Ep. 155 - Giving Up Gossip and Snuffing Out Slander

In today's episode, the guys discuss giving up gossip and snuffing out slander. Gossip is the most consistent sin in the lives of Christians and all of us are guilty. It is very easy to sin in gossip because it is seen as a “respectable sin,” but all sin is evil in the eyes of the Lord. It is important to remember that

anyone willing to gossip to you is also willing to gossip about you. Gossip diminishes humanness in others. We are all created in God’s image. If we slander or diminish something about others, we are diminishing something about them which reflects their Creator. Gossip is also usually lies or half-truths. As Christians, we will disguise gossip as prayer requests or secondary theological disagreements. We spin gossip because we gravitate towards it, and confirmation bias will push us to gossip and slander others.  Next, the guys talk about what makes us indulge in gossip. First, we are all sinners so we are drawn to sin, but gossip also makes us feel higher than the person we are talking about. There is a legalist inside of all of us that is trying to prove our worth and be worthy of righteousness. However, the only thing that makes us worthy is not what we have done, but the blood that’s been spilled for us. Proverbs 16:28 states, “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.” The enemy wants us to rebel and earn righteousness without God, but we need to honor God in the way we speak by thinking through what we are doing, why we are doing those things, and what we are saying. A good question to ask yourself is: would I say that if this person was present?  Lastly, the guys discuss the remedy for gossip and how to stop. Gossip can cause damage to friendships, families, and within the church. We need to stop the fire of gossip before it spreads. James 4:11-12 states, “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.” Gossip is a contradiction—we cannot use the same mouth with which we bless God to also curse our brothers. When we hear something, the Bible states that we must be careful to take accusations against an elder without one or two witnesses. When we talk about others, we need to look at the motive in our own hearts. When in a conversation that has turned to gossip, tell the person gossiping that you think it’s best to not talk about that, or that you feel uncomfortable with the conversation. Most of the time we gossip with the people we are closest to, so we can talk to our family and friends about calling each other out on gossip. You can also use a code word for gossip when you are together. We need to have humility and remember that the only one worthy of judgment is the Lord.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro