Introductory Comments
1. A month ago I received a final copy of the audited financial statements for the Regional Synod of Canada. We had met with the auditors before and we had agreed on certain changes to their first draft. I called the auditors to thank them for the work they had done. After I hung up I took a quick look and within a minute I discovered three mistakes they had made. I called back to point out the errors and they agreed to redo the statements.
2. Partly because of my accounting background, I am able to quickly see what is wrong in reports and statements. Perhaps this is a gift but I’m afraid that there’s more to it than that. For I believe it also is reflective of something that I do not like about myself. For I have a critical nature, perhaps a critical spirit, that leads me to see the wrong or mistakes in others and what they do.
3. My son, when younger, could do an excellent job in cutting the lawn, but immediately I would see the one blade of grass that he missed and point it out to him. Someone may have spent days doing a project, and I would find it natural to zero in on the weakness or mistakes in their work.
4. Sometimes I feel this is a curse, sometimes a blessing. But what is important is what I do with this ability or disability. For it is easy to share my criticisms with others.
5. I struggle at times with the exhortation of Paul:
Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
6. I believe this is a problem for most of us. I often hear people speaking critically about others. It may the hardest sin for us to control. In fact sometimes we may even excuse this sin as not being that bad, what real harm does it do.
7. This evening we consider the sin of slander and why this is such a horrendous sin.
Teaching
1. James says - do not slander one another. When we think of slander we think of gross charges against another person. But the Greek verb here is a broader term. To slander is to make false charges or misrepresentations that damage a person’s reputation. But the term here means to any form of speaking against a person. What we say may be true or false. But it is a sin if:
a. It is said in an unkind or harsh manner.
b. If we are judging the person we are talking to or about.
c. If it seeks to hurt or malign the other person.
2. Why is it such a terrible sin to slander?
3. First, it is the opposite of what Paul says when he tells us to "speak the truth in love." We are to (1 Th 5:11) encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
4. Slandering tears down. It is spreading negative falsehoods and truths to those who would otherwise not be involved. And so it destroys not just the one person but the unity within the community. It spreads like a cancer that is out of control. It dirties the bride of Christ, the church. And hurts our witness. Slander destroys and tears down the fellowship we are to have together.
5. Second, slander is evidence of pride. In the passage before, James told of that we need to humble ourselves to experience the grace of God in our lives. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. When we are slandering someone we are lifting ourselves up. We make ourselves look better by making another look worse. We are getting back at them for doing something to us or we are jealous of them so we try to lower them in the minds of others. "Sure they are good at this, but did you hear about what they did?" The problem is that we are insecure. We should feel secure in the Lord. But perhaps we have been put down so often that we feel less than others. And so we in turn put others down to compensate.
6. This is a good example of how the sins of the parents are passed down to their children. Either the children hear their parents put others down and learn the same. Or they are put down by their parents and in turn do the same. Scene of child being hurt by parents and taking it out on family dog or younger sibling. Slander tears down community and it encourage sour pride.
7. But James gives us three more reasons why slander is a terrible sin. And these reasons are not one we would usually think of.
8. The third problem with slander is that it violates the law.
Exo 20:16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
To slander someone is not showing love. If you are slandering or speaking evil of or speaking against or putting down or judging your brother, you cannot be loving him.
9. And when we speak evil of them, we are judging them. This makes us subject to judgement. Remember what Jesus taught
Mat 7:1-5 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
10. Fourth, James says that we also judge the law.
vs. 2 - Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
James says that when we openly and blatantly disobey the royal law, we are saying that the law is stupid, valid and worthless. I’ll give an example that hits too close to home. We are driving down the highway, and we read a sign "Road work ahead, reduce speed to 50 kmh." What might we do? We may be in a hurry to get where we are going. We drive this road every day and it doesn’t even look like they have started any work. So you drive the normal speed. Uou know that you should slow down, but you refuse to do so. What you are saying is that you think the law is stupid and that you should not have to obey it.
11. And so we are saying that the law to slander and even the law to love our brothers is stupid. It does not matter that much. We judge that the law does not matter.
12. When we slander, Paul places us in the company of those who did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God - who He is and His law:
Rom 1:28-32 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things
This may seem like strong words for simply saying something negative about someone, but it shows that we do take God’s law lightly.
13. And last of all, James makes an even stronger charge - all for a few thoughtless words. When we slander we usurp the position of God. We take a role that is reserved for Him alone and take it upon ourselves. We are saying that we know better than God, that in judging someone we have the skill and ability to do so.
14. James asks us "Who are you to judge your neighbour?" Are we qualified? Only God is. He is the one who wrote the law. He knows better than anyone what the law means and how it is to be followed. We ourselves sin and interpret the law through our sinful nature. And God is the judge. Only He is oerfect and holy and can judge. And He alone can judge the motives. Some may look good on outside but are obeying for wrong motives. And God sees the whole picture.
15. Perhaps the biggest problem within the church today is the sin of slander. Each of us needs to examine ourselves. What have I said in the past week that put someone down? What harsh criticisms have I made?
16. Example of pastor serving communion. First confessed that he had complained about his church to others. Asked forgiveness. It was a time of healing. Confess sins to one another.
17. But think before we speak - Is this beneficial? Does it build up? Does it make me a judge over someone? Is it said in love?
18. As I said, I struggle with this area. Asked God to forgive me and heal me. And heal my children who have been influenced me. Have talked to daughter about this. Agreed to be accountable to one another and to pray for one another.
19. We want to be used by God for building His kingdom. We want to acknowledge that He is God, not us.
20. May God, through His Spirit, enable us to speak in love.
