GOSSIP, BACKBITING, SLANDER

By David Riggs and John Cripps

Intro.
   A. "Half the world is composed of people who have something
      to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say
      and keep on saying it" .... Robert Frost
      1. Speech is Human Nature; used in the way in which God        
         intended would alleviate the necessity of preaching on      
         the dangers of the tongue.
         a. The tongue is dangerous and we need to examine
            the importance of keeping such a dangerous weapon
            under control.
         b. Dynamite is stored, and moved with great caution,
            because of the knowledge we have of the power that
            it possesses to destroy.
         c. Likewise, Christians, we have something as powerful
            as dynamite; yet, very often it is handled as if there is
            no danger at all.
      2. We should, rather, hang a sign on our tongue that reads ---
         - "DANGER, HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE AND DAMAGING."
   B. David said in Psalm 39:1, "I said, I will take heed to my
      ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my
      tongue with a bridle."
      1. Scripture clearly condemns, warns, and is full of examples
         of the dangers of an unbridled tongue:
         a. Moses' sin that kept him from the land of promise -      
            smiting the rock, his anger, and not glorifying
            God.  cf. Num. 12:3; Ex. 4:10; Num. 20: 8a, 10,
            12; Psalm 106:32
         b. These are just a few of the scriptures that warn us
            about the dangers of the tongue.
      2. I believe there are many today who are quick to judge
         and condemn others by talking about them, rather than to
         heed the warnings concerning the tongue.
         a. A little cartoon humor states: "Digging for the facts is
            better than jumping to conclusions."
         b. Many times we fail to learn all the facts about a
            situation or about a person and we jump to
            conclusions, speak to others about our conclusions,
            without the realization that this is considered in the
            sight of God as Gossip.
         c. Tyron Edwards said "... To murder character is as
            truly a crime as to murder the body, the tongue of
            the slanderer is brother to the dagger of the
            assassin."
         d. Alan Barth said "...Character assassination is at
            once easier and surer than physical assault, and it
            involves far less risk for the assassin.  It leaves him
            free to commit the same deed over and over again,
            and may, indeed, win him honors of a hero even on
            the country of his victims."
      3. God help us if the church is made up of such people who
         call upon the Name of the Lord with the same lips that
         destroy another brother or sister in Christ.
   C. NOBODY'S FRIEND
      My name is gossip. I have no respect for justice.
      I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives.
      I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.
      The more I am quoted, the more I am believed.
      I flourish at every level of society.
      My victims are helpless.
      They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no    
         name and no face.
      To track me down is impossible.
      The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
      I am nobody's friend.
      Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.
      I topple governments and wreck marriages.
      I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache, and      
         indigestion.
      I spawn suspicion and generate grief.
      I make innocent people cry on their pillows.
      Even my name hisses. I am called gossip, party gossip,         
         Telephone gossip, and don't forget CHURCH gossip.
      I make headlines and headaches.
      Before you repeat a story, ask yourself, is it true? Is it     
         fair? Is it necessary? If not, SHUT UP.
   D. As we study today, we must have an honest heart to examine
      our lips and speech to see that we are not guilty of           
      destroying, or encouraging the sin of Gossip.
   E. The greatest text on the subject of the dangers of the tongue
      is found in James 1:26 and 3:1-12. Though not limited to
      this text, the scriptures speak on the subject of the tongue in
      no less than 31 passages, speaking of God's disapproval of the
      danger of uncontrolled tongues.
   F. Let us now note the words which make up the teaching on the
      subject:

I. THE O.T. USAGE.
   A. Backbiter
      1. Ragal - "One who goes about maliciously as a slanderer,
         one who speaks maliciously about another." 
         (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament). Psalm
         15:1-3
      2. Sether - "A secret slanderer, or hidden gossip, one of a    
         sly tongue." Prov. 25:23
   B. Slanderer
      1. Dibbah - "Whispering, defamation, evil report, to spread
         a rumor, to slander." Prov. 10:18
      2. Lashan - "To use the tongue boldly (in an evil sense);
         hence, to slander, to backbite." Psalm 101:5
   C. Talebearer
      1. Nirgan - "Wrong speech (evil secret) hence; a whisperer,
         a backbiter, a gossiper."  Prov. 18:8
      2. Rakil - "A slanderer, defamer, detractor." Lev.
         19:16; Prov. 11:13; 20:19
   D. Whisperer
      1. Again, the Hebrew word "Nirgan" which means "a
         backbiter, a talebearer, a gossiper." Prov. 16:28
      2. Thus, in the King James Version there are four English
         words translated from six Hebrew words.

