Calendar

SPEAK NO EVIL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8
James 4:11

Ephesians 4:25-32

 

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger,
and clamour, and evil speaking,

be put away from you…”

 

SPEAK NO EVIL
 
Another command of James is to stop evil-speaking or slandering one another. The Apostle is warning them because they are already practising it. They must stop doing it. It is known that some speak evil of their brethren. Others are judging their brethren. James says that such is effectively speaking evil of the law and criticising it. Those judging the law are, in effect, not doers of the law but acting as judges of the law. Such a thought is ridiculous, for what is man to judge the Law of God?
 
Speak no evil of one another: There must never be a time that a man speaks evil of his brother. If anyone slanders his brother, he is judging his brother wrongly. Insults amounting to character assassination against a brother negate the Law of God. It is commanded, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exod 20:16).
 
Speak no evil of the law: When a man speaks evil and judges a brother wrongly, and yet says he is using the law, he misinterprets the law. It makes him judge the law as evil. Whosoever does this speaks evil of the law because he is doing contrary to what the law commands. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt 22:37-40). Is there evil-speaking against a brother in the law?
 
Those who do contrary to the law become judges of the law. They are not doers of it. We are not commanded to judge the law but to obey it. Be careful when you judge. Observe the law properly according to its correct interpretation. Do not use it as a pretence to judge others according to your standard. Read Matthew 7:1-5.
 
THOUGHT: Do I speak evil of my brethren?
PRAYER: Father, keep my tongue from judging others. Let me be a doer of Thy law.

Search