Don’t Criticize One Another
August 21
Think About It …
• What are some things families and friends
commonly argue or fight about?
• Today we look at how Christians are to relate
to one another …
– how we talk
– how we act
Listen for a direct command or
imperative given by James.
James 4:11-12 (NIV) Brothers, do not slander
one another. Anyone who speaks against his
brother or judges him speaks against the law
and judges it. When you judge the law, you are
not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. [12]
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one
who is able to save and destroy. But you--who
are you to judge your neighbor?
The Problem with Christians
• How are we to speak to one another?
• What are some synonyms for “slander”?
• What dangerous progression do we engage in
when we speak judgmentally of others? What
attitude are we having toward God and His
law?
The Problem with Christians
• Why do these forms of slander demonstrate
poison or evil as mentioned by James?
Form of Slander
Why “poison” or evil
• Criticism
• Gossip
• Arguing
• What should we do which are the opposites of
these forms of slander… things we say which
result in praise and blessing, not poison or evil?
The Problem with Christians
• One of the principles of these studies about
“one another” is to act in the way Jesus treats
us. Name some ways that Jesus managed
concern for people.
• Someone has said that though we are not to
judge, we can observe presence or lack of the
Fruit of the Spirit. How can we exercise good
judgment (be a “Fruit inspector”) without
being judgmental?
Listen for what two groups Paul was
addressing.
Romans 14:1-4 (NIV) Accept him whose faith is
weak, without passing judgment on disputable
matters. [2] One man's faith allows him to eat
everything, but another man, whose faith is
weak, eats only vegetables. [3] The man who
eats everything must not look down on him who
does not,
Listen for what two groups Paul was
addressing.
and the man who does not eat everything must
not condemn the man who does, for God has
accepted him. [4] Who are you to judge
someone else's servant? To his own master he
stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is
able to make him stand.
The Need for Acceptance
• What did Paul say to do when other believers
don’t see things the way we do?
• What reasons did Paul give for not judging
people on disputable matters?
• What issues did Paul believe were not worth
fighting over?
The Need for Acceptance
• What life-style rules and issues do Christians
argue about today?
• How can we learn more about what causes
believers to do, say, or believe certain things?
• When Scripture is not explicit on an issue, how
should a person decide what is right and
wrong?
Listen for a bad habit that Paul talks
about in this passage
Romans 14:5-12 (NIV) One man considers one
day more sacred than another; another man
considers every day alike. Each one should be
fully convinced in his own mind. [6] He who
regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.
He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives
thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to
the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Listen for a bad habit that Paul talks
about in this passage
[7] For none of us lives to himself alone and
none of us dies to himself alone. [8] If we live,
we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the
Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to
the Lord. [9] For this very reason, Christ died
and returned to life so that he might be the Lord
of both the dead and the living. [10] You, then,
why do you judge your brother?
Listen for a bad habit that Paul talks
about in this passage
Or why do you look down on your brother? For
we will all stand before God's judgment seat.
[11] It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the
Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every
tongue will confess to God.' " [12] So then, each
of us will give an account of himself to God. …
[19] Let us therefore make every effort to do
what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
The Goal of Edification
• What should be the primary motivation for a
person’s decision to eat meat or celebrate a
sacred day?
• The foundation of acceptance is doing what
we do in honor of the Lord. How is this
different from accepting all opinions?
• What is a Christian’s responsibility for building
peace among other believers?
The Goal of Edification
• How can Christians share a spirit of unity
despite having different views on certain
practices?
• Why does loving encouragement lead to
positive change more often than does
negative criticism?
Application
• James reminds us not to speak evil against
one another
– Allow God to be the judge in situations where you
differ in opinion with someone else
– Reject temptations to gossip – even when it is in
the form of a “prayer request”
Application
• In Christian faith, not all matters are of the
same weight or importance
– Make room for acceptable disagreement in
peripheral areas of belief
– If you happen to disagree with another belier in
some of these areas, don’t let it lead to bad
feelings and/or vocal criticism
Application
• Scripture calls for us to edify, to build one
another up … not to tear down.
– Who in your circle of acquaintances needs
building up?
– Think about how you can build up children and
grandchildren
– Look for people and situations in our church
where you can give positive reinforcement
Don’t Criticize One Another
August 21