WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.580 And Paul reiterates this entire scheme of church discipline in his first letter to the Corinthians. 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:12.380 ! And lastly, Hebrews 12, 6 tells us that God disciplines those whom he loves. 00:00:13.240 --> 00:00:17.620 So biblical church discipline is a very good thing for us, a loving gift from God. 00:00:18.179 --> 00:00:21.660 And while this isn't necessarily having anything to do with our text this morning, 00:00:21.780 --> 00:00:27.980 I think it's a temptation to think something not in agreement with that when reading this text, right? 00:00:28.019 --> 00:00:29.519 And so I just wanted to say that at the outset, 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.100 this is not what James is talking about. 00:00:34.460 --> 00:00:37.700 But like any good doctrine or commandment from the Bible, 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:46.579 sinful man has found innumerable ways of twisting, distorting, and corrupting that which was good from God. 00:00:47.299 --> 00:00:51.960 God called us to know our brothers by their fruits, to practice church discipline, 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:54.519 and to purge the evil from among us. 00:00:55.260 --> 00:00:59.939 But those who are practicing sin twist this command as well. 00:01:00.839 --> 00:01:04.219 And then James is addressing those who judge wrongly. 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:08.539 So looking at our text, verse 11, he writes, 00:01:08.540 --> 00:01:12.420 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:19.160 The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks evil against the law and judges the law. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:23.900 But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. 00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:29.700 There is only one law giver and one judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:34.360 But who are you to judge your neighbor? 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:40.000 So following the flow of our text, I want to start off with our first application. 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:46.200 Our first application, do not slander or judge one another with condemnation. 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:49.420 Do not slander or judge one another with condemnation. 00:01:50.539 --> 00:01:52.599 He says, do not speak evil against one another. 00:01:53.340 --> 00:01:56.180 Speaking evil, judging one another. 00:01:56.180 --> 00:02:02.780 At the outset of our text, James gives us this direct application to not do this thing. 00:02:03.980 --> 00:02:10.420 And this Greek verb is in the imperative form, so it is a commandment for us all to obey. 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:12.860 Somebody actually told me recently, 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:15.340 Why don't you just take your applications from the imperative? 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:17.480 I thought, that's a good idea. 00:02:17.819 --> 00:02:18.920 So, there you go. 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:26.099 This is our only imperative in this text, but I think there are other applications, as we'll see anyways, throughout. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:31.399 But nonetheless, this is the focal point of our text, right? 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:35.459 From an applicational standpoint, this is what James wants us to hear. 00:02:35.539 --> 00:02:39.439 We ought not speak evil or judge wrongly. 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:41.219 So what is speaking evil? 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:43.139 What does that look like? 00:02:43.139 --> 00:02:51.059 Well, from James' construction of his own words, he seems to be associating this kind of speech with pride. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:52.139 Okay? 00:02:52.259 --> 00:02:55.219 Speaking evil comes from a place of pride. 00:02:56.079 --> 00:03:01.519 In the Greek, the modifier kata is used, which is a way of saying down or against. 00:03:02.259 --> 00:03:06.899 And you don't have to use this modifier, but James uses it three times, right? 00:03:06.979 --> 00:03:08.219 Kata, kata, kata. 00:03:08.219 --> 00:03:13.539 So you kind of get this picture of somebody who is speaking down on someone, right? 00:03:13.580 --> 00:03:18.020 Somebody who thinks he's elevated and high up and all the rest of you need to listen, right? 00:03:18.079 --> 00:03:18.659 From below. 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:24.740 So he seems to be picturing somebody who views himself highly, right? 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:26.900 He's highly in judging those beneath him. 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:37.280 And a natural outflow of what I just described is that speaking evil elevates oneself while degrading another. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:43.780 And this might seem like I'm repeating what I already said, but the nuance here is that it is degrading, right? 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:46.159 Obvious and yet clear, right? 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.500 He's degrading others, this person. 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:53.740 And it feeds further pride, right? 00:03:53.780 --> 00:03:58.199 He degrades others so that he can build himself up. 00:03:58.259 --> 00:04:01.560 So it's the sick cycle, an unhealthy cycle. 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:09.039 And then we want to define judging with condemnation or judging wrongly. 00:04:09.140 --> 00:04:10.099 So what is that? 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:14.319 And for starters, it is condemning by nature, right? 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:18.579 James uses a legal term, prino, which is a term you would use in court. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:23.500 It's the term you would use in the Bible whenever God talks about judging the sins of the world. 00:04:23.779 --> 00:04:26.340 So that's the term James is employing here. 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:29.179 This person judges with condemnation. