June 2003
The other day a dear friend forwarded an e-mail to me with a negative article about the kingdom attached and someone’s comments on the article. I quickly responded that it was not my habit to entertain such e-mails and would he please refrain from sending me any more. As I said it was a dear friend who sent this particular e-mail to me and he remains a dear friend. I just have convictions about what information I should and should not entertain.
The following is not a scholarly treatise. It is just the result of my Bible study. If I have erred in my exegesis forgive me. I’ve tried not to. I do think that the biblical teaching on Christian conduct including issues surrounding how we communicate are by and large very clear. I don’t think I’ve said anything below that is contentious. I do think that as a church we are not obeying these teachings very well. Judge for yourselves.
I am writing this mainly to my Indian brothers and sisters. As you know I returned from a six month stint in the full time paid ministry in London which was very eventful! Now I am in Delhi looking for a job. One of the benefits of unemployment is that you have time to write essays – I thought about doing this in London " but it is not an exaggeration to say that other things were on my mind. The issue of slander is an important one.
Here’s why: 1 Cor 5:9-12: ""I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral" or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy an idolater or a slanderer " a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.""
Slander is something serious enough to warrant putting someone out of fellowship with the church! We may presume that the drastic step of “disfellowship” is appropriate only if the sinner refuses to repent after due warning. Nevertheless" this is a sin for which one can be “handed over to Satan”. I am sure that the courtrooms of many countries are full of arguments as to “What is slander?” When is a conversation or correspondence to be deemed slanderous?
Below are some dictionary definitions of slander and some related concepts:
Random House Dictionary Definitions:
* Slander: n. 1. defamation; calumny; rumours full of slander. 2. a malicious false and defamatory statement or report: a slander against his good name v.t. to utter slander against; defame; v.i. to utter or circulate slander.
* Defame v.t. 1. to attack the good name or reputation of as by uttering or publishing maliciously or falsely anything injurious: slander or libel; calumniate
* Calumny n. 1. a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something
* Malice n. 1. desire to inflict injury harm or suffering on another either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness
* Gossip n. 1. idle talk or rumour especially about the personal or private affairs of others. v.i. 6. to talk idly especially about the affairs of others; go about tattling
A higher standard
While the people of the world may debate in courtrooms I am convicted that our standard as disciples is to be much higher than the world’s.
Take a look Psalms 15:1-5: A psalm of David. LORD who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD who keeps his oath even when it hurts who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
David opens with the question “LORD who may dwell in your sanctuary?” One might await the answer with bated breath; after all this is what we live for. We want to cry out – “WHO indeed may live with God? Please tell me!” Well included in the answer is “he….who has no slander on his tongue……and casts no slur on his fellowman….” While the world may debate what constitutes slander from a legal or moral perspective we as Christians should be wary of even “casting a slur” on someone else! I am most certainly not innocent of negative talk about others but I can honestly say I am very convicted. (The rest of the psalm is also pretty challenging.)
“Casting a slur”: When I consider this phrase it reminds me of the tactics of Satan in Gen 3:1-6: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman " ""Did God really say" You must not eat from any tree in the garden "?"" The woman said to the serpent" " ""We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden" but God did say You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden and you must not touch it or you will die. You will not surely die the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God " knowing good and evil.""
Now" here’s an interesting question: Did Satan actually slander God? I mean did he lie about God? Or did he just sow doubt or “cast a slur”? “Did God really say……?” The sowing of doubt is followed by that age old temptation to our pride “..God knows….you will be like God…” Again is there not truth in what Satan said? Was it strictly slander? After all God does indeed want us to know our place before him. For example take Eccl 5:2-3: Do not be quick with your mouth do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth so let your words be few.
So was it slander? By the Bible’s standard I would argue that yes Satan did indeed slander God. You see what Satan did not explain was God’s heart and motive.
Deut 10:12-14: And now O Israel what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God to walk in all his ways to love him to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to observe the LORD s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
We are tempted by our own pride towards disobedience and rebellion forgetting that God’s commands are for our own good. So when God forbade Adam and Eve to eat that particular fruit it was not to “repress” or “suppress” or “oppress” them it was for their good. When Satan “cast that slur” on God he forgot to mention that didn’t he? Half-truths can also constitute slander!
