Slandering A Brother

committed by Christians ? What is the most common sin committed by Christians ?

Sins of the tongue are mentioned frequently all through the O. T Sins of the tongue are mentioned frequently all through the O.T. scriptures. Leviticus 19:16 You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the Lord.

Psalms 15: 1-3 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. 3 He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

Jeremiah 6: 28 I have made you an assayer and a tester among My people, That you may know and assay their way. 28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious, going about as a talebearer. They are bronze and iron; they, all of them, are corrupt. Ezekiel 22:9 Behold, the rulers of Israel, … Slanderous men have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood, and in you they have eaten at the mountain shrines.

Slander is condemned in the N.T. Ephesians 4: 29-31 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Colossians 3: 8-9 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

James 4: 11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.

1. All evil speaking is wrong. 2. Many causes of evil speaking. Four objectives for this lesson : ( This lesson is instructive, not for issue resolution. ) 1. All evil speaking is wrong. 2. Many causes of evil speaking. 3. The results are all negative. 4. Combined effort needed to stop.

brother is intolerable in the life of a Christian. I. All speaking against a brother is intolerable in the life of a Christian.

Being “born again” requires that all such evil speech be eliminated. II Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come

Colossians 3: 5-8 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

I Peter 2: 1-3 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

for speaking evil about others, about brethren. II. There are many causes for speaking evil about others, about brethren.

Contrary to the Royal Law, some harbor hatred, resentment and spite. Matt. 22: 23 You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Some speak evil of others because they are jealous 1. Gen. 37 … The brothers of Joseph 2. Dan. 6 … Commissioners of King Darius

Some people just enjoy stirring up strife. Proverb 26: 20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. Titus 3: 10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,

Some people talk too much. Proverb 10: 19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. Proverbs 18: 21 The tongue can bring death or life, And those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

III. The results of speaking evil of others are all negative.

A perverse man spreads strife, Speaking evil causes contention. 1. Proverbs 16: 28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. 2. Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind.

Speaking evil can destroy trust. Proverbs 19: 1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool. James 5: 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.

Speaking evil about someone hurts them. Psalms 12: 18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Slander ruins reputations. Proverbs 20: 19 He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip. Proverbs 22: 1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

to prevent or to stop all evil speaking in the church. IV. We must work together to prevent or to stop all evil speaking in the church.

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Continually pray and monitor Pray David’s prayer : Psalms 141: 3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips

Ephesians 4: 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4: 15 But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

The tongue is a window into one’s heart. Matthew 12: 34 For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Assignment : Meditate on Matt. 12: 33-37