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:37.239 So it's not merely that this person is making a statement about somebody else, but that this person thinks this other one deserves eternal torment. 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:40.679 He's judging him in the eternal sense. 00:04:41.299 --> 00:04:46.899 Which is why James says the one lawgiver is the one who's able to save and destroy. 00:04:47.239 --> 00:04:50.679 He's got this eternal judgment in mind. 00:04:50.680 --> 00:05:05.100 And lastly, and this is where we tie it into our previous text, James 3.14, it seems that this kind of judgment, this kind of speaking evil comes from selfish ambitions and jealousies. 00:05:05.100 --> 00:05:05.340 Right? 00:05:05.400 --> 00:05:14.500 Not from a motivation of love or to restore or to build up or encourage, but from one's own selfish ambitions and jealousies. 00:05:16.180 --> 00:05:18.800 So obviously then we ought not slander one another. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:24.920 We ought not speak evil about one another or judge one another condemningly because it is sinful. 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:27.980 And that's much easier said than done. 00:05:28.819 --> 00:05:36.720 But in our text today, James gives us four reasons we ought not speak evil about one another nor judge wrongly. 00:05:37.300 --> 00:05:41.620 Four inspired and errant profitable reasons for our souls. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:46.819 Reasons that we should bring to mind whenever we are tempted to commit such sin. 00:05:46.819 --> 00:05:54.599 Because these reasons remind us of who we are, who God is, and what is right. 00:05:55.740 --> 00:05:58.680 So four reasons we ought not to speak evil. 00:06:01.579 --> 00:06:10.339 The first reason we ought not speak evil or judge one another is that slanderers and judgmental types assume they are better than others. 00:06:10.339 --> 00:06:14.239 So again, we're hitting on that pride piece that defines this type of speech. 00:06:14.299 --> 00:06:14.399 Right? 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:16.319 This ties into the definition. 00:06:17.679 --> 00:06:21.599 And we already noted the speaking down aspect, that kata, kata, kata. 00:06:22.039 --> 00:06:29.099 Another element of this text that indicates pride is present is James' earlier reference to boasting in this section. 00:06:30.239 --> 00:06:31.539 Again, James 3.14. 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:32.719 I'll read it aloud. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:37.880 He says, but if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast. 00:06:38.140 --> 00:06:38.340 Right? 00:06:38.380 --> 00:06:38.940 There's the pride. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:42.580 Do not boast and be false to the truth. 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.360 And there's the slander. 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:48.000 Do not boast and be false to the truth. 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:53.600 These things are connected in James' mind because they are connected throughout the Bible. 00:06:54.460 --> 00:06:55.780 Psalm 101, verse 5. 00:06:55.779 --> 00:07:00.639 David says, whoever slanders his neighbor secretly, I will destroy. 00:07:01.299 --> 00:07:05.259 Whoever has a haughty look and arrogant heart, I will not endure. 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:14.299 James has already established in chapter 4, verse 6, that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 00:07:14.479 --> 00:07:18.119 So God hates the pride and arrogance of man. 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:27.280 And one of the themes that James has traced in this section is this idea of humility, this idea of being humble before God. 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.500 Nothing new to James' audience. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:32.720 Again, Proverbs. 00:07:33.060 --> 00:07:34.600 Proverbs 16.5. 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:37.899 The Lord detests all the proud of heart. 00:07:38.280 --> 00:07:41.120 Be sure of this, they will not go unpunished. 00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:43.199 Or Proverbs 8.13. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.579 To fear the Lord is to hate evil. 00:07:46.579 --> 00:07:47.500 And this is God speaking. 00:07:47.659 --> 00:07:50.579 He says, I hate pride and arrogance. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:55.259 I hate evil behavior and perverse speech. 00:07:55.539 --> 00:08:01.360 So this pride, this slanderous speech, this foolish speaking that James has built up in chapter 3, 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:06.279 that's surfacing up in our text today, is what he is talking about. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:11.259 Coming from a long line of tradition in the Jewish wisdom literature. 00:08:11.259 --> 00:08:19.079 So suffice it to say, there are an abundance of biblical texts that speak to God's hatred of perverse speech and pride, 00:08:19.219 --> 00:08:22.139 that ties these things together. 00:08:22.539 --> 00:08:25.519 They're always accompanying one another. 00:08:26.599 --> 00:08:33.939 And those who practice pride and perverse slander speech without repenting will be judged and punished by God. 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:40.720 So we do not want to slander lest we be guilty of pride whose way is destruction, 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:43.620 the constant warning throughout Scripture. 00:08:44.900 --> 00:08:49.360 And of course, this can only be evaded by seeking forgiveness in Christ. 00:08:50.540 --> 00:08:52.600 But this ties to James' second reason. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:56.400 The second reason we ought not to speak evil or to judge one another 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:01.319 is that by slandering or speaking evil, we are not obeying the law. 00:09:02.220 --> 00:09:04.500 He says in the second half of verse 11, 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:09.500 But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. 00:09:10.319 --> 00:09:15.579 This is kind of a unique word for James to use, a doer of the law that we've seen a few times now. 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:20.939 And if you were to ask me, what is the primary goal of James' epistle? 00:09:21.079 --> 00:09:24.399 What's the main thing he's hammering time and time again? 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:27.939 It would be lordship salvation applied to the church. 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:31.879 The idea that those who are truly saved will obey God. 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:36.620 Not perfectly, not constantly, but growingly and continuously and steadily. 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:39.379 By we're growing in obedience to God. 00:09:39.459 --> 00:09:44.199 You've all heard Nathan, Clay, and myself hit this doctrine in one way or another. 00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:49.199 And James is hitting that idea yet again in our text this morning. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:53.299 The idea of one who is a doer of the law and proves his faith is genuine, 00:09:53.299 --> 00:09:57.859 opposed to the self-deceived person who thinks he's in Christ, 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:02.219 but has no fruit in his life as evidence of saving faith. 00:10:04.139 --> 00:10:08.719 Now James is quoting from Leviticus chapter 19 verse 16, which says, 00:10:08.939 --> 00:10:12.479 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, 00:10:12.740 --> 00:10:15.659 and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor. 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:17.659 I am the Lord. 00:10:17.659 --> 00:10:23.779 So this is the law which is being violated by this slanderer, by this condemning judge. 00:10:24.959 --> 00:10:30.600 And most of the time there's a law in the Bible, there is a do and a don't associated with that law. 00:10:30.679 --> 00:10:30.799 Right? 00:10:30.839 --> 00:10:32.600 We see the don't very clearly. 00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:34.299 Don't slander, don't judge. 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:36.980 But what is the do? 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:39.179 What ought we be about then? 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:46.319 And to continue reading from Leviticus 19, we'll find the answer in verses 17 through 18, which says, 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:47.419 and this is God speaking, 00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:50.679 You shall not hate your brother in your heart, 00:10:51.319 --> 00:10:56.039 but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 00:10:56.779 --> 00:10:58.579 And that sounds like James, right? 00:10:58.620 --> 00:11:00.500 That sounds like James 3, 17. 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:05.259 Wisdom from above is peaceable, gentle, and open to reason. 00:11:05.259 --> 00:11:09.580 But continuing on in verse 18 of Leviticus, he says, 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:14.480 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.860 but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:20.279 I am the Lord. 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:24.019 So this is our second application then. 00:11:24.319 --> 00:11:24.419 Okay? 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:29.039 The second application is that we ought to love our neighbor as ourself. 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:31.620 It's not stated directly in our text, 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:35.620 but the more you familiarize yourself with this verbiage, with James' wording, 00:11:35.779 --> 00:11:38.100 with the fact that he's quoting Leviticus 19, 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:41.960 it's the clear, underlying, continuous train of thought. 00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:46.460 We're not loving our neighbors when we judge or speak evilly about them. 00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:52.500 And so our second application, love our neighbor as ourself. 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:58.399 In fact, New Testament authors often intended for their readers to go back to a section of Scripture 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:01.480 that they're quoting and to read beyond the quotation. 00:12:01.659 --> 00:12:05.439 So he clearly has in mind Leviticus 19 as a whole. 00:12:06.539 --> 00:12:09.480 So James is calling us not to slander, but to love our neighbor, 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:14.819 which, when you think about it, is extremely antithetical to slanderer's speech. 00:12:15.319 --> 00:12:19.179 Where you can't love your neighbor and then condemn him to hell in the same moment 00:12:19.179 --> 00:12:24.039 with your judgments and your preferences and your thoughts on what is right and wrong. 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:29.899 So what are some concrete examples of what loving neighbor looks like? 00:12:29.980 --> 00:12:33.500 And again, Leviticus 19, if you're not annoyed at me saying that already, 00:12:33.980 --> 00:12:37.480 is informative, which I don't have time to read in its entirety, 00:12:37.620 --> 00:12:40.799 but here's a summary, okay, a summary of some of the descriptions 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:45.779 of what loving neighbor looks like in that chapter of Scripture. 00:12:46.579 --> 00:12:51.579 So one, it looks like sharing with the poor and the foreigner, right? 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:55.080 Not being selfish or greedy with your time and your resources, 00:12:55.300 --> 00:12:59.360 but sharing with the poor and the foreigner, those who are vulnerable, 00:12:59.800 --> 00:13:00.860 those who are in need of help. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:05.980 Right, another summary would be having compassion, honesty, 00:13:06.560 --> 00:13:10.060 and practicing justice in all of our interactions with people. 00:13:10.740 --> 00:13:13.879 That is hit over and over again in Levitical law. 00:13:14.940 --> 00:13:17.580 It would also mean not showing impartiality. 00:13:17.580 --> 00:13:23.000 And again, this all should sound familiar because James has hit all of these things in his epistle. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:25.900 Right, we should not have impartiality. 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:28.180 That's all from Leviticus 19. 00:13:29.259 --> 00:13:33.220 He goes on, another way to love your neighbor is refusing to gossip and slander, 00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:35.379 which we're hitting today in our text. 00:13:36.420 --> 00:13:37.600 Leviticus 19 adds, 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.279 No stubborn grudges in your heart against anyone. 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:48.279 And being careful never to put another's life in danger is another way to love your neighbor. 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:51.580 Seems obvious, but again, it had to be written down in Levitical law. 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:56.720 Right, and this is why the Old Testament includes laws like how you should build your house, 00:13:56.779 --> 00:14:01.899 because God was concerned that if a house is poorly built, it might collapse and kill somebody. 00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:04.580 Okay, so we want to be careful. 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:08.060 We want to be intentional in how we do things, how we build things, what we're doing with our time, 00:14:08.259 --> 00:14:13.720 how we drive our cars, right, to not unintentionally put our neighbor in danger. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:19.520 You love your neighbor by obeying speed limits, even if it's a dumb speed limit, right? 00:14:21.300 --> 00:14:22.820 So who is our neighbor then? 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:25.800 Who am I supposed to apply all this to? 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:29.340 Well, there's a whole section of scripture that answers that. 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:31.640 Somebody asked Jesus that question. 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:32.780 I'll give you the short of it. 00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:34.899 Everyone in the world is your neighbor. 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:40.299 And Pakistan and China and Europe and Russia, wherever you can think, that's your neighbor. 00:14:40.839 --> 00:14:45.620 So we're called to love each and every one of them in this way. 00:14:45.699 --> 00:14:47.179 And these are, again, just some examples. 00:14:47.319 --> 00:14:51.939 There's so many more I could give from scripture on how to love your neighbor well. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:57.279 But again, James seems to really be thinking about Leviticus 19 in particular. 00:14:57.459 --> 00:15:00.879 He really seems to be considering these specific ways. 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:02.939 So we want to be mindful of that. 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:09.000 And also, I mention all these things to say two things about loving neighbor, 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.100 just what it looks like in a broad sense rather than a specific sense. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:18.620 So loving neighbor rightly means that we value them above ourselves. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.019 We value our neighbor above ourselves. 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:29.720 And two, loving neighbor requires a lot of forethought, a lot of intentionality, and personal sacrifice. 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.899 A lot of people will talk about the forethought and the intentionality. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.639 We don't like talking about personal sacrifice. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:40.220 But in the Bible, that is biblical love. 00:15:40.319 --> 00:15:43.220 Love for neighbor is personally sacrificial. 00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:48.480 Whether it's time, money, energy, what have you. 00:15:48.819 --> 00:15:53.699 We want to sacrifice these things, be willing to deny ourselves to love our neighbor well. 00:15:54.779 --> 00:16:01.700 But getting back to our second reason then, to be a doer of the law means we are practicing these things. 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:04.379 We are putting in this work. 00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:13.200 And the whole of the law, by the way, is summarized by Christ as loving God and loving neighbor in Mark 12, 29 through 31. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:18.639 So this is no small matter that James is circling. 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:25.259 But looking back at verse 12, the first half of verse 12 in James chapter 4, 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.820 we see a third reason we ought not slander. 00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:37.480 James says, there is only one lawgiver and one judge who is able to save and to destroy. 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:47.020 So the third reason we ought not speak evil or judge our neighbor condemningly is because there is only one judge and one lawgiver. 00:16:47.400 --> 00:16:49.879 God is the rightful judge. 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:59.379 So every time we speak evil and judge in a condemning manner, we are transgressing God's law, as I said, but we are also usurping his throne. 00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:01.759 We are pretending to be God. 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:05.059 We're playing God in our prideful hearts. 00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:07.619 Again, this is all so interconnected. 00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:13.140 God is the one judge and the one lawgiver whom James is referring to. 00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:16.819 He alone is the one who can save and destroy. 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:21.859 Anyway, Isaiah 33, verse 22 says, 00:17:22.399 --> 00:17:23.939 For the Lord is our judge. 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:25.339 The Lord is our lawgiver. 00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:26.659 The Lord is our king. 00:17:27.179 --> 00:17:28.279 He will save us. 00:17:28.379 --> 00:17:29.000 No one else. 00:17:29.139 --> 00:17:30.179 No one else is judge. 