Do Not Speak Evil Against One Another

James 4:11-12
June 13, 2021
Abraham Hong

Sermon Script

Our Lord gives us two things in today’s passage. He gives us a straight-forward command to obey. And he gives us a thought-provoking reason to obey it.

This is the loving wisdom of Christ Jesus. He declares his law. But he also declares his gospel. He declares the reasons - the very good reasons - for why we are to obey his law.

This is really exciting. Today’s passage can be life-changing for you. If you struggle to not speak evil against other brothers and sisters in Christ, then may the Lord provoke your thoughts today. May he renew your mind. And may the Lord transform you. May he transform your words.

The straight-forward command in today’s passage is this. Do not speak evil against one another. What does this mean? This means two things. First, we are not to slander other brothers and sisters in Christ and speak falsely about them. And second, we are not to speak the truth about other brothers and sisters in Christ with malice or pride.

First, we speak evil against one another when we slander and speak falsely about them. This is fairly straight-forward. It is evil to say things about other people that are not true. You are wrong in what you say about them. And that is lying. That is deception - intentional or not intentional. That aligns with the very work of the devil, who is the liar of all liars. And that goes against the very character of God, who is abundant in truth. The Lord does not want us to do this. Do not speak evil against one another.

Second, we speak evil against one another when we speak the truth about them with malice or pride. This is less straight-forward. It is evil to say things about other people that are indeed true but you do so with malice or pride - with desires to bring them down or humiliate them. You may be right in what you say about them. But you are wrong in the fact that you are ultimately against them. You speak about them or you speak to them in a harsh way or a proud way or a deconstructively critical way or an unforgiving way or an unloving way. The goal of your words is not sanctification or reconciliation. The reason for your words is not repentance or forgiveness. The purpose of your words is not to help others turn back to Jesus. There is no love or humility in your words. The Lord does not want us to do this. Do not speak evil against one another.

Dear Highland, this is the law of Christ Jesus. He gives us a straight-forward command to obey. But he also gives us a thought-provoking reason to obey it. And it’s fascinating.

Why should you not speak evil against one another? The three-fold reason is this. Because you are no judge. You are no judge of your neighbor. You are no judge of the law. And you are no judge of God - as if you could substitute yourself for him and take his place.

This is fascinating because we expect James to say something like, “Do not speak evil against one another… because that’s just mean!” Or, “Do not speak evil against one another… because, well, how would you like it if someone spoke evil against you!” Or, “Do not speak evil against one another… because you won’t be able to take your words back and you never know if your words will come back to haunt you.” We don’t get any of that here in today’s passage. Instead, we get this one simple reason. You are no judge. It’s about you and who you think you are.

Dear Highland, listen carefully. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. Speaking against someone is equated with being a judge. A judge of God’s people. And a judge of God’s law.

It’s as if you put on your black robe and then you approach your comfortable seat and then you straighten the placard with your name on it and then you take your gavel and raise it up high and then you declare, “All rise for the honorable judge me! The awesome court of the state of Yours Truly is now in session. You may be seated. Before we get started, please let the record show that I am not only the judge for this case, but I am also the jury and I am the police and I am the prison superintendent… and I am your worst nightmare. Alright, please raise your guilty right hand. Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… even though you can’t handle the truth?!?!” That was a reference to the legendary 1992 legal drama movie A Few Good Men starring Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and Tom Cruise.

When you speak evil against one another, you make yourself a judge of God’s people. You make your own verdicts and rulings about God’s people. You examine God’s people and you analyze them and assess them and evaluate them. And you take God’s law and with it you pronounce judgments and sentences and punishments upon God’s people. This is what it means to be a judge. You think you can judge God’s people.

But it gets worse. When you speak evil against one another, you actually speak evil against God’s law and you actually make yourself a judge of God’s law. You make your own interpretations and applications of God’s law. You teach God’s law like the Pharisees did in the New Testament. And you take God’s law and with it you pronounce judgments and sentences and punishments upon God’s people. This is what it means to be a judge. You think you can judge God’s law.

