(Further reflections on “Slander”—Sunday 13-Nov-2022)
If only you are a lawgiver, you can slander others. Unfortunately, you are not. So slandering is a sin that we all possibly have committed (from time to time) without knowing it. When we speak against or slander someone, we are acting as a lawgiver and judge even though we know there is only one lawgiver and judge, who is able to save and destroy, that is our triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We are instructed that we should not only be hearers only but doers of God’s word (cf. James 1:22-24). When we do not live out what we heard, we are deceiving ourselves. When someone slander someone, he/she is not doer of the Law/Word. Of which, he/she is not loving other human made in the image of God. Although the one who was slandered might be felt ‘cheated’ (when finding out), the one who slandered others have deceived his/herself.
We are told, “The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge (James 4:11).” For example, when signing a business contract, both parties are bound by the law that was stated in the agreement. And consider that in one of the clauses says that neither Party A or B is allowed to slander one another’s products or corporate image. If/when any violation is proven, the guilty party is considered breaking the contract and the law of the land. The offender will be seen as someone who is acting above the law and breaking the law. They are now judging the law because they were not following the law of the land. And even a penalty is paid, the image and reputation of the party being slandered will no longer be the same in the public eyes.
So the next time when you are tempted to slander someone, pause, go outside, somewhere no one will see you and slap your face or find some dirt or spit in your hands and smear your face as you look into a mirror or take a selfie. Now (a) if you feel good about this and tired of being a doer of God’s word, for you felt entitled of being a lawgiver, then go ahead and slander someone at your choice. But (b) if you disgust about what you did to yourself, then know what exactly slandering will do to others and even worse, it is an indirect way of slapping or bringing dirt to Jesus’ face, who is also the Savior of the one whom you are about to slander. This is when you will heed God’s word compassionately, “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another (James 4:11).” Lord, have mercy on those who have (un/knowingly) committed a sin of slandering. May they repent as soon as they realized it and be spared from your eternal judgement.
—
Pastor Lap
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