00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:31.119 No one else is Lord. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.679 No one else is lawgiver. 00:17:33.139 --> 00:17:35.599 No one else is our savior. 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:42.500 And it makes too much sense that God should be the only one fit for this role. 00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:53.460 As the sole creator of the universe, he should get to decide how things ought to be, whether it's morality, teleology, philosophy, the physics of the universe. 00:17:53.900 --> 00:18:00.319 You name it, everything should be measured, weighed, and determined by him, the one sole creator. 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:02.740 Isaiah 45, 7. 00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:04.720 God essentially says as much. 00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:05.779 He's defending this right. 00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:11.339 He says, I, again, God speaking, I form light and create darkness. 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:14.379 I make well-being and create calamity. 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:17.079 I am the Lord who does all these things. 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:18.879 Emphasis on all these things. 00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:22.819 Later on in that same chapter, verse 12, he says, 00:18:22.980 --> 00:18:25.420 I made the earth and created man on it. 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:31.339 It was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their hosts. 00:18:31.339 --> 00:18:37.919 So God doesn't want anybody thinking that they have a right to rule or a right to say anything about anything. 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:41.000 Because he's the sole creator. 00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:42.279 God has created everything. 00:18:42.419 --> 00:18:43.319 He has measured everything. 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:45.359 He has established everything. 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:48.799 So who better to judge everything? 00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:53.199 And Job, Job comes to mind when I think of this. 00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:57.179 In Job chapter 40, God questions Job. 00:18:57.180 --> 00:19:03.220 And contextually, God has been asking Job questions for about four chapters as a whole. 00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:08.460 And those questions are all in the vein of, where were you when I created everything? 00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:13.900 Or, can you do and be what I do and who I am? 00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:18.200 Are you like me, Job, that we should compare each other? 00:19:19.080 --> 00:19:22.240 And obviously the rhetorical point is, you're nothing like me, Job. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:26.799 And so just a foretaste of this, right? 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:30.940 Because he's telling him, no, of course you're not who I am, nor can you do what I do. 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:37.839 But just to give a taste of this, because again, I think this is in James' mind here, as we'll see in chapter 5 in the coming weeks. 00:19:38.980 --> 00:19:42.519 But quoting from Job chapter 40, verse 2, God says to Job, 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:58.480 And later on in verse 8, God says, 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:01.299 Will you even put me in the wrong? 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:05.879 Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:09.099 That you may be the one who establishes right and wrong. 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:11.759 That you may be the one who drags me to court. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:17.480 And later on in verses 10 through 14, God issues another challenge. 00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:18.259 He says to Job, 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:21.619 Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity. 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:24.759 Clothe yourself with glory and splendor. 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:24.940 Right? 00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:26.660 Things that only God can do. 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:29.359 Clothing himself with glory, majesty, dignity. 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:31.480 And he continues on. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:31.720 He says, 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:36.599 Pour out the overflowings of your anger and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:39.259 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:41.680 And tread down the wicked where they stand. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.500 Hide them all in the dust. 00:20:43.560 --> 00:20:44.740 That's creation language. 00:20:44.840 --> 00:20:45.860 Out of dust man came. 00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:46.380 He says, 00:20:46.620 --> 00:20:48.920 Hold them all in the dust together. 00:20:49.560 --> 00:20:51.200 Bind their faces in the world below. 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:56.580 Then will I also acknowledge to you that your right hand can save you. 00:20:57.640 --> 00:20:59.380 So God's point to Job is, 00:20:59.580 --> 00:21:00.920 You don't have the ability. 00:21:01.080 --> 00:21:02.180 You don't have the intelligence. 00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:03.380 You don't have the morality. 00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:06.620 You don't have diddly squat to judge anything. 00:21:06.620 --> 00:21:08.100 To execute the law. 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:09.280 To uphold justice. 00:21:09.580 --> 00:21:12.360 You're powerless and weak to do an ounce of it. 00:21:12.620 --> 00:21:15.140 Is God's point to Job. