27 Apr Study Guide | James Week 10

One of the greatest challenges many Christians will face as they begin to grow in godliness and maturity of faith will be what to do with their words as they relate to other believers. As one grows in his faith, it becomes easier to recognize sin in his own life — but at the same time, it becomes easier to see the sin in others’ lives as well. Along with that growing awareness can often come a growing sense of self-righteousness and the temptation to put others down and slander their reputation. Clearly, James is concerned with the way believers treat one another, especially as it pertains to what they say about one another (as we have seen already in 3:1-12). Here, James helps us understand how the way we judge and defame one another ultimately reveals arrogance in the way we view others, the law, ourselves, and God himself.