Dear Highland, this is evil. Don’t do this. It is evil to think that you are above other brothers and sisters in Christ. And it is evil to think that you are above the law… the law of God. It is evil and hypocritical and ironic to make yourself a defender of the law and an advocate of justice and slander others or speak the truth without love when the very law that you are defending prohibits slander and the very justice that you are advocating demands that you pay for your sins with eternal suffering in hell. It is evil and hypocritical and ironic to think that the law does not apply to you. You will dish it. But you won’t take it. This is evil because you are not really a good judge at all. You are really a corrupt judge. You are like a corrupt Gotham City judge on the payroll of some mob boss. This is evil. Don’t do this.

Dear Highland, if you judge the law, then you are not a doer of the law but a judge. Remember James 1. We are supposed to be doers of the word. Not hearers of the word. And definitely not judges of the word.

The medicine that James gives to us is strong. But now here at the end of today’s passage, the medicine kicks in with full strength. Why should you not speak evil against one another? The three-fold reason is this. First, you are no judge of your neighbor. Second, you are no judge of the law. And third and perhaps most importantly, you are no judge of God - as if you could substitute yourself for him and take his place.

Dear Highland, there is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God. Jesus: the King of kings, the head of the church, the Prince of Peace - of the increase of his government there will be no end. Jesus will one day return and he will judge the living and the dead. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. There is only one lawgiver and judge. It is not you. It is Jesus. You are no judge. Jesus is.

Only Jesus has the authority and the sovereignty and the power to destroy. Only Jesus perfectly and rightly “interprets” and “applies” the law. Of course he can - because he wrote it. Only Jesus perfectly and rightly teaches the law and pronounces judgments from the law. Of course he can - because he is the lawgiver. Only Jesus perfectly and rightly assesses and evaluates. Only Jesus perfectly and rightly makes verdicts and rulings and pronounces judgments and sentences and punishments. Jesus is the judge. Only he is able to destroy.

And we deserve his judgment upon us. But we didn’t get judgment and justice. We got mercy and grace.

Only Jesus has the authority and the sovereignty and the power to save. Jesus is the lawgiver. But he humbled himself and he became the lawkeeper… for your salvation. Jesus is the speaker of the law. But he humbled himself and he became the doer of the law… for your salvation. Jesus is supposed to be above the law. The law is not supposed to apply to him. Because Jesus is God. But Jesus took on human nature in order to be your representative before the law. Jesus came under the law. He willingly lowered himself so that the law - so that his law - would apply to him. And so he fulfilled it positively and negatively. Positively speaking, Jesus obeyed the law and he credited his righteousness to you. And negatively speaking, Jesus obeyed the law and he died for your sins. And he did all of this with perfect humility toward you and with perfect love for you. His goal for you was reconciliation and sanctification. His reason for all that he did was your repentance and your forgiveness. His purpose was to get you back. And now there is no more condemnation or judgement for you. All because of his love and grace. Jesus is the savior. Only he is able to save.

Therefore, Highland, who are you to judge your neighbor? Who do you think you are? You are not Jesus. Stop being the lawgiver and the judge. Do not speak evil against one another.

I would like to close now with three applications and one encouragement.

First, dear Highland, let us repent. Perhaps you have spoken evil against one another in the past. Perhaps you are speaking evil against another brother or sister in Christ now. Perhaps you live as if you are a judge - a judge of God’s people, a judge of God’s law, a judge in place of God himself. If so, I invite you to repent of your sin and turn back to Jesus today.

Second, dear Highland, instead of speaking evil against one another, let us speak well of one another and let us be for each other instead of against. Let us encourage one another and honor our brothers and sisters and lift each other up with love and with humility. Let us love the truth and do what we can to promote our neighbor’s honor and reputation (Heidelberg Catechism #112). If you have to speak about someone’s sin - perhaps in the setting of parenthood or friendship, or perhaps in the context of a church discipline case - then let us do so with truthfulness and a desire for repentance and forgiveness and sanctification and reconciliation.

Third, dear Highland, let us be humble as we remember these words of Christ Jesus from Matthew 7: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Highland, remember that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:7-10). Let us be humble before the Lord and before one another.

Fourth and finally, dear Highland, an encouragement: Obedience to this command takes a lot of practice. It is good work but it is hard work. But you are not alone. We are all seeking to obey the Lord together. And you are his workmanship. Jesus is sanctifying you in his good time. Consider this a wonderful kind of speech therapy with the Lord for the rest of your life. We are all in speech therapy. He is taming our tongues. He is conforming us to his image and making us more like him. Praise be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Be encouraged by him.

Come soon, Lord Jesus!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

Soli Deo Gloria