The Danger Of Criticism

A recurring theme in James’ letter is the truth that what is in a Christian’s heart is what comes out. In the words of Solomon: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).” Wrong thinking within leads to wrong living without. Evil thinking within leads to evil speaking without. 

In this tiny paragraph of two verses, James addresses the matter of speaking evil against a fellow Christian. To speak evil may also be rendered to “slander,” as the NIV has it. Here’s the text:

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?

James 4:11-12

James instructs us as to the danger of slander, the danger of speaking in evil ways that “tear down” rather than “build up” (recall James 3:1-12). Two actions surface from a study of these two verses, two actions that will improve our communication with others. Today’s post will address the first of those two actions:

Allow the Bible to Determine Your Communication 

If you are a Christian, you will allow the Bible to provide the framework for how you speak and talk. James is clear: “Do not speak evil of one another…”

The verb translated by the words “speak evil” conveys the idea of speaking in a demeaning way of people when they are not present to defend themselves.

It is the idea of “talking down” another Christian, not “talking down to” another, but “talking down.” It is the sense of tearing down, demeaning, belittling, even destroying another person. And again, it is especially the idea of doing so when that person is not present to defend himself or herself.

So it is the idea of talking to others about others in a way that does not help, but rather hurts. It is talking about another Christian secretly spreading slanderous gossip to others about a person who is not present to address the speaker.

It may well be that the substance of the things said about another is true. Slander is not necessarily false. In fact, in this context, James could have used a different word to convey lying, but he does not. He is adressing bad communication that is, in essence, speaking about another brother or sister in an unhelpfully critical way, especially when that person is not present.

Have you ever done this? Have you ever spoken about another person who wasn’t present to defend himself? Perhaps you spoke in a critical way that was demeaning of that person. In doing so, you placed yourself in a morally superior position over the person about whom you were speaking.

Many of us are familiar with the legend of the dandelion. According to the legend, if you pick a dandelion and blow upon it and all its seeds disappear, your wish will come true. Of course, it’s just a legend, but the image is helpful. If you’ve ever blown upon a dandelion, you’ve watched it release a spray of those tiny little seeds carried away in many different directions. Trying to locate and retrieve those tiny seeds would be next to impossible.

Speaking evil of another Christian is like blowing upon a dandelion. Your words spread in a number of directions as various people hear what you have said and then pass it along to someone else. Trying to “take back” your words would be as difficult as locating tiny dandelion seeds in a field.

Perhaps you would say you have never spoken evil of another Christian. Have you ever listened to someone speak evil of another? If so, you are culpable in an act that is ungodly and unbecoming of a Christian.

If someone turns to us and begins engaging in slander of another brother or sister, we must help by telling him not to speak to us if he is going to speak evil of another brother or sister. We must take this person to passages such as this in James 4:11 and lovingly explain that his behavior is wrong. We may also turn to passages such as Matthew 18:15, where Jesus says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Never give a hearing to those who speak critically of other Christians, especially when those others are not present to defend themselves.

And be forewarned: someone has wisely said, “Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you.”

Is it always bad to talk about a person who is not present? Of course not! There are many occasions during the day when we will be talking about others. Allow me to share a helpful exercise to ensure that you always speak in edifying (to “build up”) ways of others when they are not present. It’s really simple: imagine that the person is present when you are speaking about him. Picture him right there with you as you are talking to the other person. You will likely be more fair, kind, and careful with your words. 

One of the reasons it is wrong to slander a believer is because that believer is an actual brother or sister, a member of our Christian family, the family of God. The word “brethren” in verse 11 may be better translated as “brothers and sisters,” all members of the family of God.

Just as it is wrong for you to speak evil of a brother or sister in your biological family, so it is wrong to speak evil of a brother or sister in your spiritual family. Indeed, it is arguably more wrong as your spiritual family is a family of those united in Christ, children of God, our Father.

As God’s children, then, we are co-equal brothers and sisters. None of us is even firstborn. Only Christ is the firstborn (Romans 8:29), so no one has the right to “talk down” another brother or sister. We are all of equal stature. When we properly humble ourselves, “we have no ‘altitude’ left from which to ‘talk down’ to anyone!”

Your Christian brother or sister is your family. You take care not to speak evil of your biological family—your husband, your wife, your parents, your children—so don’t speak evil of your church family. You wouldn’t be unfaithful to your biological family, so don’t be unfaithful to your church family. You don’t get angry and walk out on your biological family, so you shouldn’t get angry and leave your church family.

James argues that when Christians speak evil of other Christians, they have become judgmental critics: “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.”

He is addressing our fallen tendency to have a judgmental spirit, placing ourselves in a morally superior position over our brothers or sisters. 

Here is an essential qualification: when James warns about “judging” a brother or sister, he is not saying that Christians are never to make moral evaluations. He does not say Christians should never judge between right and wrong. James himself, in writing this letter, is making many moral evaluations! He is clear about what is right and wrong.

Similarly, when Jesus says, “Judge not that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1-5),” He is not forbidding all judgment. In fact, in the very same passage where Jesus says, “Judge not that ye be not judged,” He warns about false teachers (Matthew 7:15-20), and Jesus adds that the way one may determine whether teachers are false is by making a judgment about the kind of fruit they are producing; is it good or bad? This analysis requires moral evaluation, a judgment.

We must always beware of taking Bible verses out of context. To do so increases the risk that we will lose the meaning of the text. God’s Word is powerful when rightly interpreted. Our desire always should be to determine the true meaning of a verse, and that meaning is often discovered simply by giving careful attention to the context.

Using verses out of context is in vogue in our culture. How often, for example, have we heard someone appeal to Matthew 7:1 and cry: “You’re not supposed to judge!” Is this really what the Bible teaches? Are we never once supposed to make a moral evaluation about whether something is true? Or whether someone’s conduct is appropriate? Of course not.

The Bible certainly does not teach that Christians are to look the other way when a brother or sister sins. The Bible calls for addressing that sin carefully and lovingly (see Galatians 6:1-2).

James does not forbid making moral evaluations altogether. He is concerned about our having a judgmental attitude or a judgmental spirit. He is not forbidding a “judgment of truth.” He forbids “being judgmental.” It’s an attitude of moral superiority, thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. 

Speaking in an unhelpfully critical way about another person makes oneself judge and jury. In speaking evil of others, not only are we placing ourselves in a position of moral superiority over another Christian, but we are also placing ourselves in a position of moral superiority over the Bible.  

James says, “He who speaks evil of a brother…speaks evil of the law and judges the law.”

It is as though we believe we know better than the Scriptures. We act as though we know better than the law, such as Leviticus 19:16: “Do not go about spreading slander among your people (NIV).” Yet our sinful reasoning is: “Well, I can slander if I please. I know better than the law. I know better than ‘the royal law,’ which is to love your neighbor as yourself (James 2:8). I don’t really need to do that. It doesn’t apply to me.”

Wrong thinking within leads to wrong conduct without.  

As Christians, we must allow the Bible to determine our communication. 

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 141-146, available in all formats here.