Love One Another: Avoid Pride, Lies, Slander, Complaints

May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Pride’s Peacock Strut and the Roots of Envy

Pride struts like a preening peacock, demanding recognition while breeding envy. When we fixate on personal glory—craving position, applause, or impact—we provoke others through comparison or silent resentment. This vanity distorts relationships, turning brothers into rivals. Paul links conceit to provoking and envying, exposing how pride’s hunger for attention fractures unity. Envy festers when we resent others’ gifts, opportunities, or successes, forgetting God values humble service over self-made platforms. [38:07]

“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
(Galatians 5:26, NKJV)

Reflection: Where does pride subtly demand recognition in your life? How might envy toward someone’s gifts or opportunities hinder your ability to celebrate them?

Day 2: Lies That Cling Like Grass Stains

Lying isn’t just bold falsehoods—it’s the quiet stains of exaggeration, hidden motives, or performance-driven piety. We lie to impress others with spiritual depth, career success, or curated personas. Paul urges believers to “put off the old man” of deception, reminding them Christ’s new life thrives in raw honesty. Lies corrode trust, whether hiding failures, inflating stories, or masking secret lives. Truthfulness mirrors Jesus, who never twisted reality for approval. [48:20]

“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”
(Colossians 3:9–10, NKJV)

Reflection: What subtle lies have you tolerated to protect your image? How might hiding your weaknesses prevent others from offering grace?

Day 3: Slander’s Unseen Ripples in Shallow Waters

Speaking evil isn’t just gossip—it’s careless words that ripple harm. A thoughtless comment about someone’s spiritual maturity, a joke undermining authority, or assumptions spread as fact can drown reputations. James warns that slandering a brother judges God’s law of love, elevating ourselves as arbiters of worth. Like Paul’s hasty insult toward the high priest, we often speak before seeing the full person. [56:12]

“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law.”
(James 4:11, NKJV)

Reflection: When have you criticized someone without seeking understanding? How might assuming the worst about a brother’s motives damage your capacity to love?

Day 4: Complaining’s Bitter Root in the Elder Brother’s Shadow

Grumbling grows from a heart that says, “Why aren’t you like me?” It fixates on unmet expectations, others’ flaws, or God’s uneven blessings. James ties complaining to self-righteousness, like the elder brother begrudging the prodigal’s grace. A critical spirit forgets the Judge stands at the door, ready to address both the complained-against and the complainer. [01:14:02]

“Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!”
(James 5:9, NKJV)

Reflection: What unmet expectation fuels your complaints about others? How might releasing comparison free you to intercede instead of criticize?

Day 5: Feeding Bears and Defying Don’ts

Defiance often masquerades as freedom. Like tourists ignoring “Don’t feed the bears” signs, we resent boundaries meant to protect. The sermon’s “don’ts”—envy, lies, slander, grumbling—aren’t legalism but guardrails for love. Obeying them requires humility, acknowledging our tendency to harm when left unchecked. True liberty serves others, not self. [37:27]

“Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”
(Romans 14:13, NKJV)

Reflection: Which “don’t” feels most restrictive to you? How might that restriction actually safeguard someone’s spiritual journey?

Sermon Summary

Jesus commands his followers to love one another, and the New Testament shows what that looks like in dozens of the “one anothers.” But Scripture also gives some necessary don’ts. Paul in Galatians 5:26 forbids becoming conceited, which immediately works itself out by “provoking one another” and “envying one another.” Conceit sits at the root. Pride wants glory, whether through position, recognition, or being credited with impact, but that is “vainglory,” glory without any real basis. God prizes service over position, humility over recognition, and faithfulness over measurable impact. When pride does not get the glory it craves, envy grows. Envy can fixate on another’s abilities, opportunities, successes, esteem, or even their charm. Then provoking follows. The image is a lineup for battle, strutting and inviting combat. Scripture paints that in taunts like Goliath’s, in subversion like Delilah’s, and in threats like those Nehemiah faced. Pride breeds envy, and envy soon breeds conflict in homes and in churches, which is why Paul forbids it.

Paul in Colossians 3:9 then says, “Do not lie to one another,” and the grammar carries the force of “stop it” if it is happening. Lying shows up not only in big deceptions but also in small, slippery attempts to impress or to hide. The command rests on conversion. The old man lies, shrugs it off, and calls it savvy. The new man has “put on” Christ and aims for the likeness of the One who never lied. Truthful speech belongs to the new life.

