Slander
1st Corinthians 5
© 2002 by Natalie Pappas

Nothing makes me angrier or breaks my heart more than slander. Slander begins with a lie and the father of all lies is the devil. You can't reason with the devil. You can't appeal to the devil for mercy, you can't even plead the truth. The devil isn't interested in the truth. He's just interested in the lie.

This is why I believe Scripture teaches Christians to have nothing to do with other 'so-called' Christians who engage in slander, because the Christian should have nothing to do with the father of lies.

Slander is something that isn't true that damages a person's reputation. Gossip is true and damages a person's reputation. I discussed that in a previous article. However, here I want to address slander.

The person who slanders has often times taken part of the truth and rewritten it. Then they take that false story to someone else, who hears it and believes it. Just because someone slanders doesn't mean they don't have an engaging personality. Oftentimes, the best slanderers have the funnest sorts of personalities.

Slandering is not some activity in which only the rich engage themselves, poor people do it to. It is described in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 as being downright immoral, right up there with murder and sexual immorality. It is no wonder the Christian is warned against participating in slander.

Those who participate in slander are not just the ones who verbally give it to another. It is also participated in it by those who listen. Those who listen and do not investigate to see if the story is true and then repeat it to others are guiltier of even a far greater sin.

Scripture tells us slander is wrong. It tells us how to deal with a slanderer. It tells us not even to sit at a table and eat with such a person. It doesn't tell us to go and correct the person who is slandering, though it would feel good to my flesh to be able to defend myself or others against slander. We are not to do anything other than to ignore the slanderer. This is because God knows us (and our enemies) better than we know ourselves (or them).

Just as one cannot reason or plead the truth with the devil, one cannot reason or plead the truth with that someone who is slandering. They simply are not interested in the truth. All they are interested in is spreading their slander to as many people who will listen. Slander isn't always give in an harsh and ugly tone. It is usually clothed in concern and with sincerety. So do not listen to slander. Just as the devil is evil, slander is evil. Have nothing to do with those who slander.




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