Be Careful How You Speak

Be Careful How You Speak

Sermon by Ken Baratta

Based on James 4:11-12

INTRODUCTION

James has been a very interesting and challenging study. Over the past few weeks in James 4, we have looked at the issue of Battles In The Church.

THE CAUSE OF THE BATTLE (v. 1)

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

A short list of ACTIONS IN THE BATTLE (v. 2-6a)

You desire and do not have… so you murder.

You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

THE VICTORY OVER THE BATTLE (v. 6b-12)

Submit (to God), Resist (the devil), Draw Near (to God)

It does not begin and end with mere submission, but includes an active role in resisting what the devil is using to try and bait you away from God. The way we can better see that is when we are drawing nearer and nearer to our heavenly Father.

Read Hymn #638

Not, as we move on into James 4:11-12, we return to the issue of battles and the biggest reason for conflict in our churches: the tongue (cf. James 3). In these verses, James is reiterating the need to Be Careful How You Speak.

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.

Why not? Is he saying that we should not be pointing out our brother’s fault? Is he simply talking about gossip?

The Greek word that is translated speak evil or speaks against is καταλαλέω. It appears 5 times in the New Testament, with 3 occurrences taking place in these two verses. The word is a compound word that indicates the speech is not just casually speaking, but forceful speaking. There is weight in the words.

While the translation of speak evil or speaks against is not a terrible translation, it does not seem to carry the weight of the word slander, which is what the word καταλαλέω conveys.

Thus, another way this could have been translated is: do not slander one another.

Slader: the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.

Noah Webster on Slander (1828): a false tale or report maliciously uttered, and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing him to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of living.

Therefore, this is not merely speaking bad about someone else. This is speaking with destructive intent.

MacArthur

Slander strikes at people’s dignity, defames their character, and destroys their reputation—their most priceless worldly asset

Unfortunately, slander is so commonplace in our society that we do not blink when it happens. Turn on CNN or FOX News and you will hear the latest slander on our sitting President.

Depending on who it is, they are either a egotistical, maniacal misogynist or a dementia ridden old man who is out of touch with reality.

While this kind of speech directed at the highest position in the land is disgusting, what is even worse is that it does not stay outside the fellowship of believers.

We are willing to slander the President with the best of them, and will even sharpen our skills on one another. Don’t believe me?

Consider your thoughts or words before a committee meeting or business meeting. Consider your thoughts or words before addressing something that you don’t like. Consider your thoughts or words when you feel wronged and alone on a matter.

James is addressing an issue that resides in the passions at war within you. Remember last week how we identified “pride” and “sin” as big “I” problems. It is all about us.

So when someone comes along and interrupts our sense of balance and contentment, we are ready to send them off into next week.

Most of the time, we tell them off in our minds. But sometimes, we let it slip.

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 18:19

A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

It is unfortunate that fights take place in the Body. But for those who have been there understand the depth of Proverbs 18:19.

The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law.

What is the law?

Sure, it is the entirety of the book of Leviticus and portrayed in the Old Testament. But even more succinctly, our Savior has laid it down like this:

Matthew 22:37-40

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

So, basically, love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. In a word, love.

Is it loving to slander your brother?

Certainly not.

How are you speaking against the law?

When you are slandering your brother or sister, you are not acting lovingly toward them. You are tearing them down, not building them up.

The proper application of Ephesians 4:29 is not just in the context of a one-to-one conversation. We ought to be building our brothers and sisters up in Christ and before others.

When you slander someone in a conversation with another person, you are causing their stock to drop in the eyes of that individual...or, if the person is thinking rightly about the conversation, you are causing your stock to drop.

Remember, a person’s reputation is their most priceless worldly asset. Proverbs 22:1

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

Remember what James says in 1:22, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James insists listening to God’s word must lead to “doing” it. The imperative in this verse is “be continually,” or “keep on striving to be,” doers of the word.

The person who has become a judge of the law is no longer concerned with whether or not they are actually doing it! They have become like the Pharisees whose pride is rooted in comparing themselves to others.

There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy.

The lawgiver, God, is the one who perfectly interprets the law and is best able to judge it. He is the sovereign ruler and judge of the universe. We do not need to be concerned about corruption in His court, because He is a good judge.

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

But who are you to judge your neighbor?

If there is only one lawgiver, and you’re not it, why do you think you can judge your neighbor?

Why do you allow the passions that are at war within you to encourage you to pass judgment on your neighbor, you adulterous people?

CONCLUSION

1 Peter 3:9

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.