There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbour? [James 4:12 NIV]
This blog follows on from the previous blog entitled "Stop slandering one another" (2/11/2022). James has issued a strong command to the early Christians prohibiting any form of malicious talk and character assassination. We have still to consider one part of James's statement: Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. So we need to investigate what he means when he says that anyone who is speaking against a fellow Christian is not only acting as judge but is breaking the law. How can this be? There are some societies where free speech is not allowed and criticism of the government is illegal. But that is not what is meant here. He is not suggesting that someone who spreads malicious reports about someone else should be arrested.
When anyone acts as a judge in the sense of condemning other people, we are taking the place of God who is the only righteous judge. The Torah, the name given to God's Law in the Old Testament, was a statement of God's righteous standards. This was how the Jews measured up their behaviour. Committing adultery was not wrong and sinful because someone had come up with the idea that it was not a good thing to practise. It was sinful because the Torah said so and the Torah was God speaking through His Law. God does not expect us to ignore sin and pretend that it is alright. That is not what James is saying in these verses. He is saying that we have no moral right to condemn others for sinning - only God can do that. Whenever we act as a judge and condemn other people for sins, we have to acknowledge that we are sinners as well. The incident recounted in the Gospel of John where the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery (though the partner was never mentioned), Jesus actions showed that he, as the Son of God, was the only one with the right to condemn her. He did not condone her sin but he forgave her sin and told her not to continue in sinful practice. [See previous Day Share entitled, "Caught in the act" (25/11/2020) or read John 8:1-11]
Scot McKnight makes a very interesting suggestion. He raises the possibility that James is not just referring to the Law of Moses or the Torah as a whole but that he had one part of the Law in mind. Was James referring to specific parts of the Law of Moses. It can be argued that speaking evil of one's neighbour was in direct contravention of two specific texts from the Old Testament.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV]
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord. [Leviticus 19:18 NIV]
The verse in Deuteronomy is known as the Shema which is from the Hebrew for the first word translated as 'Hear' which also means 'to obey'. This is a basic precept among the Jews throughout the centuries - the belief in One God (compared to the Gentiles who worshipped many gods). The principle of coupling these two verses together was confirmed by the words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospels.
Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22:37-40 NIV]
It is clear that if we are engaged in slander, we are breaking these two commandments. Firstly, we are setting ourselves up as judges and usurping God's right to act as judge. We are claiming to act on God's behalf and condemning other people. James makes it clear that this is wrong:
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbour? [James 4:12 NIV]
Secondly, we are failing to 'love our neighbour as ourselves.' It is common to engage in malicious talk about our fellow Christians but that does not make it right.
I am finishing today's blog by quoting an old hymn which provides us with the perfect example of how to love others even when they malign us and do us an injustice.
What grace, O Lord, and beauty shone
Around Thy steps below!
What patient love was seen in all
Thy life and death of woe!
For ever on Thy burdened heart
A weight of sorrow hung;
Yet no ungentle, murmuring word
Escaped Thy silent tongue.
Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,
The friends unfaithful prove;
Unwearied in forgiveness still,
Thy heart could only love.
O give us hearts to love like Thee!
Like Thee, O Lord, to grieve
Far more for others’ sins, than all
The wrongs that we receive.
One with Thyself, may every eye,
In us, Thy brethren, see
That gentleness and grace that spring
From union, Lord, with Thee.
Photo from Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash. Apologies for the advertising on Dayshare.
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