Christ's Law

[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 4:11a . . Do not speak evil of one another, brethren.

The Greek word for "speak evil" basically pertains to slander.

Webster's defines "slander" as: the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations
which defame and/or damage another's reputation and/or a false and defamatory
oral statement about a person; viz: libel.

Webster's defines "libel" as: 1) a written or oral defamatory statement or
representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression, and 2) a
statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose
another to public contempt.

According to Webster's, a statement (or a photograph) need not be untrue to
qualify as libel. If the statement, and/or the photograph, is unnecessarily
denigrating and/or embarrassing to someone, though it be 100% true, then it
qualifies as libel.

There are some things we could say about others that, though true, aren't
necessary. For example, if you were to inadvertently see one of the ladies in the
office scratching an itch on her derrière; is it really necessary to go blabbing about
it all over the office? (cf. Gen 9:20-22)

No; and in point of fact, to do so would be libelous, not to mention possibly in
violation of local labor laws banning the fomentation of a hostile workplace; and
these days, it could even be construed as sexual misconduct. If that lady ever
found out you were blabbing about her backside she might be so mortified as to
make it difficult for her to show up for work.

Words are weapons,
Sharper than knives.
The Devil Inside
INXS, Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 4:11b-12 . . 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?

* One way to speak evil of the law, and judge the law, is to misrepresent the law by
construing it to mean things it doesn't say in writing; in other words: to overrule it
and/or criticize the law as out of date.

Someone is sure to jump to the conclusion that James is referring to Matt 7:1-5 but
this has nothing to do with that. What we’re talking about here is a kangaroo court
which Webster’s defines as: (1) a mock court in which the principles of law and
justice are disregarded or perverted, (2) a court characterized by irresponsible,
unauthorized, or irregular status or procedures, and (3) judgment or punishment
given outside of legal procedure.

When a group of beer buddies, and/or a coffee clutch of girl friends, get together
and rake somebody over the coals behind their back, those buddies and girl friends
are conducting a kangaroo court in which the evidence presented is typically hear
say, feelings, thoughts, and impressions. I believe the common colloquialism for
that activity is "character assassination."

Typically the accused is never informed of the trial, nor given an opportunity to
confront their accusers, nor are they granted the right to an appeal. Sadly, yet all
to commonly, once kangaroo courts reach a consensus, the condemned person’s
reputation among those kinds of “judges” is ruined with little chance of repair.

My good opinion, once lost;
Is lost forever.
Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 4:13-16 . . Come now, you who say: Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such
and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.

. .Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor
that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say: If
the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that. But as it is, you boast in your
self confidence; all such boasting is evil.

There are two benefits to my association with God that I value very highly. One is
the ransom that His son paid to rescue my soul from the death depicted by Rev
20;11-15; viz: the destination spoken of by Isa 66:23-24, Matt 10:28, Mark 9:43
48, and Luke 16:19-31.

The second benefit that I value very highly is providence; which is the thing that
James is getting at. His criticism is directed towards overly ambitious Christians
who deliberately neglect to take into consideration God's thoughts about their
schemes.

They also neglect to take into consideration the brevity of life. In other words: if
you're getting by alright in your present circumstances, don't seek better
circumstances. Instead, live out the remaining days of your fragile life where you
are now unless circumstances beyond your control force you to relocate and make
some changes.

"Piety, with contentment, is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and
we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content
with that.

. . People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish
and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of
money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered
from the faith and pierced themselves with much grief." (1Tim 6:6-10)

The love of money is quite a bit different than the necessity for money. The love of
money tends to be grasping, i.e. desiring material possessions urgently and
excessively and often to the point of ruthlessness. The love of money says: more,
more, more. Whereas the necessity for money says: there's no need for more when
adequate is enough.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:1-3 . . Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and
silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will
devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days.

Gold doesn't react with oxygen so it won't rust. However, gold isn't indestructible.
Under certain conditions gold will tarnish, e.g. long-term storage in boxes, bins,
and or environments containing organic sulfur compounds. In other words; James
condemns the rich for stockpiling their gold and never putting any of it to a use
beneficial to their fellow man.

The worst case scenario is the hoarding of gold that rightfully belonged to laborers
who worked to earn it.

Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been
withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the
harvesting has reached the ears of The Lord of Sabaoth. (Jas 5:4)

James' final comment actually accuses unfair labor practices of murder because
they deprive the working man of a living wage; and of course most of the world's
working men do not challenge unfair labor practices in court because they simply
cannot afford to; and in some countries, they would risk severe political reprisals if
they dared.

You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
(Jas 5:6)

The "righteous man" in this context refers to people putting in an honest day's work
and not being fairly compensated for it and/or employers contriving tricky ways to
short change them by deducting trumped up expenses from their pay. There's a lot
of that goes on in the garment industry.

It's still true even in our day that only the rich and powerful can afford justice.
However; there's a day coming when that imbalance will all come to an end.

He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy;
he will crush the oppressor. (Ps 72:4)

But with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the
afflicted of the earth; (Isa 11:4)
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:7-8 . . Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold,
the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it
gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the
coming of the Lord is at hand.

Something like +/- 1,970 years have gone by since James wrote his epistle, so for
him "at hand" had a long ways to go yet.

Although James' encouragement no doubt applies to all believers, it especially
applies to his Jewish countrymen. They have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting
for God to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and to
restore David's kingdom per the words of the prophets. I'm told that many have
given up hope of the promises and the predictions ever coming to pass.

But James urges them not to give up; God is reliable; and He and the kingdom are
both worth waiting for no matter how long it takes because Moses' people will be so
much better off then.

