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Scripture Reading : James 5:9

Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

James¹ turns from patience under trial in verse 8, to showing patience with other Christians in the above verse. In this connection he brings in the coming of the Lord. However, here the Lord is not the judge of the lost as in previous verses, but of the saint. In verses 7 and 8 His coming is brought in to encourage Christians, but in verse 9 it is to bring in a note of warning. The judge stands ready to judge the complainer.

Do not grumble

The American Standard Version has, "murmur not one against another." The King James Version has, “Grudge not." This was a good translation when the King James Version was written, but the word has changed in meaning since then. Various ones translate it as "complain not" and "groan not." The New King James Version’s "Do not grumble" is a good translation.

Grumblers

Some people, even some Christians, are chronic grumblers. They grumble about almost everybody and everything, and are incessantly at it. Here's a little poem by William Harrison that pictures such:

They grumble when it's morning,

They grumble when it's night,

They grumble when it's raining;

They grumble when it's bright,

They grumble when it's hot,

They grumble when it's cold,

They grumble when they're young,

But a lot more when they're old.

But there's a new location

Called Hallelujah Street ,

We pray they move up there

And be forever sweet.

Leave Grumbling Alley vacant,

Put up “No Thoroughfare”

For God will never bless them

If they keep living there.

Causes for grumbling

These early Christians had much to upset them; to put their nerves on edge. They were often defrauded, accused, abused, and condemned. When one's nerves are upset, it is easy to groan and grumble. How easy it is when all goes wrong to take it out on the wife or children, or on our fellow Christians. Let us be careful not to grumble at all, and certainly not against those who are not responsible for our troubles. If the Spirit of God is ungrieved within us, He can keep us from groaning and grumbling.

Grumbling at home

In some homes there is considerable grumbling. The husband grumbles because the wife spends too much, does not correct the children, or does not keep the house neat enough. The children are too noisy, or too destructive, or not well enough behaved. The children do their share of grumbling, too. They grumble at each other, or about the food, and sometimes even about the way their parents treat them. Wives are not immune either. They sometimes grumble about having too much to do, or not being able to get out more, or not being able to get what they feel the children need or want in the way of clothes, or their husband does not help enough around the house, etc. Often this continual grumbling is destructive for the family, and if both husband and wife grumble a lot it can eventually wreck the home. Let us try to have a well-ordered home with mutual respect, love, and forbearance. Let us pray that we may be especially kind in the home. One little fellow was asked for a definition of "home." He said, "Home is the place where you are treated the best, but act the worst." How true this often is.

Grumbling at work

Employers and employees do a lot of grumbling, too. The employer grumbles about his help. Their work is not good, or they do not produce enough, or they want too much pay. They may also grumble about competitors, or the ones they buy from or sell to. Some are never kind, always grumbling or growling. Then the help grumbles about the wages or working conditions. All these things make for unhappiness and bitterness. Much more is accomplished by kindness and tolerance. Let us leave "Grumbling Alley" vacant even in our business affairs.

Grumbling among Christians

James is especially speaking about grumbling among Christians. We naturally expect more from Christians than from others, consequently it is harder to be patient with them. Differences are sure to arise among the Lord’s people. Some will be conservative and grumble against each other, while others are more liberal and grumble each other. We must learn to give and take, to bear and forbear. Let us not be stubborn unless some clearly stated fundamental Biblical truth is at stake. Even then, brotherly love is absolutely essential for success in the things of God.

Lest you be condemned

The word "condemned" may be too strong. "Judged" as in the American Standard Version is better. The Lord will call all Christians who grumble, to answer before the judgment seat of Christ. When we grumble and complain about fellow Christians, we are setting in judgment on them, and this brings judgment on ourselves. The Lord says, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). We have no right to judge fellow Christians, for we ourselves are far from what we should be. We are not wise enough to give accurate judgment, and will ourselves be judged by the rightful Judge. Let us leave judgment in His hands.

The Judge is standing at the door

Our verse pictures Christ standing at the door, waiting for the hour to strike—when He will came and take His judgment seat. This should teach us that time is short; the tomorrow of eternity is at hand. Let us live for today, because it may be all over tomorrow. Let us not be grumblers. Let us never forget that we will all soon stand before His judgment seat².

Footnotes:

¹ For a verse by verse study of James, see The Epistle of James in Additional Resources of StudyJesus.com.

² See Romans 14:10.