Series Title: Gossip

Sermon One Title

Text: Romans 1:28-32 (HCSB)

28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, [a] evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. 32 Although they know full well God's just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die] —they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

Proverbs 18:8 (The Message)

8 Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?

Introduction

I recently viewed the biography of “The Queen of Soul—Aretha Franklin. Among the many things that impressed me—the number of Grammy Awards she has received, the diverse music that she has song and the two presidential awards she has received, but the thing that impressed me most was the one thing that the people that know her best said—and they said a lot, was the fact that each one of them said that they had never heard Aretha say anything bad about another singer—no matter how good or bad their singing abilities were, Aretha never said anything bad about them. And for that—in the words of the commentator she truly desired R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

We don’t often think of respect in within this context, and as a result we play lose with the name and reputation of others. Fifteen hundred years ago Pope Gregory the Great classified the sins that cause humanity to stumble (the 6th century). He looked at every sin mentioned in the Bible and boiled them down to 7 categories of sin. His list of 7 sins is known as The 7 Deadly Sins. The 7 deadly sins are pride, anger, indifference, envy, greed, lust, and gluttony. The 7 deadly sins include nearly every kind of human sin imaginable. But there is a deadly sin that failed to be included in the list of the 7 deadly sins. The 8th deadly sin is gossip

All the sins of the tongue are deadly. Profanity, insults, lying negativism, complaints, and criticism are all harmful. Gossip is a particularly deadly sin. Gossip has destroyed more people, tarnished more reputations, broken more friendships, and split more churches than any sin I'm aware of. Gossip is quickly told, quickly heard, and quickly

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spread. Worst of all, gossip is quickly believed. People will confess to theft, adultery, even murder. But no one confesses to gossip.

The Bible gives many warnings concerning gossip:

Exodus 20:16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Leviticus 19:16 Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

Psalm 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

Psalm 101:5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure.

Proverbs 11: 9;13 With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape... A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Proverbs 12:6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

Proverbs 20:19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

Proverbs 26:20-21 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

1 Timothy 3:10-11 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives[a] are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

James 3:5-6 The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

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My name is Gossip

I am a direct descendant of the father of lies.

I have no respect for justice.

I maim without killing.

I break hearts and ruin lives.

I am cunning and malicious and I gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted, the more I am believed.

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, heartaches, and indigestion.

I make innocent people cry in their pillows.

I make headlines and headaches.

Even my name hisses. I am called Gossip.

Before you repeat a story, ask yourself:

Is it true?

Is it harmless?

Is it necessary?

If it isn’t, why repeat it?1

1 (Author unknown) http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=513

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Various words used in Scripture:

A. Hebrew word rakil

Leviticus 19:16 "you shall not go about as a slanderer"

16 You must not go about spreading slander among your people; you must not jeopardize your neighbor's life; I am the LORD. (HCSB)

Proverbs 11:13 "he who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets" 13 A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but the trustworthy keeps a confidence. (HCSB)

Proverbs 20:19 "he who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets"19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth. (HCSB)

Jeremiah 6:28 "rebellious, going about as a talebearer"28 All are stubborn rebels spreading slander. [They are] bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt. (HCSB)

Jeremiah 9:4 "goes about as a slanderer” 4 Everyone has to be on guard against his friend. Don't trust any brother, for every brother will certainly deceive, and every friend spread slander (HCSB)

B. Greek work psithurimos – “to whisper” - psst

Romans 1:29 ‘filled with unrighteousness, full of deceit, gossips, slanderers"

29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, (HCSB)

2 Corinthians 12:20 "slanderers, gossip.."

20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; [a] there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. (HCSB)

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C. Greek word phluarus - "to babble"

I Tim. 5:13 - "gossips and busybodies"13 At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips (A) and busybodies, saying things they shouldn't say. (HCSB)

D. Greek word diabolos - "to throw through, to slander"

1 Timothy 3:11 "malicious gossips"11 Wives, (A) too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, (B) faithful in everything(HCSB)

2 Timothy 3:3 "malicious gossips"3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, (A) without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, (HCSB)

Titus 2:3 "malicious gossips"3 In the same way, older women (A) are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. [They are] to teach what is good, (HCSB)

Defining gossip

The Greek scholar Godet describes a gossiper as someone who pours out his poison by whispering in our ears.

To spread secrets or rumors ..False accusations, slander, To reveal personal facts about another.

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I. The Seriousness of Gossip

Romans 1:28-32 (HCSB) 28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, [a] evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. 32 Although they know full well God's just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

A man won the million-dollar lottery. He flew with his wife to New York City for a weekend getaway. They had such an argument over how to spend the money that she threatened to divorce him. In a fit of anger, he went to the top of the Empire State Building. She ran up after him, thinking he might do something crazy. Once she got to the top she said, "Honey, I love you. We can work it out." But by the time she reached him, he had already torn the check into pieces and thrown the pieces to the ground. They got to the ground as quick as possible to gather up the pieces of the check. But it was too late. The wind had gotten a hold of the pieces. They couldn't piece the check back together again, no matter how hard they tried. That's how it is with gossip. Once gossip gets out, it gets out of control. Once it gets into the wind of people's ears, there's no way to put things back together again.

A. Paul’s View of Gossip

In the scripture above, the Apostle Paul paints a grim picture of reprobates those who have rejected the Lord and have embraced a lifestyle of sin. He makes it clear that God condemns such evil behavior. “They persist in doing these things, knowing that those who do such things deserve death” (Rom 1:32).

As Paul described this evil conduct, we might expect to find mention of such vile things as greed, deceit, adultery, murder and so forth. But please take note of the other inclusions -- especially the mention of “gossip and slander.” Does this come as a surprise? Paul said that gossips and bad-mouthers were in the same league as murderers, sexual perverts, and God haters -- and that such sins were worthy of a death sentence!

