Sin is a living parasite that ultimately produces eternal death for all who ignore its presence in their lives. Jesus Christ came to earth to "seek and save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Paul wrote in Romans that the good news is the "power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." For over two thousand years, the message that Jesus died to save us from sin (a living parasite that will destroy us), has been preached, taught, and spoken time and time again. Many have found "new life" and died safely in the "rest" of Christ. However, many have ignored the message and gone out into a hopeless eternity, the final result of sin's destruction. God's commands, like needed medication for our souls, point us to our need for a Savior and the instruction necessary for a walk of righteousness and throwing off the sickness of sin.
Jesus said the greatest command was "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind." And..."You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Those commands go together. You cannot have one without the other. Therefore, when we speak against our neighbor, we violate the command of God. We reveal that we do not truly love God but are stuck in the mire of the sin of loving ourselves first and showing forth the characteristics of that selfish love through pride, arrogance, and slander. Slander, says John MacArthur, is a serious sin and Christians should take drastic measures to avoid such an offense. Love, on the other hand, wishes only the best for others and is expressed by unselfish contentment.
Sin destroys and every sin must be destroyed by the believer, leaving no stone unturned. Slander, speaking wrongfully against anyone, is a sin that many believers overlook. "The sin of slander, James warns, is no trivial matter. It is brazen, reckless treason against the Sovereign Lawgiver and Judge of the universe." [John MacArthur, New Testament Commentary on James, Chapter 4:12] As also stated in this commentary, by English Puritan Ralph Venning: "The sinfulness of sin not only appears from, but consists in this, that it is contrary to God...It goes about to ungod God, and is by some of the ancients called Deicidium, God-murder or God-killing."
John MacArthur goes on to say in his commentary: "Those who slander others betray an exaggerated view of their own importance. James demands, 'who are you who judge your neighbor?' In our contemporary speech James would be saying, 'Who in the world do you think you are, sitting in condemnation on someone else?" "Those who habitually engage in such behavior cast doubt on the genuineness of their faith." This is truly a stinging, but vitally necessary rebuke to us as believers to "examine ourselves" and repent of this little discussed sin of slander. May we throw off this hindrance to our walk and "run with perseverance" toward the mark of righteousness leaving behind us a trail of dead sin that our Savior destroyed at Calvary.
Satan, in his deceit in the garden, could only torment man and cast doubt on God. However, he could never "ungod God". That has been his intent from the beginning, bringing all that would join with him to everlasting destruction. Yet, God in His mercy, does "not have pleasure the death of the wicked...rather that he should turn from his ways and live". "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come form the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19
