Stop Slandering

Slandering is another classic example of bringing yourself and your neighbors to sin. 

What is the difference between slander and blasphemy? Slander is the act of bad-mouthing a neighbor while blasphemy is the act of badmouthing God. Badmouthing is not the proper way to love God and neighbor.

¹⁶ Do not go about spreading slander among your people. LEVITICUS 19

¹ Rid yourselves of… slander of every kind. 1 PETER 2

Slander, in its old biblical sense, is the act of summoning accurate, truthful facts for the purpose of defaming or damaging the reputation of an individual or body (Taming the Tongue, p. 41). The slanderer often says, “I am not doing anything wrong. What I am saying is true.” Well, it is never a sin to present truthful facts, but surely it is a sin to have a wicked motive.

Summoning accurate, truthful facts to debase, discredit or disgrace a neighbor is, in effect, judging and condemning him, and leading other people to do likewise.

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. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge… But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? JAMES 4

¹⁷ Judgment belongs to God. DEUTERONOMY 1 

³ When you, a mere man, pass judgment on [your neighbors] and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ROMANS 2  

³⁷ Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ For with the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure back to you! LUKE 6 cjb

This is the way slander works—it catches us off-guard and plants in us an orientation of suspicion, criticalness, and mistrust against somebody. The end product is a good reputation damaged; the trust, hope and love that relate to it undermined; and love-relationships broken. That is not edifying at all. (Ibid)

When people’s trust is put out in any person, that means his social, political and financial standing are greatly disadvantaged, if not doomed.

² [Remind the people] to slander no one. TITUS 3 

¹⁸ Whoever spreads slander is a fool. PROVERBS 10

Imitate Y’shua

Do the residents of heaven ever lie? Slander? Curse? Gossip? Sow intrigue?

No, they do not. The Son of Man was from heaven. He always spoke the truth and never lied. He always blessed His neighbors and never cursed. He always edified and never slandered or sown intrigue. He always kept His mouth shut and opened it only to speak what was necessary and righteous. His words flowed out as shining nuggets of love, refreshing and edifying to the soul.

Everyone who desires to be counted among the kingdom residents ought to conform to the kingdom way. They must discipline themselves and develop the habit of using the power of spoken word correctly.

²¹ The Messiah, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in His steps: ²² He never sinned, never told a lie, ²³ never answered back when insulted; when He suffered, He never threatened to get even; He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly. 1 PETER 2 tlb