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Lesson 18 -The Danger of Slander

Into the space of one little hour enough sins can be conjured up by evil tongues to
blast the fame of a whole life of virtue.
Someone who is living righteously and godly before God can have their testimony
slandered and ruined by one person, for the rest of their lives.
1. Danger of speaking evil of one another
2. Judging that comes from our heart.
True repentance manifests itself not only in how you respond to the Lord, but will
also manifests itself in how you respond to others.
As we humble ourselves before God, we will humble ourselves before others and we
will not slander them, and not judge them.
A prideful, haughty spirit that opposes God, will slander others and have a
judgemental heart.
James 4:11-12
11Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a
brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth
the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a
judge. 12One only is the lawgiver and judge, evenhe who is able to save and
to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor?
1. Character of a judgemental spirit (11)
Do not speak evil of one another. Phil 4.
Meaning: talk down or talk against another, Slander, speaking harshly, fighting,
warring, and lusting.
Talking about someone behind their back in a derogatory manner. E.g.: Actions,
motives, manner of living.
Connotation of backbiting, fault-finding, false criticism.
Opposite of humility pride: the reason why we slander each other.
John 13 This is how men will know that you are my disciples, because of the love that
you have for each other.
Psalms: those that slander, I will tear them in pieces.
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To judge someone entails that you are judging what is going on in their heart and in
their mind. This is harsh, judging their motive and conduct.
Examples: poor person you think they are lazy and a poor manager of money.
Rich person you think they are dishonest and snobby.
Someone with sour look on their face you think they are not believers.
Forgotten birthday. Etc.
We need to take our hurt to the Lord in prayer.
By judging and speaking evil you are setting yourself up as a judge. The judge of the
law. Law means the law governing the Christian life, the perfect law of liberty. To love
our neighbour as ourselves. It is impossible for you to claim that you love your
neighbour as yourself and then turn around and speak maliciously behind their back.
Lev 19:16-18

16Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people:

neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am Jehovah.
17Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt surely rebuke
thy neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18Thou shalt not take
vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.
If a brother or a sister has sinned against you and you are struggling, you need to go
to them privately and tell them this. But you do not take the opportunity to slander
behind their back.
Math 18.
Distinction between spurious believer and genuine believer. If slander and judging
other marks your life, then James says your faith is suspect because you set yourself
up as a judge of the law.
It does not mean that you as a Christian: should not exercise discernment, should
not have wisdom, and should not form opinions. It does mean that you should not be
a gossip of have a critical spirit. James is not saying you cant make moral judgments
based on conduct. Math 7. The judging of the motives of someones heart is
forbidden.
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Math 17 beware of false prophets. Judge/measure what prophets are saying to

make sure that is in accordance with Gods word. 1John 4 know false teachers.
The characteristics of a judgmental spirit: speak evil of other, they judge others and
they thus show that they are not a doer of the law. Judging belongs to God and God
alone.

2. Condemnation from a just Saviour(12)

There is one Lawgiver, and that is God.
Two characteristics of this Lawgiver: able to save and able to destroy.
Saviour: complete act at a certain time to rescue from danger, from destruction to
save someone from perishing.
Man can never come to God in his own strength. If he is left to himself, he will
perish. But we know God is not willing that any should perish but all should come
to repentance. Only God and God alone can save.
Not only save, but also destroy. Utterly and completely. It is a one-time act with all
finality. If you reject the offer of grace, it brings final execution of the sentence of
your sin which is death. Eternal separation from God. It is final and irrevocable.
Jesus says: Dont fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul but rather
fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Who are you to judge another?
Who do you think you are to place yourself above God?
Are you able to destroy both body and soul in hell?
Do you think you are without flaw?
Are you the holy standard?
Can you save a soul from hell?

Rom 2:1 Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that
judgest dost practise the same things.
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Albert Barnes: Who art you, a weak and frail and erring mortal, yourself
accountable to that judge that you should interfere and pronounce judgement on
another, especially when he is only doing what that judge permits him to do?
If you want intimate friendships, if you want people that will feel your heartbeat,
and whose heartbeat you can feel, you must take them with their faults and you
must love them. And when there are sin-issues in each others life. You must make
corrections in love. It is not our jobs to judge others motives and the intents of
their heart. Part of loving someone is rebuking them. It is not easy to do, but it is
genuine love, and we should not shy away from that.
What is the condemnation from the just Saviour?
Who are you? He says
I save, I destroy, I am the Lawgiver.
What do I need to do to stop slandering and judging?
Repent.
Get to the root of the problem. There are 3 reasons:
1. Revenge. If someone hurts your feelings. Math 5:44but I say unto you,
Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; 45that ye
may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to
rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the
unjust.
2. Pride and self-righteousness.
3. Too much idle talk. Prov 10:19, Mal 3:16. We should be iron sharpening iron.
We should talk about heaven, spiritual struggles, prayer requests, and
scripture. Elevate conversations to things of eternity.
Two reasons why these are the worst of all sin:
1. We exalt ourselves above the law
2. We exalt ourselves above God.