“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31



Are you separated from someone who has been a friend to you in the past? A relationship that has been broken or severed or cold towards? Have you contributed to the severing of such a relationship or has someone caused a severance in your relationship with another?

I have been thinking on one way friends are separated from one another…through SLANDER. 

 The Greek word translated “Slander” is blasphemia, from which our English word translated “Blasphemy” is derived. When used in relation to God it is translated “blasphemy.” When used in relation to people, as in Colossians 3:8, it is translated “Slander.” To slander people is to slander God as He has made them in His image-James 3:9.

The BELIEVERS speech MUST NOT be marred by slander, insulting and disparaging remarks aimed at others.  James wrote, “…from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My, brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”-James 3:10. In Matthew 5:22 Jesus warns regarding the serious offense and consequences regarding speech that is slanderous. John Mac Arthur, well known author and pastor remarks “People are to be treated with dignity because they are made in the image of God.” This is a lesson we all need to learn, relearn and practice.

Lets take a look at some SCRIPTURE to help us in our understanding of the sin of slander;

A SLANDERER IS DIVISIVE;
Proverbs 16:28 – “A slanderer SEPARATES INTIMATE FRIENDS.”
       I have a friend whose wife was befriended by another woman, whose counsel nearly led to my wife’s friend divorcing him. She had come in between the husband and wife and was “divisive.” Thank GOD her Divisiveness did not prevail – in this case!

A SLANDERER IS DESTRUCTIVE;
Proverbs 25:18- “Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow, is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.”


A SLANDERER IS DEFILED;
Mark 7:21-22- “For from within, OUT OF THE HEART OF MEN, PROCEEDS the EVIL thoughts, fornication’s, thefts, murderers, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, SLANDER, pride and foolishness. ALL these EVIL THINGS PROCEED from WITHIN and DEFILE the man.”  

The Root Problem– with a Slanderer comes from THEIR HEART and the above passage REVEALS GODS VIEW OF SLANDER AS a SIN PROBLEM. From His perspective slander is…EVIL…and it DEFILES the person…But unfortunately not only the person who is DEFILED but the slanderous person out of their own bitterness DEFILES OTHERS…Hebrews 12:15 – “…causes TROUBLE.”

A SLANDERER DEFILES OTHERS;
Listen to what GOD SAYS in Hebrews 12:14-15 – “Pursue Peace with ALL men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.SEE to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; THAT NO ROOT OF BITTERNESS springing up causes TROUBLE, and BY IT MANY ARE DEFILED.” 

Slanderers are often motivated by bitterness in their own hearts…lovelessness. And Gods Word teaches it causes TROUBLE and many are DEFILED by It. The person is a corruptive influence to those around and DOES not promote Godliness and is not motivated by love for God or the spiritual well being of the one they are slandering.

The word “Defiled” – “conveys the idea of giving something color by painting it or staining it.” – according to R.C. Trench, {Synonyms of the New Testament}. “To the pure all things are pure, BUT to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure”- Titus 1:15 

A SLANDERER DISHONORS GOD
Proverbs 6:16-19 “There are SIX things which the Lord HATES, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him; Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, and one WHO SPREADS STRIFE AMONG THE BROTHERS.”     

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT A SLANDERER?
God says, “He who SPREADS slander is a FOOL.” – Proverbs 10:18. A Slanderer is a fool!

A Slanderer is a GOSSIP…
I remember hearing the story of a young married couple. Each evening the young wife would meet her husband at the gate of their home on his arrival home from work…over time someone spread slander that the husband was committing adultery. The young wife ended up taking her life, so distraught was she by the stories – which turned out to be false!

A Slanderer is the CHARACTERISTIC of a Person who IS NOT RIGHT WITH God.
Romans 1:28-32 -“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any, longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to those things which are not proper, …they are GOSSIPS, SLANDERERS, HATERS OF GOD…ARROGANT, BOASTFUL, INVENTORS OF EVIL…unloving, unmerciful……Those who PRACTICE such things are worthy of DEATH….”

Look at the COMPANY SLANDERERS and Gossips, are categorized with … and those who PRACTICE, as a way of life will face eternity in Hell. Slanderer is not just a “little thing.” There will be people in Hell because this was their SINFUL life style! Slander is SIN..

A Follower of the Lord Jesus Christ is to DISCARD Slander.
Colossians 3:8 -“…Put them ALL aside; anger, wrath, malice, SLANDER, abusive speech from your mouth… ” Like discarding a piece of soiled clothing so too the CHOICE to Slander is to be discarded… 

A QUESTION TO ASK a Gossiper is, “Have you spoken to the individual and established the FACTS before you spoke to me?” Usually they have not!

THE SAD FACT ABOUT a slander is too often they have willing and gullible ears to listen to their poison. Has that happened to you with regard someone you once were close to? Someone told you “in confidence” about something said and you did not establish the Facts, whether it is true or not, but have took what was said as gospel truth? Or sometimes its said by PROFESSING Christians, “…I want to tell you this to “pray” about…and then go on to lambaste an individual … but under the guise of “this is a prayer request” they feel a license to “slander” to speak evil of another. Who as you will notice is not there to explain or defend themselves.

