Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Week 16: Chapter 15 — Sins of the Tongue
Read Chapter 15 of Respectable Sins. Key Scripture: James 3:2–12; Proverbs 18:21; Ephesians 4:29.
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We may think of ourselves as well-behaved people, but Bridges argues that the most constant, daily display of our sinfulness is what comes out of our mouths.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Bridges covers several specific sins of the tongue: sarcasm, harsh criticism, cutting humor, bragging, exaggeration, and gossip. Which of these do you recognize most readily in yourself — and which do you tend to justify most readily?
2.James 3 compares the tongue to a rudder that steers a great ship and a spark that sets a forest ablaze. What makes the tongue so disproportionately powerful relative to its small size? Can you point to a word spoken to you — for good or ill — that still shapes you today?
3.Bridges identifies gossip as one of the most common and most destructive tongue sins — and notes that it is particularly prevalent in Christian communities under the guise of 'sharing prayer requests.' How do you distinguish between genuinely asking for prayer for someone and using prayer as a vehicle for gossip?
a.What questions could you ask yourself before sharing information about another person to determine whether it is appropriate?
b.Have you received gossip dressed as prayer? How did you handle it?
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