Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.
Once again I am puzzled by James’ words. Maybe it is because it is late and I am having trouble focusing. Maybe in the daylight, it will make more sense. Maybe…
Maybe it is just a complex thought.
Which “law” is James talking about? As a leader of the Christian church, James was involved in the decision to avoid making Gentiles live under Old Testament rules or law.
What kind of judging is James referring to? He is not talking about judging whether someone has discriminated between rich and poor! He has given us a master’s level course on how to judge (assess, evaluate) whether someone is showing favoritism.
No, James is talking about the kind of judging only God can do.
When we condemn a brother or sister, we defy God’s law. When we defy God’s law we show a disregard for it that can only come from having judged it unnecessary. To oppose the law is to have judged it.
Application: Be intentional when you speak about others. Especially a brother or sister in the Lord.
Food for Thought: How does God feel about our judging his law?
If we judge the law, we also judge the lawgiver. If someone hears if a law they don’t like and say, “that’s a stupid law,” the idea is – who came up with that? If it is God’s law, we put ourselves above Him and God tends to frown on that.
Well said, Rich. I like the way you personalized that. 🙂
👍🏻