Gossip

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil..” (Romans 1:28-30 ESV)

“For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.” (2 Corinthians 12:20 ESV

“Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” (1 Timothy 5:13 ESV)

Please pay careful attention to this definition of gossip:

Greek Interlinear definition: psithyristḗs - “Secret Slanderer.” Wow! That says it! “A whisperer; a sneaky gossip (a ‘back-stabber’); a backbiter, quietly (secretly) destroying another person’s character – i.e. covertly, not out in the open, but rather operating ‘in a corner.’” (source: Bible Hub .com)

So, this is not about anyone accidentally saying something about someone else that perhaps they should not say. But I will say here that we should, as Christians, ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this. And if we begin to say something about someone that we should not say, we should stop, even in mid-sentence, and not continue just because we already got out the first half. And if someone asks us to say the rest, we can just say, “I shouldn’t say more,” or “The Holy Spirit stopped me, so I will not continue.”

I believe if we read these three passages of Scripture mentioned above in their full context that we will see that gossip, at least in the New Testament, is always used in the strong sense of how it is defined in the Greek interlinear. Although all of us need to put a guard over our mouths, and watch what we say, and as soon as we realize we are saying what we should not say, that we should stop, and not continue, there are those among us for whom gossip is their intent, and their intent is to do others harm, not good.

And good people’s reputations are being destroyed by those who exercise such deliberate gossip/slander with the intended purpose to destroy their characters, so that other people will turn against them and hate them and want nothing to do with them. And Jesus had this done to him, and so did Paul, which is one of the reasons that Paul had to periodically come to his own defense, but not just for his own honor, but so that the honor of the gospel message that he was teaching would not suffer harm.

But, at least Jesus and Paul appeared to both be aware of the falsehoods that were being said about them and so they were able to come to their own defense. That isn’t always the case. Sometimes we are gossiped about in ways we have no knowledge of, at least not directly. We might be able to tell that other people’s attitudes or actions or words towards us have changed, and we might wonder what brought about that change, but without any direct knowledge of words spoken against ourselves, we can do nothing. And we should never accuse without knowledge.

But this kind of gossip, as defined above, has real power to destroy people’s lives and their reputations and to turn many people against them, just on the power of one person’s words against them. So, please do not believe everything you hear anyone say about anyone else, whether good or evil. Test what you hear, in prayer, against the teachings of the Scriptures (in context), and via getting to know people personally without relying on other people’s opinions of them. For not everyone has good intentions. Not everyone tells the truth.

There are many evil people out there, out of spite, hatred, violence, pride, jealousy, envy, bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness, who willfully do what they know to do to destroy other people's lives and reputations. And indeed they do this underhandedly, secretly, deviously, with much hate, and covertly, so that their “victims” have no knowledge of what is being secretly said about them behind their backs. And if other people listen to them, and believe them, then they may also end up treating the victims unjustly.

So, we all need to be careful with our words and with what we say. And we should all be examining our own hearts and minds and attitudes and intent on a regular basis to make certain that we are doing and saying what we should, and not what we shouldn’t. And all of us need to stop, even in mid-sentence, if we begin to say something we know we should not, rather than to keep going because other people now want to hear what we were about to say. And not one of us should be deliberately gossiping about others.

But on the receiving end of this, none of us should be listening to what is defined here as “gossip.” But let me say here that it is not gossip to report sinful behavior among those who are professing Christians if those who are sinning against others are unwilling to stop their sinning and to repent and to do what is right. And “unwillingness” is shown in attitude, actions, words, and behaviors, and not just in words which may or may not have any truth to them. For many make promises not kept. Lip service alone is not enough.

For both Jesus and Paul called people out publicly by name who were sinning against the body of Christ and who were doing harm to the body and to the gospel, and who had the potential of leading others astray. They, and the other apostles, too, warned against “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and against false shepherds of the people and those who were sinning against the body and who were spreading lies and false teachings and sinful attitudes and thinking and behaviors.

Now, if we are able, we should first talk to the people, if these are people we know personally, and we should confront them gently with their sins and call for repentance and walks of obedience to the Lord. If they profess faith in Jesus Christ, and if they are among those who are followers of Christ, and so they have the potential of spreading what is wrong, but they are not willing to repent of their evil, then we should take the biblical steps to correct these situations. Sadly, though, not many people will cooperate with that.

Anyway, it is not wrong to call out sin and wrong teaching if we have first of all taken the appropriate steps to try to get others to make things right, where that is possible. For we are to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness and we are to warn against false shepherds and false teachings. But it is wrong if, out of spite and hatred and a desire to cause others harm, we secretly and deviously speak evil about them behind their backs and if, in so doing, we willfully turn others against them so that others will hate them.

And we who follow Jesus Christ with our lives should not be entertaining bitter and resentful and hateful gossip intended to do others harm. We should refuse to listen to secret slander and back-stabbing which is intended to destroy another person’s character and reputation. And we should not believe everything we hear others say about someone if we cannot verify that for ourselves. And we should not reject and/or mistreat others based upon secret slander (gossip) that we hear about them.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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