways he judges the law.

1)      The divine law is incomplete.  It should include what he desires to be in it.

2)      He does not believe his evil speaking should be condemned.  If the law would include the things he deems necessary, he would not be involved in evil speaking.

c.       This individual needs to immerse himself in a study of God’s Word, especially texts like Psalm 19:7-9.

 

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:  the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.  The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:  the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.  The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:  the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

 

d.      Example:  During the wilderness wanderings, the children of Israel often lifted themselves up against Moses and Aaron.

1)      Eight specific times the Biblical texts tell us that the Israelites “murmured against” the authority of Moses and Aaron.

2)      In Numbers 12, two individuals spoke against Moses (Num. 12:1-2).

 

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married:  for he had married an Ethiopian woman.  And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses?  hath he not spoken also by us?...

 

a)      These two became judges.

-          They judged his wife.

-          They judged his marriage.

-          They judged his position in Israel.

b)      The Lord immediately intervened.

-          God spoke to them.

-          God called them out.

-          God rebuked them.

-          God’s anger was kindled against them.

-          Miriam’s flesh became leperous.

c)      Their judgments were evil and God showed how evil they were.

d)     Question:  What if God confronted us each time we spoke evil of others?

4.      #4:  We cease to be doers of the law and become judges.

 

…but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

 

a.      God did not put us here to be judges of others.

b.      He put us here to be doers of His will (James 1:22-25).

 

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 

III.             THE POSITION (James 4:12a)

 

A.    James now reveals to his readers who occupies the position of judge (James 4:12a).

 

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy…

 

1.      He does not specifically name God.

2.      He merely refers to the “one lawgiver.”

a.      He originated it and delivered it to others.

b.      He has the perfect understanding of all that is contained therein.

c.       Only he can correctly apply it to each and every person and situation.

3.      Thus, He can judge the world.  He has the ability to save and to destroy.

a.      God approves.

b.      God condemns.

c.       No man has that ability.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    James concludes these two verses with a question that seems to proceed from the lips of God (James 4:12b).

 

Who art thou that judgest another?

 

1.      The question reframed:  “Just who are you?”

a.      What qualifications do you have to judge others?  Eternal?  All-wise?  Holy?  Can you read the hearts of others?  Did you originate the law?

b.      We answer these questions with a “No,” but still feel we have the right to judge others.

c.       The Jews of Jesus’ day were not that bold (John 8:7, 9).

 

…He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her…And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last:  and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

 

B.      The psalmist set forth a desire that all of us should have today (Ps. 140:11).

 

Let not the evil speaker be established in the earth…

 

1.      The earth has one evil speaker, Satan.

2.      It does not need a bunch of little evil speakers pronouncing judgment on others.

 

C.     Evil speaking involves backbiting and slander.  Evil speaking will condemn us in the last day (Rom. 1:29-32).

 

D.    Instead of judging others, we need to do as Paul instructs in II Corinthians 13:5.

 

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves.  Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates.