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.