SCRIPTURE TEACHES “Every man seems right until his neighbor comes.” In other words there are TWO sides to each story. Establish the FACTS first and in GENTLENESS and Lovingly “WARN” and rebuke the slanderer- {1 Thessalonians 5:14, Gal 6:2, Luke 17:3 tells us}

WHAT ARE THE MARKS OF A FRIEND?
To Be a Friend in the Biblical Sense involves…
1. – LOVE – 
“A friend loves at ALL times.”- Proverbs 17:17

2. – LOYALTY – 
“But there is a FRIEND who STICKS closer than a brother.”- Proverbs 18:24

3. – LAYING DOWN OF ONE’S LIFE – 
“… one LAYS DOWN his life for his FRIEND.”- John 15:13

4. – LOVES ENOUGH TO CONFRONT YOU OVER SIN IN YOUR LIFE. –
“Faithful are the WOUNDS of a FRIEND.”- Proverbs 27:6

WHAT SEPARATES FRIENDS?
One person who does is a slanderer ; “A Slanderer SEPARATES INTIMATE friends.”- Proverbs 16:28

Don’t allow yourself to be separated from one who loves you…If you have not been to that individual then FIRST go and establish the FACTS and don’t allow a slanderer to come between you and someone whom the Lord Jesus has died for and in whom you love and that person who has and does love you.

WHAT IF IT’S ME?
IF YOU are the one who has SPREAD the slander, you need to go back to that person and ask forgiveness for the sin and damage it has done to the relationship and to the person’s character. Slander is CHARACTER ASSASSINATION!

SLANDER SOWS A SEED in PEOPLE’S MIND-and if the person or people listening to the slander HAVE NOT LEARNED and TRAINED THEMSELVES TO THINK BIBLICALLY-According to Phil 4:8; and are not obeying 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 then sadly they often chose to think Unkindly, unfavorably and unlovingly about someone.

As it has been said you can tell someone something and as they pass it on it gets distorted and if the story was to be passed around the world from one person to person when it would come back to you, you would not even recognize it! Establish the FACTS about what was said and what was not said…. And be careful to speak that which BUILDS up not BURIES people. 

GOD’S WORD TO US REGARDING OUR SPEECH.
Gods Word says 
A. – “…EACH of you must PUT OFF falsehood and speak TRUTHFULLY to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” -in Ephesians 4:25

B. -” DO NOT let ANY UNWHOLESOME talk come out of YOUR mouths, but ONLY what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may BENEFIT those who LISTEN.” -Ephesians 4:29

C. “SPEAK the Truth in LOVE.”

D. – ” 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. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – WHO ARE YOU to judge your neighbor?” – James 4:11-12 ***The Judgment he is speaking is not Righteous judgment or discernment as Scripture exhorts us to do – as The Scriptures mentioned here show us to… John 7:24, Matthew 7:16-20, Hebrews 5:13-15. But a censorious critical condemning judgment is what is on view ***

E. – “Let all that do be done in love.”- 1 Corinthians 16:14. A good question to ask, ” Is this speech Loving?” Slander is always a lack of love … coming from a heart of bitterness.

F. – “Give no offense …to the church of God.”- 1 Corinthians 10:32

G. – “Whatever you so, do ALL to the Glory of God.”- 1 Corinthians 10:31

In light of the Above Scriptures … is what has and is being said, coming form a heart of Love and Ultimately God’s Glory?” Never is slander coming from such motive.

The Bible says “See to it that… No root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it MANY be defiled…”- Hebrews 12:15. Slanderers are usually Bitter people and they cannot keep their bitterness to themselves and too often as they SPREAD it… Others are contaminated by choosing to believe what has been said.

The devil’s Name is SLANDERER. Did you know the name “devil” means “slanderer” or “to falsely accuse.”

A.- he is the Slanderer and ACCUSER of the Brethren – Revelation 12:10 

B. – he SLANDERS God to man- Genesis 3:1-7

C.- he SLANDERS man to God- Job 1:9

D. – SLANDER will hinder your APPETITE for the Word of God- 1 Peter 2:1-2′

How often as Christians we have done the devil’s work by slandering and gossiping about one another.

Paul in Ephesians 3:31-32 sums it up best “Let ALL bitterness, wrath, clamor, and EVIL SPEAKING, be put away from you, with ALL malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you.”

PERSONAL APPLICATION 
Do not sin against God by choosing to do the devil’s work and slandering others. 
Do not listen to the SLANDER of others.

DO ASK the one who is spreading Slander if they have spoken to the one they are speaking of and if they have established the FACTS FIRST. 
DO SHARE WITH THEM Slander does not Please the Lord or Benefit those who hear
DO ENCOURAGE them to ask themselves “Why” they are “sharing” such reports. 