James in 4:11 adds, “Do not speak evil of one another.” Slander often happens mindlessly, without counting the damage. It can crush a person’s reputation, cultivate a taste for gossip in the listener, and stain the talker’s own credibility. James ties this to the “royal law” of loving a neighbor; evil-speaking quietly declares that law optional and sneaks into God’s seat as judge. Scripture calls that usurpation. Discernment about clear sin or false teaching is not the issue here. The issue is tearing down a brother or sister because of dislike or ignorance.

James in 5:9 finally warns, “Do not grumble against one another.” A complaining spirit usually says, “You aren’t like me,” fixating on unmet service, quirks, or perceived lack of maturity. That spirit is condemned, as the elder brother learned, and the Lord stands at the door as Judge. He will address what is truly wrong in another, and He will also deal with the grumbler. Love refuses the envy, lying, evil-speaking, and complaining that eat a church from the inside.

Key Takeaways

1. Pride breeds envy and conflict Envy does not appear out of thin air. Pride first craves glory, then resents any glory given to someone else, and finally stirs up a fight to get it back. Naming the root keeps the fruit from ripening. [38:50]
2. Christ prizes service over status God does not hand out crowns for titles, but for quiet faithfulness. When the heart runs after position or recognition, it is chasing vapor, not substance. Service done before God empties pride’s tank and starves envy. [42:54]
3. Truthful speech belongs to the new man Lies often mask as modest polish or self-protection, but they always fit the wardrobe of the old self. Conversion put that outfit off and put on Christ, whose mouth never needed a cover story. Honesty is not a tactic; it is a testimony to new life. [54:15]
4. Slander breaks the royal law of love Tearing down a brother not only injures him; it quietly tells God’s law to sit down and be quiet. That move climbs into the Judge’s chair and pretends to know the heart. Love refuses that seat and chooses restraint, clarity, and prayer. [64:27]
5. Grumbling invites the Judge’s scrutiny Complaint sounds like moral clarity, but it usually centers self as the standard. James warns that such groaning draws condemnation because it mistreats a brother and forgets the true Judge is already at the door. Let the Judge judge, and let love be loudest. [77:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:28] - Why the don’ts grate on us
[35:31] - The many one anothers
[37:27] - Necessary negatives in love
[38:07] - Galatians 5:26: don’t provoke or envy
[38:50] - Pride as the root of vainglory
[43:32] - How envy takes shape
[45:34] - What provoking looks like
[48:20] - Colossians 3:9: stop lying
[54:15] - Old man off, new man on
[56:12] - James 4:11: don’t speak evil
[58:47] - The ripple effects of slander
[63:31] - Judging the royal law
[67:10] - Disrespecting authority examples
[73:42] - James 5:9: don’t grumble
[77:06] - The Judge at the door
[78:38] - Love shown by the don’ts

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Galatians 5:26 (NKJV)
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Colossians 3:9 (NKJV)
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.

James 4:11 (NKJV)
Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law.

James 5:9 (NKJV)
Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

Observation questions

According to Galatians 5:26, what two behaviors stem from conceit?
What reason does Colossians 3:9 give for avoiding lies?
In James 4:11, how does slandering a brother relate to judging God’s law?
What example was given in the sermon of how envy can lead to conflict in relationships? [47:52]

Interpretation questions

Why might Paul connect lying to the "old self" in Colossians 3:9? How does truthfulness reflect the "new self"?
James 4:11 warns that evil speech "judges the law." What does it mean to treat love as optional when criticizing others?
The sermon compared grumbling to the elder brother in the prodigal son parable. How does a complaining spirit reveal self-centeredness? [16:41]
How does envying someone’s "privilege" or opportunities (as mentioned in the sermon) create division? [44:31]

Application questions

When have you felt tempted to exaggerate or hide the truth to impress others? What practical step could help you "put on" honesty this week? [49:43]
Think of a time you criticized someone’s character or choices. How could you have chosen prayer or clarity instead of judgment?
What specific situations or relationships tend to trigger envy in you? How might focusing on service (rather than status) shift your perspective? [42:54]
Identify one area where you tend to complain (e.g., unmet expectations, quirks). How can entrusting that to God’s judgment change your attitude? [17:06]
The sermon mentioned how even "small" lies or gossip harm others. What habits could help you pause and weigh your words before speaking? [58:47]

Sermon Clips

55s

#LeaveJudgingToGod

“If you if you are engaging in this kind of evil speaking of one another, what you're saying is that law does not apply to me in relationship to him. I don't have to love him even though the law says, I am to love him. He is my brother or she is my sister in Christ. I don't need to obey it. You're judging the law. You're saying, I don't have to do what the law tells me to do. That's one thing. The other thing you're doing in verse 12 is you're usurping a position that is not yours to hold. James says, look, there's one law giver who is able to save and destroy. Who are you to judge another?”

