James: A Letter from Jesus’ Brother
Don’t Speak Evil Against Others – James 4:1-11-12
I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but sometimes I can’t help but hear other people’s conversations on their phones, or at Starbucks, or in an airplane. So how many of you have overheard conversations where one person is speaking negatively about others? It seems to me that lots and lots of the conversations I hear are negative talk about other people – about kids, spouses, managers, parents.
But this is not just something we hear from other people. This is something we hear from our own mouths. I’d guess that this last week every one of us here has spoken negatively about someone else. But deep down inside – we all feel like there’s something wrong with that.
Can you imagine Jesus and John talking negatively about Peter. Maybe John starts off with: “That Peter! He is so impulsive -- so brash. Remember, Jesus, when you were talking about going to the cross and he took you aside and scolded you?” Now -- can you imagine Jesus answering back -- “Really! And he was so sure that he would stay with me to the end -- and then he went and denied me three times in the courtyard? Unbelievable!” Can you imagine Jesus talking like that?
No, we can’t. Jesus would never talk like that. And yet too often we do talk like that. And that’s what James is talking about in our next passage in his letter.
Let’s turn to James 4. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we’ll bring one to you. James 4 is on page 1012 in the Bibles we are passing out. Look at what James says in James 4:11-12 --
11 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.
12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
So what is James telling us not to do? In v.11 he uses two different phrases to describe what we should not do. First, he tells us not to speak evil against others. This Greek word has to do with speaking negatively about someone; about talking about a person’s shortcomings.
Then second, he tells us not to judge others. We can think this means that we are not supposed to make moral evaluations. But all through the Bible it’s clear that we’re supposed to make moral evaluations. If someone tells you they are planning on murdering someone, you’re not supposed to say “whatever.”
So the command against judging is not against making moral evaluations, it’s against making personal devaluations. It’s right to see what someone is doing and according to God’s Word, and maybe with tears, say – “that’s not right.” But that’s not judging. Judging is when we say – “that’s not right, and because of what they are doing they are a jerk.” That’s judging.
So we are not to speak evil against others, and we are not to judge others. Which boils down to this: generally speaking, we are not to speak negatively about others.
The reasons I say “generally speaking,” is because there are three situations in which other passages of Scripture teach that it’s right to speak negatively of others. Let’s go over them.
First, we can speak negatively about someone if it’s to them, privately, lovingly, humbly, in order to help them. You can see that in Mat 18:15 (p.823) –
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
Notice: it’s “between you and him alone.” So if you see some fault in your husband or wife or friend – out of love Jesus would call you to go to this person and privately, lovingly, humbly, ask them about it in order to help them. That’s one case in which we can speak of someone’s shortcomings – to them, in order to help them.
Second, we can speak negatively about someone to others, if it’s done carefully, lovingly, humbly, so they can help you help the person with the shortcoming. You can see that in Mat 18:16-17 --
16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
This needs to be done carefully – speaking the bare minimum of details to protect the person with the shortcomings as much as possible. So if you are sharing a prayer request about your boss, don’t let that become an time of venting about all his junk. And this needs to be done lovingly, motivated by a desire to help the person with the shortcomings and to protect his or her reputation as much as possible. And this needs to be done humbly, understanding that you are a sinner, too, with your own blind spots, who also is desperately in need of God’s mercy in Jesus.
So that’s another case in which we can speak of someone’s shortcomings – to others, carefully, lovingly, humbly, so they can help you help the person with the shortcomings.
Third, you can speak negatively about someone if it’s necessary to warn others about the person with the shortcoming. You can see Jesus doing this in Mat 16:6 (p.822) –
Jesus said to them, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
And to see what this leaven is that Jesus is warning them about – look at v.12 –
Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
So Jesus is warning his followers about the shortcomings of the Pharisees. Paul warns people about false teachers. Peter warns people about immoral men. So there’s times where, out of love, we will need to warn others about a person with a shortcoming. In cases like this we need to guard our hearts to make sure our motive really is to warn people. And in these cases we should seek to be respectful and loving and humble – because we are sinners, too.
So here’s three times when it’s right to speak of another person’s shortcomings –
To them, privately, lovingly, humbly, in order to help them.
To others, if it’s done carefully, lovingly, humbly, so they can help you help the person with the shortcoming.
To others if it’s necessary to warn them of the person with the shortcoming.
But these are the only times that we should speak about someone’s shortcomings; these are the only times we should speak negatively about other people.
Now if we’re honest, we’ll admit that it’s really easy for us to speak negatively about other people. For example, if your son leaves his room a mess, and you go to him angrily, telling him how wrong he was to leave his room a mess, and throwing in how he’s lazy and worthless – you are speaking evil against him, and James would say that’s wrong.