Let’s go back to Psalms 15 for a moment: A psalm of David. LORD who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous who speaks the truth from his heart.
Rather than slander we should “speak the truth from the heart”. If this involves pointing out someone else’s sin then this should be done directly. This is the clear implication since speaking the truth from the heart is here set in contrast to slandering or casting a slur on one’s fellowman. This agrees with other Scriptures:
* Proverbs 27:5: Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
* Prov 28:23-24: He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.
Now the question is having said our peace what should we do? Well when it comes to dealing with sin against us the procedure is quite clear and much preached about. Matt 18:15-18 reads " ""If your brother sins against you" go and show him his fault just between the two of you. If he listens to you you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Sometimes however the issue is not clearly to do with sin. It may be to do with opinion matters or matters of judgment. It can be especially vexing if we are convinced that decisions made by those “over us in the Lord” are somehow wrong or even against the best interests of the kingdom. Worst of all is when we are actually sinned against by those “in power” and we don’t even have recourse to steps 2 and 3 of Matthew 18. How should we conduct ourselves in situations like this?
I’ve been a Christian for twenty years. I can recall in my Christian life stories like those that I have heard from others. I am more convinced than ever that the only way to deal with these situations and the hurt that springs from them is to resolve to imitate our Master and develop a God-centred approach.
1 Peter 3:8-19: Finally all of you live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic love as brothers be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult but with blessing because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For " ""Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer" " but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."" Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right" " you are blessed. ""Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."" But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better if it is God s will to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit through whom also he went and preached...
As Jesus did we should “commit [ourselves] to [our] faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19) whenever we “suffer according to God’s will”. Now wait a minute I hear you say these passages are about suffering at the hands of the world not the church! Well perhaps so. But look carefully at the text quoted above. 1 Peter 3:8-18 begins with instructions about relationships within the body of Christ. In the church we should live in harmony with one another; in the church we should not repay evil for evil or insult for insult. Verses 10-18 simply follow these instructions. “Do not fear what they fear…..always be prepared to give an answer……do this with gentleness and respect….so that those who speak maliciously may be ashamed…it is better to suffer…for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died…” Who is to say that this passage does not apply to situations (however sad and exceptional) even within the church?
I’m not a biblical scholar but one of the basic rules of exegesis is to pay attention to context and this passage starts off addressing relationships in the body. Furthermore consider what comes before this passage. In 1 Peter 3:1-7 wives are told to win even harsh unbelieving husbands over by a submissive spirit without words. Working backwards in 1 Peter 2:18-25 slaves are instructed to submit to masters even harsh ones because this is commendable before God. In 1 Peter 2:13-17 we are admonished to submit ourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men. We are to win over those who oppose us by our good deeds.
I have heard it said that we are to submit to authorities in the world without questioning but we are to “work things out” in the church as equals before the Lord. In any relationship including those with authority figures there are always going to be areas where we don’t see eye to eye. So much of the Bible is written to address these things. And there will be injustice. There is no structure that is foolproof enough to guarantee that we won’t be sinned against. That’s not the church that’s heaven we’re looking for! I do not accept that the solution is to abandon trust and keep a policeman’s eye on anyone who comes to leadership. Surely that is as just as humanistic as what it seeks to replace.
The principle of submission and trust is so deeply impressed in the pages of the Bible that I do not see any way around this. (As adults we can be reprimanded – quite severely - for not obeying our parents: Rom. 1:30 2 Tim. 3:4 – check it out!) I believe that a truly God-centred life is one that responds to every challenge by turning heavenward. Consider this – supposing you were 60 years old and a poor widow in the church in Ephesus in the first century. You are in need but have not been doing well spiritually. Some would call you a busybody. But you are poor and you are elderly. You ask the evangelist Timothy for financial help. You are one of many seeking monetary aid. Timothy asks the apostle Paul for advice. Where are lines to be drawn? Who should qualify for help from the church? He writes a letter to Paul with his question. Back comes the reply:
1 Tim 5:9-11 -- No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty has been faithful to her husband and is well known for her good deeds such as bringing up children showing hospitality washing the feet of the saints helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
How many times do you think Timothy would pray before going back to that widow with a negative response to her petition? What would he say? What did Paul advise him to say? 1 Tim 5:5:Was Paul hard-hearted? No not really – unless we are willing to say that God the Holy Spirit – the true author of 1 Timothy 5 - was hard of heart! I can only come to one conclusion. In all my afflictions - caused by whatever whoever however – I must turn to God. It is on him I rely it is to him alone that I am ultimately accountable.
