James 5:9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
In today’s verse, we have two instances where we have the word judge used and both times it is a different Greek word being cited. The first Greek word used is kritēs. This word implies one who is a judge, umpire, or someone who decides the outcome. The other use is estēken, which is a perfect-tense verb used to describe the Judge. This conveys that the Judge has taken His stance and maintains an ongoing, active presence.
When we pause and look at the context of the early Church, we discover that this was a time when the early Christians were enduring severe economic exploitation. They were also being heavily persecuted by the wealthy. James sought to encourage believers by whatever means possible. He used the comparison of a farmer waiting for a harvest when waiting for the Lord’s return.
Not only were they facing persecution and personal attack, but we know that under extreme stress, people project their frustrations, envy, and suffering onto those closest to them. In this case, they projected their frustrations on fellow church members. The people that should be giving us the most comfort and encouragement are often the ones we attack in our frustration.
James tells us not to grumble against one another. We know we shouldn’t do it, so why is it such a struggle for us? We know we will be judged. And the judgement we face is like that of an umpire determining our guilt and shame.
He then goes on to remind us that “the Judge is standing at the door.” What a poignant reminder! The Judge, Jesus, He Who is worthy to judge, is standing at the door waiting. We are reminded of this with urgency that Christ is coming soon and He is already near us.
Don’t let your grumbling influence how you respond to others, especially your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Keep in mind that Christ is coming soon and He will judge us with the same level of judgement that we judge others. It is not worth doing, so stop it now before He comes.
Prayer: Lord, I don’t want to grumble against my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to encourage them. Help me to do what is right and what is encouraging. Amen
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