“Slander” is a word that has an interesting origin. It comes from the word “Devil.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, slander means “malicious talk; to spread damaging information; to defame; to speak ill of.” Is it no wonder where slander derives it’s name? Slander is the work of the

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Devil, and those who slander are on his team. In fact the Bible says that Satan is called the “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). Are you an accuser of the brethren too? If so, even though it may not be your intention, you are being used an agent of the Devil! According to scripture, any Christian who’s mouth is out of control does not have a right relationship with God. “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless” (James 1:26).

“Gossip” is derived from the idea of “whispering.” According to the same dictionary, “gossip” means “To indulge in idle talk or rumors about others; spreading of sensational stories.” Funk and Wagnals dictionary defines it as “Idle, or malicious talk about others.” As we can see, gossip is a close cousin to slander, and God’s Word places both in the same cupboard as murder and other wickedness -- sins worthy of death.

Let me ask, as a Christian do you occasionally slip up and commit a murder here or there? Or how about theft -- do you occasionally burglarize a home or steal things from the store? You may think this is silly to ask. Of course, a Christian lifestyle doesn’t behave that way. But how about gossip or slander? Do you engage in idle talk or rumors about others? Do you participate in bad-mouthing or spreading rumors about others? According to the Bible, which sin is less severe? Murder or gossip? I’m sure you get the message. Paul said, BOTH are sins equally worthy of death.

The Apostle Peter, also used murder as a comparison with another, sometimes under-rated sin. “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters” (1 Peter 4:15). Notice that a “busybody” is placed in the same company as “murderers, thieves, and evildoers.” The dictionary defines a busybody as “a meddler; a person who seeks confidential information about others; a snoop; a nosy person.”

A busybody is another close relative to gossip -- a person who meddles in the affairs of others. They are like a peeping-tom who snoops and spies. A busybody is the investigator for the gossips and rumormongers, seeking to uncover sensational details and to whisper the latest news. Sometimes busybodies are persons who have too much time on their hands, with nothing better to do than to talk too much. “Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to” (1 Tim. 5:13).

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II. The Source of Gossip

Gossip is like a tasty morsel that we like to hear. The question is: Where does gossip originate? In a number of Scripture passages, the Lord informs us about the origins of gossip so that we will avoid it.

A. Gossip is fueled by hell's flames

Gossip is one of Satan's fiery arrows that he shoots at us and entices us to shoot at others. The Lord doesn't mince words in James 3:6 when he tells us about the origin of the sins of the tongue: "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."

The flames of hell ignite gossip. Satan is behind all gossip, either directly or indirectly. When we listen to gossip, we give the devil a foothold in our lives. When we speak gossip, we're speaking as Satan wants us to speak. As the old saying goes, "A gossiper is the devil's postman."

B. Gossip originates from the evil in our hearts

In Luke 6:45 Jesus tells us, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Jesus tells us that our words reveal what is in our hearts. Gossip comes from a heart full of evil. Insults come from a heart full of evil. Criticism comes from a heart full of evil. When we allow our sinful natures to control our hearts, evil fills our souls, and evil spews out of mouths.

C. Gossip can be the result of hatred

In Psalm 109:3 the Old Testament King David said of his enemies, "With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause." When we allow hurt, anger, bitterness, and rage to live in our hearts, we entertain thoughts of hatred, retaliation, and revenge (Eph 4:31). One way that we vent our anger, bitterness, and rage is through gossip. We wound people behind their backs by badmouthing them. We retaliate by shooting people in the back with verbal bullets. Unless we find comfort for our hurt and resolution for our anger, we often vent our hurt and anger with our tongues.

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D. Gossip is a product of idleness

1 Tim 5:13 tells us how idleness can lead to gossip: "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to." People with too much time on their hands often become gossips and busybodies. As the saying goes, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

Sometime ago the LA Times carried a horrific story about a college student who visited a prostitute. As his lips approached hers, she moved a razor, hidden in her mouth, between her front teeth. With two quick swipes, she cut off his lips. Gossip is a razor blade in our mouths.

Conclusion:

The Solution for Gossip

Things to Remember about Gossip

Gossip is as sinful as murder and will suffer the same consequences unless there is repentance (Rom. 1:32).

God holds you accountable to your words (Matt. 12:36-37). The person who gossips to you about others, also gossips to others about you.

Gossip & slander disqualifies persons for spiritual leadership (1 Tim. 3:11, Jas. 3:2).

Gossip often masks as pretentious concerns for others.

Gossip often thrives upon secrecy. Where secrecy is removed, gossip is hampered.

Gossip always contributes to a problem and never to a solution.

Gossip always distorts and exaggerates, and is never a reliable source of truth.

Those who gossip & slander are not in right fellowship with God (Rom. 1:28-32).

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Those who gossip rarely get answers to prayer, and often face persistent, unexplainable problems (Psalms 66:18, Prov. 21:23, Prov. 6:12-15).

What to do about Gossip

If you have been a gossiper, confess this as sin and ask Christ to forgive you. “Repent” by turning in a new direction and surrendering your tongue to Christ, not to gossip or bad-mouth again (1 John 1:9, 1 Cor. 7:10).

Keep your nose out of other people’s business.If you can’t say something good or encouraging about others, then keep your mouth shut (Eph. 4:29).

Never criticize another person, except to their own face with an intent to help. Criticism can never be “constructive” if expressed to anyone else.

If your “friends” start bad-mouthing others to you, stop them in their tracks -- refuse to be a partaker of their sins (1 Tim 5:22).

Avoid association with persons who gossip (Prov. 20:19). Expose works of darkness by reporting gossip to the pastor that he may confront and offer correction. Gossip should be treated as any other vile sin (Eph. 5:11).

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