James 4 - Submit Yourself to GodSample

The perils of judging

The words ‘slander’, ‘speak against’ and ‘judge’ basically mean the same thing in this context. They all refer to condemning someone publicly. To judge in this passage is not simply to discern something as wrong, but to write someone off and, in this case, to do so openly.

When we judge in this manner we end up ‘judging the law’ itself (verse 11). The ‘law’ here refers either to Jesus’ specific command not to judge (Matthew 7:1) or to the royal law to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (James 2:8). The point is the same either way: to condemn your brother or sister is to disregard something Jesus himself taught. Who would be so bold? Especially since God is the only Lawgiver and Judge.

Judging with discernment

When the Bible warns against judging others, it is not forbidding the formation of critical opinions about certain actions, ideas, or people. In some parts of the church today, Jesus’ warning against judging is sometimes used to justify accepting behaviors the Bible condemns. For instance, I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard people say, “Who are we to say homosexuality is immoral. Didn’t Jesus say ‘Do not judge, lest you be judged’?

The reality is, the Bible regularly urges us to assess the rightness/wrongness of certain teachings and practices. ‘Judging’ in this sense is an important part of Christian living. The judgment that is condemned in the Bible is the type that seeks to write people off for their failings. To elaborate on the previous example, not judging the gay community does not involve approving of homosexual behavior; it involves refusing to condemn or speak ill of our homosexual friends. Fulfilling the biblical command not to judge involves recovering the lost virtue of tolerance, the rare ability to treat with respect and kindness someone with whom you deeply and rightly disagree.  

Speaking with grace

A key concern of these verses is slander within the Christian community. James is calling for unity and respect in the way we speak to or about our Christian brothers and sisters. Again, this doesn’t mean we have to agree with each other about everything; it just means we should speak with love and respect. There have been countless times when petty squabbles and in-fighting over relatively minor issues have split Christian communities. The Lord must find this deeply distressing. 

It is not just folk-wisdom to ask yourself: “Are the words I am about to speak uplifting and true?” Very often, such self-censoring can temper our speech and rightly change the tone of our conversations. James reminds us that God takes our words about each other seriously.