Slander in the Camp
Slander is a violation of the 9th commandment, "You shall not bear false witness."
Written by Tim Lane | Thursday, January 22, 2015
Why is Paul writing this to Christians? Because Christians are as capable of this as any other person. As John Owen once said, “The seed of every known sin is in my heart.” Putting it simply, we are all capable of doing this. Churches, businesses, ministries and relationships are ruined…not from without, but from within.
Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked person by being a malicious witness. Exodus 23:1
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up dissension among brothers and sisters. Proverbs 6:16-19
How many of you have witnessed the evils of slander? Sadly, it happens all the time in circles of people who name Jesus as their King and Redeemer. The more I speak with leaders and fellow Christians, the more I realize how prevalent this is.
Slander is a violation of the 9th commandment, “You shall not bear false witness.” The usual suspect we think of when it involves violating the 9th commandment is gossip. While gossip is clearly evil, we often leave out slander. My guess is that we don’t really think Christians will go there. Sadly, that is not the case.
Gossip and slander are different. The difference is that slander is much more intentional. Slander is... continue reading here.
Tim Keller, Michael Horton and Matt Chandler Outline How Christians Should Disagree
Written by Subodh S. Lal, Christian Post | Thursday, July 7, 2011
Respectful personal relationships, stating the opponent’s position fairly and a responsible use of the internet are some of the ways for Christians to deal with disagreements within their ranks, three Christian scholars said in a video-recorded dialogue released Tuesday. Is it possible to talk about one’s theological convictions in a way that is faithful and... continue reading here.
5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day
Just go ahead and admit it. You’re lying to yourself today. Life gets complex, relationships get sticky, loneliness creeps in—and sometimes we just feel the need to bend the truth to make it through the week. We need our lies to keep the pain tucked away where it can’t get to us. That deceitful heart of ours has a way making it easy for us to be okay with these lies (Jeremiah 17:9)—that is, until they’re drawn out by God’s scalpel (Psalm 139:23).
These lies don’t just cover up the pain of life, though. They actually make it harder for us to grow in our faith and in our connection with others. We’ve gotten so numb to them that we don’t necessarily even see the damage they do.
But here’s one time when it’s definitely okay to “name it and claim it.” If we’re to get beyond these lies that we drag around with us, we have to identify them and call them what they are.
Have you seen any of these 5 lies in yourself today?
1. I’m Okay.
We don’t like to dig around inside and examine what’s going on. Why? Because when we start looking, we often find areas that need some major renovations. That gets messy, and most of us are far too busy to go and look for things to fix....
2. No One Will Ever Find Out.
If we’re ever looking for justification to do something dumb, we usually start here: No one will ever know. True, there might...
3. No One Will Get Hurt.
This lie really could be 2b, since these two excuses are like twins. If it’s not enough that no one will know, we also like to tell ourselves that no one will get hurt. If it’s behind closed doors, if it only involves two responsible adults, if it only impacts me, then it’s got to be okay....
4. That’s Just the Way I Am...
5. I Can Do That Tomorrow..
Read the full article here.Deceiving Yourself
Bible verses about deceiving yourself
There are many ways you can deceive yourself and believe what you’re doing is right. Many Christians deceive themselves by thinking they can’t stop a certain sin, but truly just don’t want to stop a sin. Many people deceive themselves by believing something bad is good. They go out of their way to find a false teacher who will justify their sins when the Bible and their conscience says no.
Before I truly gave my life to Christ, I deceived myself into thinking that a tattoo is not a sin and I got a tattoo.
I disregarded all the passages against it and I disregarded my conscience, which was saying don’t do it. I deceived myself even more by believing I was getting a Christian tattoo for God.
Deep down the real reason I got it was it looked cool and if I didn’t think it looked cool I wouldn’t have gotten it. I lied to myself and said I’m going to get a tattoo of something memorable for God. The devil will sometimes trick you into thinking something is OK so don’t believe every spirit. The worst thing to deceive yourself with is thinking there’s no God when the Bible, the world, and existence says there is.
10 Lies We Believe (and Scriptures to Combat Them!)
1. I am not good enough. (You are a royal daughter of the King. 1 Peter 2:9)
2. I might fail. (God goes before you and doesn’t want you to worry! Deuteronomy 3:18)
3. I might not have enough money. (God is Jehovah—that means provider. He will meet all of your needs for His glory! Philippians 4:19)
4. There seems to be no way. This is impossible. (Jesus IS the WAY. John 14:6)
5. How will I make it? Which way should I go? (Pray to God, He will show the right path. Seek His word; it will light your way. Psalm 119:105)
6. I am not pretty enough or the right weight. (God knit you in your mother’s womb and YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made! Jeremiah 1, Psalm 139)
7. I might mess up my future. (God knows His plans for you to prosper YOU and not for evil or harm! Believe that! Trust in God! Jeremiah 29:11)
8. I can sin and no one will know. (God sees all things and knows all things. Romans 6:23, Job 28:24)
9. There won’t be a consequence for my sin. (God is our Father and disciplines those He LOVES. When He corrects you, it is for YOUR good. Proverbs 3:12)
10. I am a failure. God doesn’t love me. (God SO LOVED YOU He sent and GAVE His ONE and only Son Jesus to die for your sins on the cross. There is no condemnation in Christ–You are healed by the blood of Jesus on Calvary. John 3:16)
A thorough article about lying:
Lying and Deceit: What Does the Bible Teach?
What are some ways people may be guilty of lying and deceiving others? What causes people to tell lies or deceive, and what consequences can result? What must we do to overcome dishonesty and learn to be honest and truthful? What does the Bible teach about the dangers of falsehood?
Introduction
Our son Tim's company gave him two free tickets to a Cubs game, so he and I went. A professional photographer asked if we would like to have our picture taken for free. When we agreed, he gave us a card telling us how to access our picture online. But the site required us to pay $20 to get any useable picture. He "took the picture" for free, but he knew people would think they would get a picture for free. He deceived us.
Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that are an abomination to God, and two of them involve lying: "a lying tongue," and "a false witness that tells lies." God hates a lying tongue!
Definitions of lying and deceit
1 John 2:21 - No lie is of the truth.
By its very nature, a lie is untrue. It is a falsehood.
"Lie" - "...a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive..." - Random House College Dictionary.
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