II. N.T. USAGE
   A. Whisperer
      1. psithurismos (psithurismos) - "Lit., to speak into one's
         ear (in an evil sense); hence, secret slander, backbiting." 
         (Thayer's and Vine's Lexicons). Used only in 2 Cor.
         12:20; Rom. 1:29-30
   B. Backbite
      1. katalalos (katalalos) - "To slander, to speak evil of, to
         backbite; synonymous to whisperer, only more open." Again,  
          used only in 2 Cor. 12:20; Rom. 1:29-30.
   C. Busybody
      1. periergazomia (periergazomia) - "Lit., to be working
         round about, instead of at one's own business (peri,
         "around," ergazomia "working"); signifies, to take more
         pains than enough about a thing, to waste one's labor, to
         be meddling with or bustling about other people's
         matters." 2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:11-15
   D. Meddler
      1. allotrioepiskapos (allotrioepiskapos) - "Lit., another's
         overseer; an overseer of the business belonging to
         another, a busybody." 1 Pet. 4:15 - "Meddler in other
         men's matters" all from this one word.
   E. Prating
      1. phluareo (phluareo) - "To bring unjustified charges
         against, malicious gossip, unfounded rumors." 3 John
         10
   F. Tattler
      1. phluaros (phluaros) - "The adjective of phluareo
         (prating), and means: to prat against another; to raise
         false accusations; to gossip about another."  1 Tim. 5:13

III. WHEN DOES MY SPEECH CONDEMN ME?
   A. The following list of questions will help us to determine when
      our speech has condemned us, and we have been involved in
      Gossip, etc.
   B. Note: Is talking about someone or relaying a fact about
      someone ---- Gossip. No, not all speech about others is
      considered Gossip in the sight of God, unless it meets these 18
      criteria.
   C. When Does My Speech Become Wrong? (Assuming I did
      not start the rumor; if so, I'm guilty of sin). 
      1.  Will I help or hurt the person's character by repeating
          this information?
      2.  Would it be better left untold, even if true?
      3.  Will anyone be edified if I repeat this information? 
          (Prov. 11:13)
      4.  What is my motive for telling it?
      5.  Am I really seeking to build or destroy, to hurt or heal?
      6.  Will I cause unnecessary suspicion to surround the
          person by repeating the information? (Psalm 101:5; If
          so, I become guilty. An old saying: "You can never build
          yourself up by tearing others down.")
      7.  Is the information true? Is there any basis for it? Is it
          rumor or innuendo?
      8.  Will anyone be made better by telling it?
      9.  Is the information about something which has been
          repented of and stopped? (If so, it should be left alone.)
      10. Will I help the one who is spreading the rumors by
          receiving what he is telling? (Prov. 26:23)
      11. Do I want to be an accessory in the commission of a sin
          against another by receiving information which I should
          not be privy to? (1 Tim. 5:22, remember, "There are
          always two sides to every controversy.")
      12. Will I feel better towards the one being talked about by
          hearing the things being spread by a gossiper?
      13. Am I assisting in strengthening the character of one
          whom I allow to gossip about others?
      14. Can I, in good conscience, say that I am a friend of one
          from whom I receive information about the wrong doing
          of another?
      15. When I hear about the wrong doing of another, am I not
          obligated to go to that person? (Matt. 18:15-17; Gal.
          6:1).
      16. Do not I do much evil by, instead of going to that person,
          beginning to mention his wrong doing to others?
      17. Am I not responsible for the unfaithfulness of others
          when they have been hardened through my spreading
          unfounded charges about them, or by listening to others
          who do it?
      18. How many people have left active service to Christ
          because of unfounded charges and allegations made and
          received by others? (Prov. 18:19)

Concl.
   A. The gossiper or backbiter does much evil.
      1. Let us seek to not be guilty ourselves.
      2. Let us not sanction those who do it.