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:21.300 So God makes it unambiguous as to what his right to rule is. 00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:25.020 He is the sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent creator. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.740 Righteous God who upholds all things in the palm of his hand. 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:38.740 So likewise, God's right to be the sole lawgiver and the sole judge of all things is these very same attributes. 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:45.960 And there are other attributes and other reasons we could list as to why he has this sole right to this authority. 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:49.440 But I think we all get the picture. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:57.500 So if you find yourself judging God like Job or judging your neighbor like James' audience, 00:21:57.620 --> 00:21:59.080 then I would exhort you to repent. 00:21:59.880 --> 00:21:59.980 Right? 00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:01.539 And that is the third application. 00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:01.860 Right? 00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:02.580 To repent. 00:22:03.580 --> 00:22:08.320 If you're saying nasty things about people out of jealousy and selfish ambitions, 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:11.440 then you have sinned not only against that person but God. 00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:12.299 Right? 00:22:12.340 --> 00:22:14.840 You've usurped his throne. 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:21.279 And you have to seek forgiveness from both the offended person and God. 00:22:22.379 --> 00:22:23.240 And just some thoughts here. 00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:27.099 If you struggle with how you speak about people, I would encourage two things. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:31.199 Two things that when I'm at my best, these are things I reflect on. 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:40.000 And one is speaking, encouraging, uplifting, and loving things to those and about those you would otherwise speak evil against. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.359 So it's easy to say nice things about, you know, your best friend. 00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:47.220 Or if your parents are great, it's easy to say great things. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.559 But what about that guy who's really annoying? 00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:51.720 Or maybe your parents weren't that great. 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:53.460 Or whatever relationship. 00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:54.299 Right? 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:59.539 Those people are hard to speak good and honorable things about because of our flesh. 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:02.259 But that's our calling nonetheless. 00:23:02.579 --> 00:23:03.660 So restrict yourself. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:06.759 Be careful with how you talk about that person. 00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:08.119 How much you talk about that person. 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:13.119 And when you do, be sure to make sure it is uplifting, loving, encouraging. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.039 To think about the lovely things. 00:23:16.159 --> 00:23:16.239 Right? 00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:17.159 Philippians 4.8. 00:23:17.219 --> 00:23:17.859 Whatever is honorable. 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:18.679 Whatever is pure. 00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:19.639 Whatever is just. 00:23:20.339 --> 00:23:25.319 Surely there's something by God's common grace in that person that is praiseworthy. 00:23:26.159 --> 00:23:26.359 Right? 00:23:26.399 --> 00:23:27.479 Despite their sin. 00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:32.679 And secondly, pray for yourself and that person. 00:23:32.679 --> 00:23:36.959 That you would enjoy peace, harmony, and love between the two of you. 00:23:38.119 --> 00:23:39.819 That there would be reconciliation. 00:23:40.239 --> 00:23:45.779 That God would set a guard over your mouth to prevent further sin and strife. 00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:52.279 So paraphrasing the words of Job's repentance in Job 42. 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:52.639 Right? 00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:54.879 After God's given him this list of questions. 00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:58.759 After God has made him feel very small and rightly so. 00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:01.539 Job says, and this is the paraphrase. 00:24:01.579 --> 00:24:02.839 And this is what we can pray. 00:24:03.639 --> 00:24:03.779 Right? 00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:04.559 So I'll put it in the plural. 00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:05.680 This is what we can pray. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:08.740 He says, we have uttered what we did not understand. 00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:08.980 Right? 00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:10.599 That is something we should confess. 00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:17.779 But now we see God for who he is and despise ourselves and repent in dust and ash. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:20.439 So we should recognize our place. 00:24:20.639 --> 00:24:21.699 Recognize our sinfulness. 00:24:21.959 --> 00:24:25.339 Recognize our need for God's mercy and grace. 00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:26.659 And repent. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:31.919 So let that be our prayer when we are guilty of such sin. 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:37.340 So God's point to Job is that Job is not the one judge. 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.340 Or excuse me. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:43.660 Job is not the one to judge God nor judge the matters of the universe. 00:24:43.660 --> 00:24:46.660 Because Job did not create all those things. 