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"...Shepherd the flock of God which is among
you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2)
Elders
Morris Bass, Rick Holt , Joe
Price |
"...let them serve as deacons,
being found blameless..." (1 Tim. 3:10)
Deacons
Aaron Bass, Rich Brooks, Mike Finn
John Hague, Dan Head |
"And take...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)
In this issue:
False Accusation and
Slander (Part 3)
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
Vatican Says No Homosexual Ordination
False Accusation and Slander (Part 3)
Joe R. Price
Some Things to
Notice
The apostles were
acquainted with slander (1 Cor. 4:12). For example, the truth of the gospel
proclaimed by Paul was not only opposed by false brethren, he himself was
made the target of their misrepresentations (Gal. 2:4-5). When the truth he
preached could not be refuted successfully, slanderous reports were
circulated against the messenger in an effort to discredit both him and his
message (Rom. 3:5-8; 2 Cor. 10:1-2, 7-11; 11:26; Phil. 1:15-18).
Nevertheless, Paul rejoiced through it all because Christ was preached. Oh,
what faith! Consider some of the traits of slander that are faced by all
who stand for and live in the truth of the gospel:
Have you noticed
that slander is not concerned with truth above all else?
The slanderer
purports to value truth; but in reality he has little use for it. (Truth
would get in the way of his false accusations!) Like the devil, the false
accuser can be presented with the truth of a matter a hundred times over and
still continue his distortions. Why? Because such a person is not
motivated by a love that “does not seek its own” and “is not
provoked.” His heart and words are not shaped and molded by a love that
“does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor.
13:5-6). Driven by malice and entrenched in pride, slander pours out of an
embittered heart that is more concerned with self-justification than with
judging righteous judgment. If we are to guard ourselves from these sins we
must be careful to suffer long and be kind, loving truth instead of self (1
Cor. 13:4). Slander is defeated by getting all the facts before answering a
matter (Prov. 18:13).
Have you noticed
that slander is not concerned with correcting itself when shown to be wrong?
There
is no humility in slander. The slanderer shares in the prideful
condemnation of the devil (1 Tim. 3:6). Too proud to admit the error of
one’s malicious falsehoods, the slanderer plunges headlong into more and
more evil. Unless we humble ourselves before God and one another, Satan’s
deceptive lies will corrupt and destroy us (Jas. 4:6-7).
Have you noticed
that slander is not concerned with being kind in its treatment of others?
Instead
of thinking the best of others, its evil suspicions spew out charges and
countercharges. The devil’s design in such conduct is to discredit and
defame the innocent – not to establish truth so that the lost can be saved
and the saved can be strengthened (1 Tim. 6:3-5). Until we commit ourselves
to Jesus’ teaching to treat others as we wish to be treated, we open our
hearts to the devil and give him a place to stand. Our tongues will fan the
flames of suspicion, doubt and division, and the body of Christ will be
devoured (Matt. 7:12; Gal. 5:13-15). This is the devil’s desire.
Have you noticed
that slander condemns the innocent and justifies the guilty?
If not, then please
recall the trials and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Who
committed no sin, nor was deceit in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did
not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed
Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet. 2:22-23).
Have you noticed
the cowardly nature of slander?
It is much easier
to slander a person over the telephone than to do so face to face. The
false accuser does not want to face the one he accuses; that would expose
his sin. Like the Amalekites of old, the slanderer lurks behind the rocks
and in the shadows, looking for his opportunity to strike the tired and
weary (Deut. 25:17-18). Those who “stand fast in the faith” are not
given to such a spirit of fear. Instead, their “genuine faith”
blesses them with a spirit “of power, and of love and of a sound mind”
(1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Tim. 1:5, 7). False accusation and slander have no place
in God’s mighty arsenal of weapons in the battle against sin and error (2
Cor. 10:3-6).
Knowing the
Difference
Men often make
distinctions where God does not reveal a difference. For instance, men make
legal distinctions between what is slander – “oral defamation, in which
someone tells one or more persons an untruth about another, which untruth
will harm the reputation of the person defamed” – and what is libel – “to
publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio,
television or film, an untruth about another which will do harm to that
person or his/her reputation, by tending to bring the target into ridicule,
hatred, scorn or contempt of others” (The People’s Law Dictionary,
Gerald and Kathleen Hill, www.law.com). God calls all such treatment of
one’s neighbor, sin.
God expects His
people to “judge what is right” and to know the difference between
what slander is and what it is not (Lk. 12:57). For instance, we must judge
that:
Reproving and
rebuking error is not slander
(2 Tim. 4:2-4). The Holy Spirit revealed “all truth” in order to
convict sinners of their sin and save them by the power of truth (Jno.