59s

#StrutInvitesConflict

“The word means to invite to combat, To invite to con to combat. I want you to think about this in in some biblical examples of provoking. You read in the Old Testament with some of these battles that are are are being prepared for, and it says that one side in the battle sets the battle in array. You set the battle in array. What are they doing? They're strutting their stuff. They're inviting to combat by strutting their stuff. It's kinda kinda like the kinda like a peacock that will spread its feathers or the the the turkey that go you know, the male, the fans its feathers or, you you know, that they're strutting their stuff, just daring you. Come on. Come on. I'll take you on. Strutting their stuff.”

63s

#CheckYourGrumbling

“In short and and now listen. Let's just make this a nice simple statement. A complaining spirit groans that you aren't like me. That's what it is. It's really what it's all about. And that spirit, has some inherent dangers in it. He says, do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Lest you be condemned. Well, why would why would I be condemned? They're the ones that aren't like me. Well, because you're if if you're guilty of this, you deserve punishment because of your behavior toward a brother. This always shows itself in some way, your behavior toward a brother and or your attitude toward that brother.”

50s

#HumilityOverVainglory

“Desire for glory, position, recognition, or perhaps desire for the glory that comes from making some kind of an impact and to be credited for it. The problem with all of that kind of stuff though is that is that it is a pursuit of vanity. It's a pursuit of vanity. In verse 26 in the King James, it says something about it being vain vainglorious, vainglory. Let us not become conceited. Let us not pursue vainglory. That word conceit is has the idea of being proud without justification or without any basis whatsoever.”

42s

#LoveOverLegalism

“There's just something about there's just something about being told don't that grates on us, isn't there? Some of us had a hard have a hard enough time being told what to do, but then when we're told what not to do, that's just too much. That smacks of that smacks of legalism. That smacks of rules. Don't tell me what I can't do. And furthermore, we don't like it because it's negative, and we want everything to be positive. Well, Jesus commands his followers to love one another. That's a positive. That's a thing to do, to love one another.”

84s

#DontTextAndDrive

“Have you ever heard someone boastfully declare, just just go ahead. Tell me I can't do something and I guarantee I'm gonna do it. Well, that's one thing, but another other occasions that's the kind of attitude is expressed when, there's any kind of a negative told to that person. Don't text or talk on the phone while you're driving. And yet, you don't have to drive around town very very long before you see somebody driving along, talking on the phone, or even worse, they're doing this thing, you know, texting and they're driving. Don't text and drive. People text and drive.”

43s

#PrideBreedsProvocation

“Now you notice that the the two words provoking and envying are participles. I mean, they end in those that those are I n g words if you will. And and that that tells you something. That that tells you that it's like a description of behavior that is connected to something else, like the way something is is worked out. And the and the something that is worked out is the root of those two behaviors which is what verse 26 begins with. Let us not become conceited. In other words, pride is at the root of this prohibited behavior of provoking and envying one another.”

41s

#LoveHasDonts

“Okay? Now admittedly, some of those can be more challenging than others at times, but all are positive expressions of love for one another. And yet, if you're gonna truly love your brother or sister in Christ, there are some negatives. There are some things in the bible where we're told we are not to do. The those dreaded don'ts. If you picked up, received one of those handouts for the message this morning, you'll find seven of them on that page. Four of them we'll look at in detail and three of them are for you to consider later on in your own.”

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Faith Baptist Church of Sterling This sermon · AI assistant

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Love One Another: Avoid Pride, Lies, Slander, Complaints

Devotional

Day 1: Pride’s Peacock Strut and the Roots of Envy

Day 2: Lies That Cling Like Grass Stains

Day 3: Slander’s Unseen Ripples in Shallow Waters

Day 4: Complaining’s Bitter Root in the Elder Brother’s Shadow

Day 5: Feeding Bears and Defying Don’ts

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Love One Another: Avoid Pride, Lies, Slander, Complaints

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