00:24:46.800 --> 00:24:51.200 God is essentially asking Job, who do you think you are? 00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:52.460 Right? 00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:58.820 And this takes us to our final reason we ought not speak evil or judge our brothers and neighbors. 00:24:58.819 --> 00:25:03.319 Because James is making a very similar argument. 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:04.319 Right? 00:25:04.379 --> 00:25:06.639 James says in the second half, verse 12, 00:25:07.179 --> 00:25:10.419 But who are you to judge your neighbor? 00:25:11.379 --> 00:25:15.679 So the final reason we don't judge, the final reason we don't slander, 00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:20.240 is because we are not in a position to do so. 00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:21.259 Okay? 00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:24.179 And when I was prepping, I almost tied this in with the third reason. 00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:25.359 Just had three reasons. 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:27.799 But I think this is worth drawing out. 00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:29.059 I think there's a distinction here. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:29.240 Right? 00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:34.740 Our last reason draws out who God is and why that's cause alone for us not to judge one another. 00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:42.339 This is meant to make us think more about who we are and why we are in no position to do such a thing. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:44.039 Okay? 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:50.980 So the rhetorical point of James' question, again, is that we are nobody to do these things. 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:51.200 Right? 00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:52.139 Are we loved by God? 00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:52.500 Yes. 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:56.139 Are we specialists, His chosen image bearers among creation? 00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:56.700 Yes. 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:58.200 Do we have value? 00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:58.600 Yes. 00:25:58.600 --> 00:25:58.960 Yes. 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:08.460 We are still a part of creation and need to know that we ought to bow the knee with the rest of creation at the name of Jesus Christ. 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:12.259 James could have just said, know your place, oh man. 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:16.580 But I actually think the rhetorical question kind of punches a little harder. 00:26:17.259 --> 00:26:17.360 Right? 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:20.340 He really wants us to feel small. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:24.460 And we are when compared to our Creator. 00:26:24.460 --> 00:26:28.340 And this is not a unique argument by James. 00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:31.660 We saw this argument by God in the book of Job. 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:35.019 Another example is in Romans 9, verse 20. 00:26:35.660 --> 00:26:39.819 Paul is defending God's election of Israel and the grafting in of Gentiles. 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:50.139 And while the point that Paul is making is different from James' point, notice they use the same foundational truth and form the same foundational argument. 00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:52.059 Paul says in Romans 9, 20, 00:26:52.059 --> 00:26:56.440 But who are you, oh man, to answer back to God? 00:26:57.159 --> 00:26:58.379 Well, what is molded? 00:26:58.460 --> 00:27:02.359 Say to its molder, why have you made me like this? 00:27:02.940 --> 00:27:08.179 So who is man to judge and weigh and balance the things of the universe? 00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:14.600 In each of these cases, Job, Paul, or James, the argument is all the same. 00:27:15.060 --> 00:27:18.900 We ought to know our place and be quiet. 00:27:20.660 --> 00:27:26.980 And I think it's significant that often when someone encounters God in the Bible, they cover their mouths. 00:27:27.600 --> 00:27:31.940 Or they comment on their perverse and slanderous speech like Job. 00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:36.120 Or Isaiah who cries, I am a man of unclean lips. 00:27:36.360 --> 00:27:38.120 Curse me, oh God. 00:27:39.340 --> 00:27:46.980 These men were humbled by the appearance of God and understood this creator-creature distinction immediately. 00:27:47.820 --> 00:27:50.299 Which is our fourth application. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:52.059 Be humble. 00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:58.279 And I've included this as an application, I think, two or three times now through our series of James. 00:27:59.100 --> 00:28:01.620 It's not because I'm lazy, or at least I don't think I am. 00:28:01.619 --> 00:28:05.819 But because it's an undercurrent throughout the whole book of James, right? 00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:07.419 It's wisdom literature. 00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:11.619 And being wise entails being humble. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:14.339 The Lord teaches the humble in what is right. 00:28:15.719 --> 00:28:20.159 As James says in our section from the prior weeks, in chapter 3, 00:28:20.479 --> 00:28:24.459 God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:33.519 So humility is the key posture we must have if we are to cast off evil speaking and evil judgment. 00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:41.160 And a great mental exercise, right, that I like to employ that often humbles me is this. 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:52.980 I try to imagine what work would look like if I was the one who had to balance the scales of the universe, right? 00:28:52.980 --> 00:29:00.220 If I were the one tasked with weighing and measuring the sin of the world and then making it all right. 