James 4:11-17 (NKJV) 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. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
V11 “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.” The Greek word for “speaking evil” is (G2635) καταλαλέω katalaleō, which means hurtful speech. The other two uses in the NT are in 1 Peter 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:16. When we make an opinion of someone, we need to know the situation and attitude. Sometimes I assume something is true when it is not. I only saw a very brief part of a situation or hear part of a conversation and make a wrong conclusion. Truth is the importance. If the truth is critical, then we must make sure it is delivered truthfully and gently.
V12 “There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” The “one lawgiver” is God, the King of the universe and beyond. His law is the law under which we all are judged. We are reminded to not add to His words (Proverbs 30:6, Deuteronomy 4:2, and Revelation 22:18-19). Save here has the idea of deliver–to deliver from God’s displeasure of what we say and do. He can also chasten us when needed. God loves us more than anyone can know, nevertheless, He does have a law and an expectation that we obey.
V13 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit…” James gives an example of presumption. We are not to assume something will continue tomorrow as it is today.
V14 “…whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” We may die suddenly, disaster may happen, great news may come suddenly and unexpectedly.
V15 “Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” We are God’s servants, not God’s boss.
V16 “But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” This example from James is a boast, perhaps in innocence but an assumption. It is evil. It is potentially hurtful to us and even to our witness. Let us be cautious. God will help us.
V17 “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” A sin is not just doing the opposite; it may be a neglect or procrastination. Compare Ephesians 5:15-17, Matthew 6:33, Luke 12:40, etc.
We learn:
- Principles of godly speech
- Not to assume our ability
- If we know good and do not do it, it is sin