critical speech

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against 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 only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

James 4:11-12

James keeps preaching this theme of control of the tongue in his book. Speaking poorly about other Christians has roots in the heart such as arrogantly boasting (James 3:5), jealousy (James 3:14-16), selfish desires (James 4:1-3), and a fatal deep flaw of pride (James 4:6). This slanderous activity can only stop when believers will repent of the sinful roots that grow the fruit of slander and gossip. And man, is the need so apparent on social media!

Furthermore, bad mouthing our brother is always a sin that speaks against God’s commands. We forget all about that when we turn the words loose! James reminds us that this behavior is “judging the law”. The Old Testament called the Jews to a high standard of loving communication and to turn from any kind of slander (Leviticus 19:16), instead the standard is “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). James has already lifted up loving neighbors as “the royal law of love” (James 2:8).

Jesus too calls us to such neighbor love that rejects bad-mouthing (Matthew 22:39) and commands His disciples to love one another (John 13:34-25; 15:12, 17). Those who sinfully judge other people are warned elsewhere in the New Testament that such behavior sins against God and is contemptuous of His Word (Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 2:1; 1 Corinthians 4:5).

An early Sunday School reminder should be brought back, especially for me today:

 “O be careful little lips what you say,

O be careful little lips what you say,

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love,

So be careful little lips what you say”