00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:06.339 And it quickly becomes apparent to me that I can't do that work, right? 00:29:06.339 --> 00:29:09.500 I don't know all the wrongs going on in the world right now. 00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:14.660 Just Ukraine alone, I'm thinking, how many war crimes, how many horrible things are going on? 00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:16.680 I don't know those things. 00:29:16.860 --> 00:29:21.539 I don't know what sin is happening in the rest of Europe or Africa, Asia, the Americas, wherever. 00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:29.200 And even if I had an all-knowing brain, if I had a way to count all these things, to keep a record of wrongs, so to speak, 00:29:29.639 --> 00:29:33.319 I don't have any power to do anything about it. 00:29:33.460 --> 00:29:38.619 I might be able to affect some local things a little bit here and there in my little world, 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:47.680 but ultimately it really doesn't even compare to the weight of the universe, to the weight of sin, to the weight of all that is wrong. 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:49.700 And I'm powerless. 00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:56.860 And honestly, it becomes even more apparent that I cannot do these things when I consider just my own heart, right? 00:29:57.519 --> 00:30:00.860 Paul in Romans 7, I do the very thing I hate. 00:30:01.080 --> 00:30:03.440 How often that is true of me. 00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:05.980 How often that is true of all of us. 00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:12.700 I can't even keep track of all my sin, let alone deal with it and make it all right. 00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:13.259 Right. 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:19.700 So I don't know the full extent of my sin, nor am I able to right the wrongs or save myself. 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:25.220 Again, Isaiah, one judge, one lawgiver, one sater, one king. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:32.700 So running through this train of thought reminds me how small I really am, how little I really can do, 00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:36.880 and how great my need is, right? 00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:43.840 How great my need is for the one judge and the one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. 00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:53.140 I praise God that he is all-powerful, that he is all-knowing, that he is just, righteous, and able to save our souls. 00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:56.880 To use what we intended for evil for good. 00:30:58.420 --> 00:31:05.280 And not only this, but when I consider our utter need for him in these things and beyond, right? 00:31:05.800 --> 00:31:13.020 Alongside our smallness and our extreme limitations, I'm amazed all the more at the gospel. 00:31:14.360 --> 00:31:19.900 That God, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1, 27-31, right? 00:31:19.900 --> 00:31:27.320 Paul says, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:29.080 So God chose you and me, guess what? 00:31:29.140 --> 00:31:31.240 We're all foolish according to the Bible. 00:31:31.320 --> 00:31:35.800 And God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:31:36.519 --> 00:31:41.500 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:31:41.580 --> 00:31:42.580 So we're all weak. 00:31:43.040 --> 00:31:44.180 And I feel that, right? 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:44.940 I feel that. 00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:46.759 And so that's gospel hope to me. 00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:51.039 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:51.559 He goes on. 00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:55.240 God chose what is low and despised in the world. 00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:59.420 Even things that are not to bring to nothing things that are. 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:03.660 So that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:32:04.619 --> 00:32:07.359 And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus. 00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:10.220 Who became to us wisdom from God. 00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:13.220 God chose what is righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:19.880 So that, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:26.100 So the rhetorical punch of James really knocks you down as it ought. 00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:28.460 It really brings you to your knees. 00:32:28.620 --> 00:32:31.140 Who am I that I should judge these things? 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:34.519 That I should speak such things? 00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:42.940 And when it's read by itself, at least in my sinful heart, I can read it and often be tempted to think I'm not good enough. 00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:43.700 I can't make it. 00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:44.319 And I'm not. 00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:45.680 I'm not. 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:48.059 But how then can I be reconciled to God? 00:32:48.099 --> 00:32:50.319 How then can things be made right? 00:32:50.379 --> 00:32:52.099 And again, the answers in the text. 00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:53.559 The one able to save. 00:32:53.639 --> 00:32:56.559 The one who chooses these people despite themselves. 00:32:56.559 --> 00:33:01.940 The one who, while we were yet sinners, sent his son to die for us. 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:10.380 So we should look away from ourselves and stop playing God by making these wrong judgments. 00:33:10.660 --> 00:33:16.220 But with all humility, consider him who is greater and boast of him alone. 00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:16.420 Right? 00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:18.620 The Lord Jesus Christ. 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:20.640 Let's pray.