A. Seek Good for One Another—(1 Thess 5:15)
1. Love for others is a continual action in which we “Seek” after the good of one another, whether we feel like it or not
B. Confess your sins to One Another—(James 5:16)
1. Confess—to go to God and other and agree with God’s word that you have sinned
2. If you have sinned against someone, go to them and confess it. Not to make you feel better but for the other person’s benefit to facilitate reconciliation.
C. Do Not Speak Against One Another—(James 4:11)
1. It is a sin to speak evil against another believer; it is gossip & slander (Eph 4:31). We shall all give an account of every careless word we say (Matt 12:36)
2. Gossip—to speak about someone that is not present in a way to disparage their reputation (even if it is true)
3. Slander—to damage someone’s reputation through, thoughtless, critical, derogatory, untrue (or unverified) speech
4. Malice—is the attitude of the heart that desires for someone to be brought down or harmed.
5. Careless speech is not an excuse as it still carries malice because it puffs up the person speaking in self-righteousness, and evokes pity & sympathy in others, all the while bringing another person down.
D. Do Not Grumble Against One Another (James 5:9)
1. Grumble—to murmur, complain, groan against someone
2. To find fault with or blame another person for the wrong you are enduring when they haven’t done anything wrong
3. Discontentment with your circumstances, and not getting what you want is the real sin issue.
4. Ultimately we are complaining against God who has orchestrated our circumstances for our good (James 1:2-3)