Judgment Belongs to Another
Introduction:
1. Once again we find that James must address the issue of improper use of the tongue.
2. Evidently this was a tremendous problem in the beginnings of the church.
3. It should not surprise us then that this is a big problem in the church today.
4. This improper use of the tongue does not address one's authority in speaking to someone.
5. The address concerns one's personal qualifications
I) Who is Qualified to Speak Evil Against His Brother?
A) No one can.
1. Speaking evil presumes one has the ability to determine the goodness of one's character.
a. The question must be asked as to the personal qualifications of being able to make such a distinction.
b. Since there is a law governing the distinction between goodness and evil then it follows that speaking evil is passing judgment.
c. This judgment of another's character implies that the speaker of evil is one who is above the law.
2. A spiritually-minded person would not condemn his brother
a.
1 John 2:10-11 - He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none
occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness,
and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that
darkness hath blinded his eyes.
b. 1 John 4:20-21 - If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
c. Therefore the absence of God's love is the cause of this sin.
B) Speaking evil is a heart condition.
1. The tense of these verbs indicates a habitual use.
a. It is the continual practice of speaking evil to which James is condemning.
b. That is not to say that evil words spoken at one time are not sinful.
c. Yet, the continual use of evil words affirms the status of one's heart in the eyes of God.
2. Condemnation comes upon the act and will both by God.
a. One who engages in such sinfulness is now an enemy of God.
b. He condemns the very law he tries to live.
c. The heart of such evil speech claims that God's will is not good and therefore can be discarded.
d. Let us heed the words of David in Psalm 19:13 - Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
C) We need to condemn evil-hearing as well.
1. If there is no hearer then there is not speaker.
2. An evil hearer is just as guilty for running another down
II) Who is Qualified to Judge the Law?
A) A judge is one who decides to try and punish, or reward, according to the law.
1. As we have observed that speaking evil against one's brother is a presumptuous judgment.
2. A judge makes decisions based upon testimony from credible and competent witnesses.
3. Uniquely, the decisions made concern whether or not an action is wrong or right.
B) We are referring to censorious judgment.
1. The judgment here is a judgment resulting from hasty and imperfect conceptions.
2. These conceptions are founded upon incorrect and partial decisions.
3. This type of judgment ignores the precepts of loving one another as oneself.
a. The critic of his brother passes judgment based upon the worth and validity of the law.
b. He places his personal qualifications above and beyond the equality we find in man.
c. The critic ignores the fact that he too has sinned.
d. The critic ignores the fact that he needs salvation from his sins.
e. The critic ignores the fact that he must love his neighbor.
4. These guilty critics are not doers of the law.
a. Doing the law is judging but it is based upon submission to the laws of God.
b. These critics were not doing the law but placing themselves above it.
C) One can speak evil and judge his brother by unduly praise.
1. It is easy to see that one can speak evil by criticism of those one despises.
2. However, included in this judgment is the fact that one may judge one by making excuses from those whom the judge appreciates.
a. Heaping undue praise upon another person is just as bad as criticism.
b. It puts one in a position to think to highly of himself.
c. The bible is full of individuals who thought themselves more highly than they ought because of the praise of others.
d. Consider Rehoboam and David.
(i) He chose to listen to the younger men when it came to kingly decisions because they gave him undue praise.
(ii) David was tempted to kill Saul because his own advisors were telling him it would be okay because he was the anointed King of Israel.
e. In each of these cases the judges were those who believed they had the qualifications to judge.
(i) They passed judgment upon the law.
(ii) They claimed to be able to determine who was good according to the law.
III) Jesus is Qualified to be the Judge of the Law.
A) The lawgiver must have the personal qualifications.
1. He must have the authority from God.
a. Matthew 28:18 - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
b. Acts 17:30-31 - And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
2. Jesus is equipped to make laws.
a. John 6:68-69 - Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
b. Having the words of eternal life means one is able to tell mankind how to be saved.
3. Jesus can save or destroy.
a. Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
b. Jesus can deliver us from the guilt, power, pollution and eventually the presence of sin.
c. Jesus enables us to enjoy the bliss of heaven throughout eternity.
d. Jesus is able to destroy as well.
e. Mark 9:42-50 - And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
4. There is but one lawgiver according to his qualifications and that is Jesus Christ.
B) Improper use of the tongue causes problems.
1. I need to impress upon you this has destroyed the church today.
a. Countless preachers have been duped by those who habitually offer undue praise to these men causing them to think more highly than themselves.
b. Liberals and legalists alike number these individuals whose friends have patted them on the back for their scholarship and intelligence.
c. This praise has caused them to look beyond the Bible to the delusions of Satan.
d. He is the great deceiver.
(i) He utilizes not only criticism but also praise to pervert the truth in the eyes of the once faithful.
(ii) He paints a wondrous picture for man to follow their pride down the path of sin.
2. What right does any human have to infringe upon God's domain?
a. Romans 14:4 - Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
b. Romans 14:10-12 - But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
3. Improper judgment has caused nothing but division and heartache.
a. Colossians 2:20-22 - Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
b. Acts 20:29 - For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
c. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
d.
Conclusion:
1.
Posted in: Book of James, Judgment, Sermon Outlines