The delay, if we can call it that, is according to 2Pet 3:9 wherein is said the Lord is
reluctant to return; primarily because of the amount of suffering and loss of life
that will occur when He does.

Take for example Rev 16:18-19 where there's predicted a world-wide earthquake
preceding Christ's return so severe on the Richter scale that cities all over the world
will collapse at once.

Something like 2,829 lost their lives when the World Trade Center was demolished
by a terrorist attack in 2001. Well that was only a few acres of New York City. Just
imagine the body count when all of Manhattan comes down at once. along with
other major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Mexico City, Paris, Moscow,
Beijing, Tokyo, et al. The carnage will be beyond belief. Surely no rational person is
anxious to see all of that start to happen. (cf. Isa 2:1-4:6 and Jer 31:1-7)
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:9 . . Do not complain against one another, brethren, that you yourselves
may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

If there’s a personality clash between you and a fellow believer; God forbid you
should drag other people into the middle of it! And keep in mind that God is an
eavesdropper. He hears and sees everything we do, think, or say. Don't let Him
catch you maliciously shredding a fellow believer's reputation, assassinating their
character and/or running them into the ground behind their back. (cf. Matt 18:15)
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:10 . . For an example of suffering and patience, brethren; take the prophets
who spoke in The Lord's name.

The days of Israel, wherein many of the prophets resided, were not ideal, Much of
the time, their country was largely dystopian.

There's an era looming on the horizon wherein the world will be governed by a man
of honor; and justice and stability will be the rule rather than the exception. But for
now, we here in America, and many folks abroad, are stuck in a world where
commerce and government are in the hands of men and women gone mad with
evil. The year 2020 was especially discouraging in America when a man was
elevated the office of President by illegal means and unscrupulous methods.

In times like these, it's helpful to keep in mind that God has not been overthrown,
nor has He abdicated. The Lord is still on God's throne; and His plan, purpose, and
program for us has neither been altered nor thwarted. It will go forward even when
all 'round us are fear, anxiety, pessimism, despair, and insecurity.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:12 . . Above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or
with any other oath; but let your yes be yes, and your no be no; so that you may
not fall under judgment.

Christ took an oath. (Matt 26:62-64, Mark 14:61-62)

God takes oaths. (Gen 22:15-18, Heb 6:13-18, Heb 7:20-21)

Angels swear (Rev 10:5-6)

Paul swore. (Rom 1:9)

Israel's covenanted law, which Christ came to defend (Matt 5:17-19) requires oaths
on special occasions. (e.g. Ex 22:10-11, Lev 5:1, Num 5:19, Deut 29:10-15)

So then, not all oaths are wrong.

The problem is, people are too careless with their oaths. They’re wont to say "I
swear to God" and/or "Hand to God" for just about everything. And they make
promises sealed with the same words.

Those promises are a snare because like Jesus said "you cannot make one hair
white or black". Sure enough, when you seal a promise by God's name, the forces
of heaven and hell, the stars in their courses, dumb luck, brute force,
circumstances beyond your control, and the neighbor's dog are going to make it
impossible for you to keep that promise.

Will God grant you an excuse? Probably not because in order to grant you an
excuse, He would have to compromise not only His integrity; but also the dignity of
the name by which you swore; and that He will never do.

So, it's okay to give your word on a matter, but if at all possible; avoid attaching
God's name to it.

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold
anyone guiltless who misuses His name." (Ex 20:7)
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:13a . . Is anyone among you undergoing hardship? Let him pray.

Though Jesus' followers weren't experiencing difficulty while he was getting ready
for his destiny on the cross (Luke 22:39-46) he no doubt knew that they were soon
to undergo a stress test that would cause them to do something really stupid if they
failed to seek God's providence in what lay ahead. (e.g. Mark 14:50-52 & 66-72)

Most any kind of "hardship" can cause us to become irrational, lose our composure,
and do something contrary to our better judgment, e.g. layoff, illness, death in the
family, old age, betrayal, divorce, legal problems, student debt, traffic incidents,
crime, political events; etc.

FAQ: Why pray about our difficulties? In hopes that God will make them go away?

REPLY: Well; if God is any kind of a parent at all; He's wanting to be a part of your
life rather than an audience or a bystander.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Jas 5:13b . . Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.

The Greek word translated "sing praises" basically corresponds to the Hebrew word
zamar (e.g. Ps 18:49) Both mean pretty much the same thing, to wit: vocals
accompanied by instrumental music for the purpose of celebration.

Unfortunately quite a few traditional Christian hymns are dreary: suitable for a
funeral rather than throwing a party. Compare the 150th Psalm wherein song and
dance are accompanied by high-voltage music.

* The apostles sang a hymn during Jesus' last Passover dinner; with him, I expect,
serving as choir director. (Matt 26:30) Their song was likely familiar to the Jews,
and probably even utilized in the synagogues. We today study many of the Jews'
ancient songs as scripture, without realizing their words were lyrics set to music:
some of the prophets too, e.g. Hab 3:19.

Anyway; "praise" can be roughly defined as saying things about someone that
commends them in some way; such as admiring their artwork, applauding their
musical talent, a favorable evaluation of their personal conduct and/or their
physical beauty, giving them high marks for courage, intelligence, endurance,
loyalty, etc, etc.

I've always been impressed by our creator's imagination. I mean; the seemingly
endless variety of living things in the worlds of flora and fauna is pretty astounding.
And then if it wasn't awe-inspiring enough to set billions of stars in their places, He
constructed the universe as an expanding globe rather than a static structure.
Every hour that goes by results in a bigger void than before and nobody yet has
figured out what's making it do that.
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