Series on James - We Will Face the Real Judge

 

We Will Face the Real Judge

James 4:10-11

How many times have we been caught talking smack or fault-finding about someone, especially someone close or near-family or friend, not just those in the world. We are standing in judgment against God and His creation as James stated earlier. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” (James 3:9)  This is an often used trap of the enemy of God to separate and divide the body of Christ, and yes it is from the fallen human nature as well.

So let's read the first portion of the text. “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.”

James had been exhorting the church to examine themselves and repent of their sins against God and others, and their desires for worldliness. The church was finding fault with a brother or sister in fault-finding and speaking ill of them (slander). In essence, it was finding fault with their neighbor and disobeying God’s law. They were breaking the law that Jesus told them to keep, “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:39)

James knew there was only one judge and law-giver and that was God. Who was man or woman to judge what God had made or told them to do? They were placing themselves on the judgment seat of God, and they were sitting in judgment of God who gave the law.

Application - Bickering, murmuring, complaining, sniping, squabbling, spatting, or just scrapping have been the custom of mankind forever. It is part of the fallen nature of mankind and it is still flagrantly used even in the churches today. James didn’t have anything new to deal with, even the disciples were squabbling with each other about who was the greatest among themselves with Jesus. 

God gave us laws to show up our sinful nature, and He gave us laws that we are to obey regardless of our feelings, tempers, or dispositions towards others. We are to love others as Jesus loves us, this is grace. That is why Jesus gave the commandment, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Emphasis mine

James’ pointed out as well as John the apostle that love was commanded by God. John even put it more bluntly, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.” (1 John 3:10) 

It is not my intention to point the finger of judgment, for I know that there are three fingers pointed back at me. To love as God loves is a command, not an option or opinion. And it is God who will discipline those whom He loves. So let us put to death the flesh and the schemes of the deceiver. Let us live and love as God has called us too. “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:14-17 ESV)

Last, James gives them a vital wake-up call! So let’s read the last portion of the text. “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?”

James wasn’t holding judgment on the brothers or sisters, but was stating the very essence of the law of God in His Word. There is only One God, and He gave His Son as an atoning sacrifice and propitiation for all sins. He died for the sins of all mankind, and they were all to love their neighbors as themselves. For, Jesus is the only righteous judge who will judge man according to his or her words and acts. “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” And Jesus told all his disciples and those following on the mount, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”(Matt. 6:37, 12:36-37 NIV) 

 That brought James and the believers to the only conclusion, “But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” He brought the verdict home to every heart and mind of the church and to all who would become believers. God is the  only One who can judge, and He gave that authority to His Son, Jesus the Christ! “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22) So what was the verdict for the believing church in Jerusalem and in the diaspora? Love one another and “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. ' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31).

Application - I know that there are different judgments at the end of time  and the judgment of the Bema seat for the saints will be for their works and words “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 12:36-37)

Our Lord and Savior will be the one who knows everything we have done and said. How we loved or not loved as we were commanded. Yes, God doesn’t hold our forgiven sins against us, but He also said that we are accountable. “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.  But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:4-7)

The closing point is this, let us live holy and pure lives in Christ Jesus. Let us put to death the fleshly nature to fault-find and slander our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and anyone else for that matter. For we know that the tongue is a raging fire or a sharpened sword that can easily kill with just a few words. So don’t let the devil or our flesh lead us astray, let us continue to obey Jesus! Love as Jesus loves.

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com