Ps 119:71-72: It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees... Oh well I could go on and on. The book of Titus for example seems to me to present a contrast between two groups of people: (1) those who are quarrelsome argumentative and contentious and (2) those who are devoted to “doing what is good”. But never mind; perhaps I’ll save that for another day.
As I said this is just an essay for my friends. I hope it stimulates you to wholesome thinking and to further Bible study.
Finally I have added below some verses about slander gossip and malice. I hope you find them useful. What the Bible says about slander gossip malice:
Slander
Leviticus 19:16: Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor s life. I am the LORD.
Psalms 15:3: and has no slander on his tongue who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man
Psalms 54:5: Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.
Psalms 59:10: my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
Psalms 119:23: Though rulers sit together and slander me your servant will meditate on your decrees.
Proverbs 10:18: He who conceals his hatred has lying lips and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
Proverbs 30:10: Do not slander a servant to his master or he will curse you and you will pay for it.
Matthew 15:19: For out of the heart come evil thoughts murder adultery sexual immorality theft false testimony slander.
Mark 7:22: greed malice deceit lewdness envy slander arrogance and folly.
2 Corinthians 12:20: For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling jealousy outbursts of anger factions slander gossip arrogance and disorder.
Ephesians 4:31: Get rid of all bitterness rage and anger brawling and slander along with every form of malice.
Colossians 3:8: But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger rage malice slander and filthy language from your lips.
1 Timothy 5:14: So I counsel younger widows to marry to have children to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
Titus 3:2: to slander no one to be peaceable and considerate and to show true humility toward all men.
James 4:11: 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.
1 Peter 2:1: Therefore rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit hypocrisy envy and slander of every kind.
1 Peter 3:16: keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
2 Peter 2:10: This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings
Jude 8: In the very same way these dreamers pollute their own bodies reject authority and slander celestial beings.
Revelation 2:9: I know your afflictions and your poverty-yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.
Slanderer
1 Corinthians 5:11: But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy an idolater or a slanderer a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
Gossip
Proverbs 11:13: A gossip betrays a confidence but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
Proverbs 16:28: A perverse man stirs up dissension and a gossip separates close friends.
Proverbs 18:8: The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man s inmost parts.
Proverbs 20:19: A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.
Proverbs 26:20: Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
Proverbs 26:22: The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man s inmost parts.
2 Corinthians 12:20: For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling jealousy outbursts of anger factions slander gossip arrogance and disorder.
Malice
Psalms 28:3: Do not drag me away with the wicked with those who do evil who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.
Psalms 73:8: They scoff and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Proverbs 26:26: His malice may be concealed by deception " but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Ezekiel 25:15: ""This is what the Sovereign LORD says: " Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts " and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah...""
Ezekiel 36:5: this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations" and against all Edom for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.
Mark 7:22: greed malice deceit lewdness envy slander arrogance and folly.
Romans 1:29: They have become filled with every kind of wickedness evil greed and depravity. They are full of envy murder strife deceit and malice. They are gossips…
1 Corinthians 5:8: Therefore let us keep the Festival not with the old yeast the yeast of malice and wickedness but with bread without yeast the bread of sincerity and truth.
Ephesians 4:31: Get rid of all bitterness rage and anger brawling and slander along with every form of malice.
Colossians 3:8: But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger rage malice slander and filthy language from your lips.
Titus 3:3: At one time we too were foolish disobedient deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy being hated and hating one another.
1 Peter 2:1: Therefore rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit hypocrisy envy and slander of every kind.
