Evil Speaking, towards another, more commonly known as slander, refers to mindless, thoughtless, careless, critical, derogatory, untrue speech directed at others. That has the ability to discredit or damage another person or reputation. Evil Speaking here can also be gossip, or repeating a matter behind the scenes that has the potential to hurt others or cause division. This evil speaking towards others arises out of a judgmental attitude, or a critical spirit that gives a decidedly negative review, a negative critique, an unfavorable criticism,and that calls another person's motive into question. It is mentally in support of the guilty verdict. This leads to believing that Speech is the means and the way to administer personal justice, which you take upon yourself either in public or in private. Of course gossip and slander is most often and typically private, (we will see why later).Slander comes from a heart of Pride.
The Lord judges His people as if He were already standing in their midst, and by the hand of James commands the assembly of His worshipers to humble themselves, as sinners needing their hands cleaned, to purify their hearts, and stop speaking evil of one another, stop slandering, and stop judging your fellows. Stop talking about your fellow believers however you want to talk about them in your living rooms, in your bedrooms, and in other people's houses, As if The Lord of the sheep couldn't hear you and wasn't there listening. His omnipresence, or immanence, means He is permeating His universe and thus is always constantly "imminent", drawing near and at hand, ever closing in upon our seemingly private conversations! |
