Sin Everyone Says

We've all heard the phrase "the final word on the subject." It is meant to get across the idea that once something is said it is authoritative. We exercise this right as parents, don't we? "I've said it, so that's final." We see this in the scientific world once something has been tested and retested a sufficient number of times, that can be considered "settled" science. In the political world, we hear that from the Supreme Court. Once a case has been decided there, that is the final word on the matter.

Or is it? We find as parents that that final word on no ice cream might start to give once a headache starts. We have found that even a Supreme Court decision isn't finalized for all of time, but when new judges ascend the court, such a final word is replaced seemingly by another "final" judgement. Even science isn't static.

There is no human being who is able to utter the true last, authoritative word on a subject because we are not divine. And when I put it like that, we of course all agree in principle, but that is not how we think or, in terms of this passage, talk in practice, is it? James, in returning to the topic of the tongue warns of judging our neighbor and speaking presumptuous plans. These actions are related because they assume the same thing: that I myself am the determiner of other's character and my own future. James is here to tell us that this isn't true. This will come as both a conviction and a comfort as we look at our two points today: You aren't the authority, so don't judge. and You aren't the authority, so don't presume your plans.

You Aren't the Authority, so Don't Judge

James, fresh off the context of an infighting church (CITE), turns to warn against speaking evil against one's brother/neighbor and judging them. Let's start with the first term.

The word there can also be translated "slander." This is obviously something that we want to avoid. Going around spreading negative things behind a person's back that are made up entirely or partially is a sinful way to speak. It's very easy to do. We can be tempted if it is someone we don't like or a group we don't like, we are quick to believe whatever negative thing comes up about them. Some stories are just too good to fact-check, so we click share or brew up a pot of coffee and delight in sharing those things. This one is pretty clear.

The next term there is judging, and this is less clear as to what is being referred to, but that is more the fault of our culture. We hear echos, of course, of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:1, which is a very often quoted, "Judge not lest you be judged." This has led to a lot of confusion, because we will find other passages that seem to tell us the opposite like 1 Corinthians 5: 12b "Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”" Obviously we are using the same word but mean different things. So what is James talking about here?

What this doesn't mean is you are not allowed to morally evaluate people or things. We see this most prominently in Matthew 18 where we are told what to do when we see someone sinning.

What James is getting at here is spelled out in other places. For example, in Matthew 7 and Romans 2, God is saying don't judge people for the very things that you do. If you are stealing, you aren't really in a place to be telling people not to steal. That is called hypocrisy, and kids will nail you on that every time. Ever yelled at people to stop yelling? That's an example. Another way to judge badly is to make a judgment call on someone's salvation based on a non-essential issue. Paul spells this out in Romans 14:1-4 where people are getting after each other for trivial issues like eating meat versus an all vegetable diet. The thrust of this is if God hasn't given a final word on this, then who are you to do it? I'm not the one saying, "You're going to heaven, you're not based on my rules." No, I can say, "Here is what God has said," but I don't get to cite my own personal feelings about that.

So to sum up we call out true sin where it presents itself, but we only do so when we have Scriptural backing to the person themselves in order to lovingly bring them back to Christ. If you aren't doing that, we are falling into the judgment category.

I remember when I was in seminary, I was anticipating coming before the presbytery to take my oral exams. The guys in presbytery in theory can ask you anything, and you are generally expected to answer the questions quickly, especially citing the relevant Scripture verse or catechism question. There would rightly be suspicion if you tried to craft an original answer to things or used words without clear definitions, which I saw one pastor do in the exam before me. He was a great guy but he just didn't have the polish of a memorized catechism. He passed despite this. I had an elder helping me get ready for the exam, and I, to my shame, said to him, "Well, if that pastor could make it in, then I should be just fine with my level of catechism mastery." I'll never forget it. He looked at me and said, "That man has been in ministry for longer than you have been alive. How many dying hands have you held? How many prostitutes have you led to Christ? There is a lot more to ministry than just memorizing a catechism." He was absolutely right, and I've never forgotten that. And in that story you can see proper judgement and improper judgment. I had no business criticizing a man I barely knew and framing myself as superior to him. Who was I to judge a neighbor. Yet that elder (his name is Brandon), was perfectly right to judge me on what I had done. I clearly demonstrated pride and ambition, and he corrected me one-on-one, not rude but direct to set me straight again. He didn't go around telling others what a fool I was. He lovingly confronted me and got my thinking right again.

If you are going to judge, you better be prepared to do something about it. And if all you are going to do is spread it to other people who can't help the situation, you are better off keeping it to yourself. You aren't actually the judge. And if we ignore this command, we risk judging the law itself. Ah, the Bible isn't enough for this. I need to step in!

Now if that first paragraph hasn't nailed us, this next one does.

Presumptuous Planning.

Here, James takes the same concept and applies it to the way we judge our own lives as it were. The person in James' example is making all these future plans, staking all these hopes in them, but is doing so without reference to God.

What James is trying to get us to do is not add some verbal tick to the way we speak. He isn't trying to get us to say, "Lord willing" to our plans like knocking on wood. That sort of thing is superstition and not real. What He is trying to get us to do is acknowledge reality in that all of our plans are contingent on God's willingness to bring them about. There is nothing in my life that I don't need God's clearance to do. It acknowledges that I have a relationship with God that has a real impact on my future plans. To pretend that I am completely in control of what happens in my life is silly, as I don't truly know what tomorrow is going to bring. None of us do.

Now this isn't condemning planning. Notice that James does not say, "Therefore, wing the rest of your life." He doesn't. Make the plans! Live your life intentionally. But don't be presumptive. Be submissive. Jesus Himself gave a beautiful example of this in the Garden where He asked that the cup might pass but not my will but yours be done. We can be disappointed in plans not working out, but we should not be devastated. When they don't work out it is because the Lord Who died on the cross has other plans.

When you read the old classic Greek and Roman stories like the Odyssey, you'll notice that the character's goals revolve around a whole cast of gods and characters who will help if they feel like it that day. That isn't our God. He is our Lord. He cares and loves us. To acknowledge his care in completing our plans is the right thing to do, and as we see at the end, if we don't do that we are in sin.

Now what is the comforting part here? You never really know how God will work things out, but He will because He is better at being God than you are. Some of us have family in our life that we might be tempted to judge as lost causes. That is not for you to determine. Your job is to give the gospel where you can. Leave the rest to Him. I know of a guy in the hospital my dad works in who gave his life to Christ literally twenty minutes before he died. Plans of yours didn't work out? God has a hand on that. You know, that also applies to plans in the past. How many of us sit on the porch and think, "If only." That's even sillier than trying to guarantee the future! This right here is your life. The point isn't to waste time wondering how this happened or how it might have been different. The reality is, you don't know how it would have been different. It would be like getting a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future Imperfect Conditional: "I bring news of what would have been going to happen, if you were not to have been going to change your ways."

God is in control. When it is good and necessary for you to confront sin, speak to it, but if it isn't then be quiet. There are so many other better things to be thinking and talking about, not the least of which is your own behavior before God. And when you make plans for the future or review the events of the past, keep God in your mind. You don't know what tomorrow brings, but God has shared with you what happens at the end. It is victory at the mercy seat of God's throne. Keep that in mind as you judge and plan.