Condemning Others

This morning as we continue in our study through the book of James, we consider James 4:11-12. James calls us not so speak evil, or slander one another. He tells us that speaking evil against a brother or sister means speaking evil against the law and judging the law. If we judge the law, we turn our focus off of obeying the law and make a judgement that the laws against slander or loving our neighbors as ourselves, doesn't apply to us. In the sermon today we consider the following questions:

1) Why are we commanded not to slander/speak evil of others?

2) Why do we do it?

3) How do we stop it?

When we slander, speak evil, or condemn one another, we are forgetting our place before God and among our fellow brothers and sisters. To stop our slander, we must squash our self-centeredness and self-righteousness. To crush our condemning of others, we must crush our pride. The gospel of grace crushes our pride. We remember who we were apart from the love of God and work of Christ. We remember that our adoption, redemption, and forgiveness is a sheer gift of grace. As we operate out of the love of God, we seek to use our words to build up, not tear down. We seek to serve others through our speech that is true, good, and beautiful. Would God give us grace to have a gospel-driven humility that forsakes slander, judgementalism and condemning others.