James 4:11 KJV
[11] “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.”
James has a lot to say in this epistle about the tongue. He condemns the sins of backbiting, gossiping, and a judgmental attitude. It is shocking that God’s children would even need such a rebuke. You would expect the world to bite and devour each other but never the bride of Christ. The truth of our text is that there are times when the saints speak evil of one another.
Speaking evil of another brother is very detrimental. First, it makes the one speaking look bad. It is wicked to speak evil of a brother who is not present. Whenever you are openly condemning someone, it does not send pleasant thoughts through the mind of the person listening. Even if what you said was true, it doesn’t mean that you should tell it. Have you ever thought highly of a believer until you got to know them better, and it became clear that they didn’t know how to bridle their tongue? You could not believe what they were saying and immediately lost respect for them as a Christian.
Speaking evil also hurts the one you are judging. Now, I understand the Lord will vindicate the individual if they are guiltless. However, the evil speaking of one brother can poison the mind of another. It could tarnish the character of someone who is not even guilty. People tend to say things, assume things, and draw conclusions without checking the facts. Always remember that there are two sides to every story.
Finally, speaking evil of another brother hurts the cause of Christ and grieves the Holy Spirit. Gossip does nothing to further the kingdom of God. We should practice holding our tongue and building up the brethren, not tearing them down. That is not the principle of compromise but true Christianity.