“What” is their motive for doing so? It may be a “trained” habit or it may be out of bitterness. But this way you are being able to help them see things from God’s Word and to make an alteration in their own life…to the Glory of God!

THE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSIBILITY 
–Matthew 18:15-18
The Lord Jesus said but TWO things concerning His church while on earth. One, He would build it- Matthew 16:18 and Secondly in Matthew 18:15-20 how to handle sin among the body of Believers, His church.

STEP ONE- TO LOVINGLY RESTORE  A SLANDERER WHO IS A CHRISTIAN.
1. “If your brother sins against you … Go to him in PRIVATE.” TO LOVINGLY, [1 Cor 16:14], Gently [Galatians 6:1-2] seek to Point out his sin that it may be dealt with and the RELATIONSHIP with God and the other person be RESTORED To Fellowship with God and the one offended

STEP TWO- TO LOVING RESTORE OF A SLANDERER 
2. If he or she refuses to be reconciled then you are told to bring two or three witnesses to ESTABLISH the FACTS and again reach out to them lovingly and gently for the purpose of reconciliation and honoring the Lord and if they continue to refuse and refuse to repent.

STEP THREE- TO LOVINGLY RESTORE A SLANDERER

“TELL IT TO THE CHURCH.” What is happening the OUTREACH of Loving concern has gone from one person to then two or three persons going to try and win the person  back to that which is right in Gods sight…to increasing the circulation of believers LOVINGLY and GRACIOUSLY going to seek to restore the slanderer {In the passage it says “sin” and as we have established  previously, SLANDER IS EVIL and sinful- It is Lovelesness} If they will not heed the love of GOD’S Word and have a hardened heart and refuse to repent, then for the SAKE OF THE PURITY OF THE CONGREGATION AND THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND FOR THE SINNING PERSONS OWN SPIRITUAL BENEFIT they are to be removed from the fellowship. Should they then go somewhere else to another congregation, their bitterness will defile that congregation, and it is the LOVING, GODLY CONCERN for Christ’s Church that the new unsuspecting congregation be informed.

Then the Lord Jesus said they are to BE Put out of the Fellowship. The issue is PURITY within the Fellowship and where BLATANT unrepentant sin is allowed IT SHOWS A LACK OF LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE Lord Jesus … and indeed as Revelation 2:20 show to “tolerate” known and unrepented of sin is to invite the Chastisement of the Lord Himself. For those whom He loves He chastises…and Let us not forget the PURPOSE OF HIS church {It is not OURS!}…. IS His GLORY in the Church! – Ephesians 3:21″ To Him be the Glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

ASSIGNMENT TO HELP US WITH OUR OWN TONGUE. 
MEMORIZE 

1. – ” DO NOT let ANY UNWHOLESOME talk come out of YOUR mouths, but ONLY what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may BENEFIT those who LISTEN.” – Ephesians 4:29

2. – “Whatever is TRUE, whatever is Honorable, whatever is Lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is Any Excellence and if Anything worthy of Praise, LET YOUR MIND DWELL on these things.”- Philippians 4:8

Slanderous speech does not fit into the attributes listed in Philippians 4:8 that we are told to have our minds “DWELL” on, What we are to CHOOSE TO “THINK” on.

Guard your thought life. As Scripture says we are to Love God with all our Mind.- Matthew 22:37. Ask yourself regarding what you are allowing your mind to dwell on. 

IS THIS EXPRESSING LOVE TO GOD AND THE OTHER PERSON

IS THIS PLEASING TO THE LORD- COL 1:9-10 AS HE desires us to please Him in “ALL ASPECTS” of our living.

A PREACHER’S CURE FOR SLANDER
I heard a story once of a preacher who when someone would come to his office and begin to speak evil concerning someone. He would stop them and ask if they had spoken to that person. If not He would pick up his phone and say to the person on the other end, “I have…[the person’s name] here with me and they are saying… such and such about you. Is THAT TRUE?” Needless to say – the people did not run tot he pastor anymore BECAUSE he would not TOLERATE SLANDER!!

A COLLEGE GIRL’S EXAMPLE
Years ago I was invited to a home to share about the Lord. Afterwards two young college students were speaking. One girl was about to say something when the other interrupted her and said, words to this effect, “We are not going to gossip are we?” What a powerful testimony for one so young yet so desirous in her love for her Lord and the reputation of others … for which a slanderer has no regard for…..

1. – Don’t allow slander to separate you
2. – Don’t Listen to slander
3. – Don’t Repeat Slander
4. – DO graciously, Lovingly Rebuke the one who is slandering- It is an opportunity to honor God, help them and Heal a relationship. -1 Thess 5:14, Gal 6:1-2

DO NOT DO the devil’s work … or allow someone else AROUND you to do it and separate you or others from friends…and ultimately sin against the Lord by choosing to DISOBEY His Word.

God bless and encourage you to LOVE the truth, THINK on the Truth and BE A DOER of the Truth. Have A Slander free day!