Or if someone in your home group is constantly late, and you are complaining to someone else in the group about how this person is always late, which reminds you that this person sometimes says hurtful things, so you throw that in as well – you are speaking evil against him, and James would say that’s wrong.
If you talk to someone about your wife or husband, about how insensitive they are or how they spend too much money or about whatever – you are speaking evil against them, and James would say that’s wrong.
So can you feel how often we do what James says is wrong? So why is speaking evil against others so serious? He gives two reasons.
The first is that when we speak evil of others, we speak evil of God’s Law. Look at v.11 –
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.
When we speak evil of others, we speak evil of the Law.
Now why is that? It’s because God’s Law, God’s Word, commands us not to speak evil of others.
For example, look at Leviticus 19:16 (p.98) –
You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.
The word “slander” is not just speaking false accusations about someone; it includes speaking true criticism of someone. So we must not slander, must not speak evil, of each other.
You can see another example in Proverbs 17:9 (p.540) –
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
So if a brother has offended me in some way, the path of love would mean that I would cover that offense; I would not tell others about it unless absolutely necessary. Because if I tell others about it then I can harm that person’s relationships with others; I can tear apart the body of Christ.
And Jesus explained God’s Law to us – and look at what He says in Matthew 5:21-22 (p.810) –
21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.
So God’s Law, God’s Word, tells us to not speak evil against others.
So here’s God’s Word. This book is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. This book is the very words of God. So when I speak evil against others, I’m shouting out to everyone around me: this is false; it’s not true; don’t believe it.
But if that’s what I’m saying, then, as James says, I’m not a doer of the Law, but a judge of it. And in chapter 2 James warned us about the eternal dangers I face if I’m not a doer of the Law – because if my life doesn’t show growing doing of the Law, then that shows I’m not trusting Jesus. That’s one reason it’s so serious to speak evil of others.
And the second reason is that when we speak evil of others we deny our own sinfulness. Look at v.12 –
There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Remember, judging is not just moral evaluation. Judging is personal devaluation. Judging is not just thinking – it’s not right that he’s left his wife. Judging is thinking and saying – he’s a total idiot to leave his wife.
So why is that wrong? Because when I speak evil against someone, I’m thinking they are a total idiot and I am not. But in my own sinfulness I’m a total idiot, too. I am. And you are, too. Now the good news is that because of Jesus’ death on the Cross, as I am trusting Him, I am totally forgiven, and Jesus is changing me. But apart from Jesus, who I am in myself, is a total idiot.
But when I speak evil against someone, I’m saying they are a idiot and I am not. I’m saying that I have the moral standing to condemn other people. I’m denying my own sinfulness. But if I’m denying my own sinfulness, then I don’t think I need a Savior. And if I don’t think I need a Savior, then I’m not trusting Jesus as Savior. And what happens to people who don’t trust Jesus as Savior?
That’s another reason why it’s so serious to speak evil of others.
So what can I do to change? Let me suggest five steps that would be helpful.
First, see how serious this is. People speak evil against others so often that we can think it’s not serious. But James wants us to see that it’s very serious. And so in vv.11-12 James says that when you talk badly about your wife, or speak harshly to your children, or criticize someone behind his back – you are proclaiming that God’s Word is a lie, and you are denying your own sinfulness. That’s serious.
Second, pray for Jesus’ help. Apart from Jesus, we can’t change the way we talk. But with Jesus’ help we can. So make this a matter of regular prayer. If you pray about this regularly and earnestly, you can see years-long patterns change.
Third, nurture love for and submission to God’s Word. If we speak evil of others we are dishonoring God’s Word. So nurture love for God’s Word – and nurture submission to God’s Word. It’s impossible to love God’s Word and submit to God’s Word and at the same time speak evil of others.
Fourth, keep on your knees before the Cross. Take time every day to confess your sin before Jesus. And let that remind you that in yourself you are a sinner deserving of eternal punishment. Yes, you have been saved. Gloriously saved. Amazingly saved. Leap for joy saved. But you are a sinner who’s needed to be saved. And the more you see that, the less you will speak evil of others. It’s impossible to kneel genuinely at the foot of the Cross as a forgiven sinner, and at the same time to speak evil of others.
Fifth, focus on speaking well of others. Don’t just avoid speaking evil against others. Cultivate a habit of speaking well of others. Have your heart full of Jesus, and then speak loving and encouraging words to your children. Speak encouragement and affirmation to those in your home group. Speak kindly and graciously to your husband and wife. And whenever you are in a group talking about someone else, try to speak as favorably of them as you can.
Questions?