16:8-13). Peter did not slander those on Pentecost when he used that truth
to charge them with crucifying the Lord and Christ; the evidence of their
sin was abundant and systematically presented by the inspired apostle (Acts
2:36, 14-35, 40). We do not slander sinners when we use the word of God to
reprove and rebuke sin.
Disciplining the
sinner in his sin is not slander
(1 Cor. 5). The public identification of an unrepentant Christian (once the
presence of and persistence in sin is clearly established), is designed to
discipline and save the erring child of God; it is not a slanderous,
vindictive action (vs. 1-5). Some churches have been sued by ungodly men
and women because the church publicly identified the sinner and the sin as
they applied corrective discipline; other churches have been made afraid to
do so lest they be taken to court. Unquestionably, all diligence and good
judgment must be used in such cases, but let it be clearly understood that
scripturally practicing corrective discipline does not display malice toward
the sinner – it shows divine love (cf. Heb. 12:5-11; 2 Cor. 2:6-9). Are the
“spiritual” to be charged with evil suspicions and slanderous conduct
when they identify a Christian who is “overtaken in a trespass” and
try to restore the fallen one (Gal. 6:1)? Sons of the devil will falsely
charge slander, and by the charge show themselves of the world and not of
God (1 Jno. 4:5-6).
(To be continued)
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Bible Authority (3): False (Human) Sources of Authority
Scripture Reading:
Colossians 2:18-23
1. All
human sources of authority in spiritual matters are deficient (Matt. 21:25),
Col. 2:8, 18-23.
2. Some of the rationales used to approve of men’s religious & moral
actions (Matt. 7:21-23).
I. IT
WORKS:
The end justifies the means. Rom. 3:5-8; 10:1-3; 1 Sam. 15.
II.
TRADITION:
It has been practiced for so long. Mk. 7:1-13.
III. THE
SILENCE OF THE BIBLE:
The Bible doesn’t say not to. 2 Jno. 9 (Deut. 29:29); Heb. 7:12-14
(Num. 3:10).
IV.
NUMBERS:
Surely
so many people cannot be wrong. Matt. 7:13-14; Gen. 6:5-6; Num.
14:28-30.
V.
LITTLE THINGS:
Those issues are not important; and/or, if I do some important things
right, these other things won’t matter. Jno. 12:42-43; Acts 5:1-4;
Ezek. 18:21-24.
VI.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’S:
They are doing it and so can we. 1 Sam. 8:4-7, 19-20.
VII.
EMOTIONS:
It makes you feel good, so it must be right. Heb. 11:25 (Jas. 4:3);
Prov. 14:12.
VIII.
LOSING TOUCH WITH REALITY: I’d rather do it wrong than do
nothing.
2 Tim. 2:5
1. Would this logic
work in sports? 2 Tim. 2:5
2. Another alternative: Do God’s work in God’s way (1 Cor. 15:58).
Conclusion:
Every human source of authority puts greater value on man’s thoughts,
desires, emotions, etc., than on what God says. NT is our authority.
Top
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
Vatican
Says No Homosexual Ordination
Joe R. Price
The Roman Catholic Church officially distinguishes between homosexual
tendencies and practices: “A distinction must be made between a tendency
that can be innate and acts of homosexuality that “are intrinsically
disordered” and contrary to Natural Law” (“The Truth and Meaning of Human
Sexuality,” Pontifical Council for the Family Guidelines for Education
Within the Family, November 21, 1995, newadvent.org). The RCC teaches the
practice is sin, but the tendency “can be innate.” (If a
tendency to sin is innate, would not the Creator bear ultimate
responsibility for the sin? Eccl. 7:29; Jas. 1:13)
This week, the
RCC affirmed its refusal to ordain practicing homosexuals into its
priesthood:
“In light of
this teaching, this department (Congregation for Catholic Education, jrp),
in agreement with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of
the Sacraments, holds it necessary clearly to affirm that the Church, while
profoundly respecting the persons in question, may not admit to the seminary
and Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, show profoundly
deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called gay culture.”
(Translated text of document on CWNews.com, Nov. 22, 05)
The point for
consideration here is this: How can the RCC refuse the priesthood to
practicing homosexuals while simultaneously “profoundly respecting” them?
Are we to conclude the Catholic Church respects the practice of
homosexuality? Surely not; they say it is a “grave sin” (Ibid.).
The RCC wants
it both ways. It will fellowship the practicing homosexual; just not ordain
him. The gospel says to have no fellowship with sin, but to reprove it
(Eph. 5:11; 2 Jno. 9-11). Homosexual conduct is sin, as is the lust of the
heart that prompts its practice (Rom. 1:26-27). One should neither practice
sin nor excuse the lust from which it springs (Mk. 7:20-23; cf. Matt.
5:28).
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