Degrading Others vs. Doers of the Word

James 4:11–12 NKJV

Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

In 2002, Ken Sande, President of Peacemakers Ministry, wrote an article entitled “Judging Others.” In it he opened with the following story:

“I knew he was too proud to take criticism,” thought Anne, “and now I have proof!” On the previous Sunday, Anne had dropped a response card in the offering box asking her pastor to stop in and pray with her when she went to the hospital for some minor surgery. When he failed to come by, she called the church receptionist and learned that her pastor had already been to the hospital that day to see another church member. “So he has no excuse!” she thought. “He was in the building and knew I needed his support, but still he ignored me. He’s resented me ever since I told him his sermons lack practical application. Now he’s getting back at me by ignoring my spiritual needs. And he calls himself a shepherd!” After brooding over his rejection for three days, Anne sat down Saturday evening and wrote a letter confronting her pastor about his pride, defensiveness and hypocrisy. As she sealed the envelope, she could not help thinking about the conviction he would feel when he opened his mail. The moment she walked into church the next morning, one of the deacons hurried over to her. “Anne, I need to apologize to you. When I took the cards out of the offering box last week, I accidentally left your response card with some pledge cards. I didn’t notice my mistake until last night when I was totaling the pledges. I am so sorry I didn’t get your request to the pastor!” Before Anne could reply to the deacon, her pastor approached her with a warm smile. “Anne, I was thinking about your comment about practical application as I finished my sermon yesterday. I hope you notice the difference in today’s message.” Anne was speechless. All she could think about was the letter she had just dropped in a mailbox three blocks from church.

“If, then” statements:

James 1:26 NKJV

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

James 2:8 NKJV

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

These two verses are a pretense to what James teaches us this morning. If these factors are truly prevalent in your life. If they are truly rooted in that deep iceberg of soul state we discussed last week. You will understand that “speaking evil of others” is not fitting of a Christian and especially not fitting of speaking of fellow believers in Christ.

The point I am making is that the statements you make toward another in mixed company could be totally true, yet if they defame or make the person look lesser in another’s eye is a sin before God and we are going to discuss that matter this morning.

I have committed that sin. I am so sorry. There are times that I struggle with a judgmental spirit. I have had a tremendous judgmental spirit toward our government leaders of late and for that I am sorry. There have been times I have been judgmental of church leaders that I thought were not towing the line and I’m sorry. I have had judgmental times when family members have frustrated me or coworkers and I have voiced it in my frustration. God forgive me. It’s a sin.

Listen to me dear brother and sister. I am not saying that we do not have a discerning spirit and hold other brothers and sisters in Christ accountable. The sin comes about in how we go about it.

The Bible speaks very candidly about destroying the reputation of others. What is important to learn this morning is that we are not the judge. We can exhort what the Word says to allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction when someone is “missing the mark.” We can address over matters with our brothers and sisters in private over matters.

Listen dearly beloved, the equal sin today is the church doesn’t hold people accountable today. The church does not exercise church discipline as it should. If we understand that the church is “family”, if you see your “family”, specifically your children take actions that go unaddressed is that showing “love” to your children? Absolutely not, no less than it is if you do not show love to your church family by each of us keeping the other in check.

The matter I am speaking about is another sermon for another day.

Th entire Chapter 18 of Matthew is a great afternoon study as to how to loving approach with loving concern and will privacy, grace, to address a faltering brother or sister in Christ. Matthew 18 is what we are SUPPOSED TO DO. The problem many of us struggle with in our lack of patience or PRIDE is to be judgmental toward others.

We are not to make others look bad in mixed company.

Do not Defame Others v. 11a

“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren.”

John McArthur writes in his Commentary that:

When medieval monks complied a list of the seven deadly sins, they included pride, covetousness, lust, envy, gluttony, anger and laziness. Conspicuously absent form the list was the slandering or “speaking evil” of others.

Honestly speaking, I think it is because it is something we all struggle with. Now I think it important I clarify the sin I believe most of us struggle with.

Definition of slander (Entry 2 of 2)

1: the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's reputation 2: a false and defamatory oral statement about a person Miriam Webster Dictionary

"Slander" - "The utterance of defamatory statements injurious to the reputation or well-being of a person. ... A malicious statement or report." American Heritage Dictionary

Libel

: a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression

Slander/Evil

Katalaleo-speak evil, defame, speak against, harm somebody, insult, put to shame. It means to make someone look bad in front of another.

In verse 11, James uses the word “brethren” or “brother” 3 times. He is speaking to the family of God. He is counseling a group of people that are members of the church, part of the church family. Listen dearly beloved, we have enough people today talking against the church, we can’t afford to be talking about each other.