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“The Law of Love and the Tongue”
The Law of Love and the Tongue
Wade Webster
If James’ brethren struggled with any sin more than another, it seems to have been the tongue. It repeatedly comes up in his discussions with them. In our text, he is dealing with the evil things that they are saying about each other and the harsh judgments that they are making towards one another. James wrote, “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” (Jam. 4:11-12). As we look into these inspired instructions, we will see three things- the law, the lawgiver, and the lawbreakers.
The Law
Four times in the context, James speaks of “the law.” As you recall, the Old Testament law required that individuals love their neighbors as they loved themselves. We read, “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Lev. 19:15-18). I believe that you will agree that this was a very high standard. Yet, Jesus raised the bar even higher when He commanded individuals to love one another as He loved them (John 13:34; 15:12). This is the highest standard of all. James’ brethren were not only breaking this law of love by speaking evil of one another, they were showing contempt for the law and for the One who gave it.
The Lawgiver
A law implies a lawgiver. The lawgiver in this case is Jesus. He is the one Lawgiver. He has all authority (Mt. 28:18). He has the power to save and destroy (Mt. 10:28). James wanted His brethren to understand the seriousness of what they were doing. By speaking evil of their brethren and judging one another, they were speaking evil of the law and judging the law. This was showing contempt not only for the law, but for the giver of the law. This was a very serious error. On one occasion, Jesus declared, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).
The Lawbreakers
James’ brethren were breaking the royal law of love given by the King of Kings. They were speaking evil of their brethren, of the law, and of the Lawgiver. They were acting like they were the judge. However, the real judge was going to hold them in contempt. The Judge was standing at the door. In the fifth chapter, James wrote, “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” (Jam. 5:9). It was impossible for them to have the right relationship with God because of the way that they were treating their brethren. Later, John would write, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).
James’ instructions are as needed today as they were when he first penned them. Speaking evil of brethren is as common today as it was then, and it is no more acceptable now than it was then.
