Judge Not What?
It can be very gratifying, illuminating to look at a passage in light of the surrounding text. We were studying James 4 in a Bible study recently, and it dawned on me that my usual interpretation of vv. 11 & 12 may not be correct.
Those verses have been confusing to me ever since I really thought about what they meant. I always assumed they were telling us not to speak ill of/judge the sins our brothers commit. Now I'm not so sure. There might be other verses (e.g. Matt 7) that touch on not judging the sins of others -- ultimately it is up to God -- but in this context, how would I be speaking evil of the law if I was judging my brother according to it? It just didn't make sense.
So we were studying the first part of the chapter and I was reading toward the end, and maybe that helped me consider the latter parts in light of the former.
James is chiding the Jews for the internal wars that arose from misplaced desire. They were envious (related to pride -- just think about it briefly), so James exhorts them to draw near to God and be humble. Then, right after telling them to be humble, he jumps into the section on not speaking evil of each other. Here's what I'm thinking: he was not referring to speaking evil of sin, but speaking evil of the opinions and actions of others which are not contrary to Scripture. Different ways of doing things. Persons often become proud of the way they worship God -- "my songs are the right ones, my style of communion bread, my pat prayer phrases, my bench style, my liturgy, my covering strings, my Christian school curriculum, my la la la." Give me a break -- is that the focus God wants us to have?
It is important to choose an appropriate curriculum, sing worshipful songs, speak truthful liturgy. But to be proud of those things? If you're proud of them, you might be devoid of the Spirit of the Christian life. You might miss the whole point of living for God.
1 Cor. 12:4-6: "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."
And if I judge my brother who wears checkered socks because they remind him of a chess board which reminds him of the Christian warfare... and I think they suggest strongly the 70's which reminds me of the drug culture, and therefore think he should not wear them -- then I am speaking evil of the law of God (his conscience) because I am not making room for the wearing of checkered socks, nor yet for the conviction to wear them. Do not put God in any more of a box than he has built for himself (which = no box at all). The Bible provides a general formula for life, but only God can supply the specific parameters for each person to result in a balanced equation.
(Baptism is "another" good example. Three times forward, one time backwards, immersion, buckets of water...)
Because these issues are not directly addressed in the Bible, it is appropriate to dialogue about them but not to arrogantly force our opinions on others. Such could encourage a brother to violate his conscience and therefore sin. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17
Am I way off? Let me know!
P.S. My brother does not wear checkered socks (unless living in PA has corrupted him more than I am aware :) ).
Those verses have been confusing to me ever since I really thought about what they meant. I always assumed they were telling us not to speak ill of/judge the sins our brothers commit. Now I'm not so sure. There might be other verses (e.g. Matt 7) that touch on not judging the sins of others -- ultimately it is up to God -- but in this context, how would I be speaking evil of the law if I was judging my brother according to it? It just didn't make sense.
So we were studying the first part of the chapter and I was reading toward the end, and maybe that helped me consider the latter parts in light of the former.
James is chiding the Jews for the internal wars that arose from misplaced desire. They were envious (related to pride -- just think about it briefly), so James exhorts them to draw near to God and be humble. Then, right after telling them to be humble, he jumps into the section on not speaking evil of each other. Here's what I'm thinking: he was not referring to speaking evil of sin, but speaking evil of the opinions and actions of others which are not contrary to Scripture. Different ways of doing things. Persons often become proud of the way they worship God -- "my songs are the right ones, my style of communion bread, my pat prayer phrases, my bench style, my liturgy, my covering strings, my Christian school curriculum, my la la la." Give me a break -- is that the focus God wants us to have?
It is important to choose an appropriate curriculum, sing worshipful songs, speak truthful liturgy. But to be proud of those things? If you're proud of them, you might be devoid of the Spirit of the Christian life. You might miss the whole point of living for God.
1 Cor. 12:4-6: "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."
And if I judge my brother who wears checkered socks because they remind him of a chess board which reminds him of the Christian warfare... and I think they suggest strongly the 70's which reminds me of the drug culture, and therefore think he should not wear them -- then I am speaking evil of the law of God (his conscience) because I am not making room for the wearing of checkered socks, nor yet for the conviction to wear them. Do not put God in any more of a box than he has built for himself (which = no box at all). The Bible provides a general formula for life, but only God can supply the specific parameters for each person to result in a balanced equation.
(Baptism is "another" good example. Three times forward, one time backwards, immersion, buckets of water...)
Because these issues are not directly addressed in the Bible, it is appropriate to dialogue about them but not to arrogantly force our opinions on others. Such could encourage a brother to violate his conscience and therefore sin. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17
Am I way off? Let me know!
P.S. My brother does not wear checkered socks (unless living in PA has corrupted him more than I am aware :) ).
posted by Claire at 17:35
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