Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Arrest in Jerusalem”. Following Paul’s evangelistic journeys, we have arrived at his “compromise” in Jerusalem with the leaders of the early church. “Paul was advised to be politically correct. He should show the falsity of the rumors about him by doing something very Jewish: sponsor the Nazarite vow of some Jewish believers”. (But) “He was not authorized of God to concede as much as they asked” (all quotes from Sunday’s lesson). Notwithstanding this concession, when Paul appeared before the crowds after his seven-day period of purification, “a riot ensued caused by those who stirred up the crowd against Paul, accusing him of attacking the most sacred symbols of Jewish religion, in particular of having desecrated the temple. As one of Paul’s travel companions was a Gentile believer from Ephesus named Trophimus (Acts 21: 29), they thought the apostle had introduced him into the temple’s inner court, where only Jews could enter. If the accusation were legitimate, Paul would be guilty of a most serious offense” (from Monday’s lesson). And so the question at the bottom of Monday’s lesson asks, “Rumors, false ones at that, helped start this riot. Why must we be so careful with the kinds of rumors we listen to or, even worse, spread?”
How quick we can be, as sinful humans, to judge another’s motives and actions. We look at “A”, do not really investigate “B” and then assume “C” (A + B = C… not A = C). And if this is not enough to so jump to conclusions in our own minds, we then speak these assumptions with our own mouths. This is the essence of gossip and rumor. A nasty and treacherous temptation straight from the heart of Satan. After all, gossip started the war up in heaven.
“Of course I still love Him, but…” explained the father of lies (John 8:44) as he spread his malicious rumors about God. Lacking evidence to support his claims, the deceiver resorted to “misconstruing and distorting the purposes of God”. Under the guise of pretentious piety, and protesting his perfect loyalty, he confused even brilliant angels with his “subtle arguments”. “Everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of Jehovah. And his high position, so closely connected with the divine government, gave greater force to his representations” (see Patriarchs and Prophets 38, 41). As the theological gossip spread among the angels, there was a ready reply to those who might ask for verification of such shocking reports: “They came right from top administration. The Light-bearer himself says they’re true (quoted from “The Scourge of Theological Gossip” by A. Graham Maxwell).
Gossip is serious. Some have called it “character assassination” for you are spreading uninvestigated and unverified information that can defame a person’s character. We cavalierly engage in gossip all too often, masking it under the pretension that we are only “concerned” and eliciting that same “concern” in others. But behind it all is usually the desire to be the first one to serve-up some delightfully delicious morsel of unverified “slander”. And we then say it is because we “care”. Shame on us.
Gossip is not indifferent to God. In fact, as we look at the “lists” of evils cataloged in various places throughout scripture, we find gossip among them. “Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie… (they are) filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them” (Romans 1: 25, 29-32 NRSV). To admit gossips and rumormongers into God’s kingdom would be to risk starting the war all over again. Sin began in heaven with a lie. But John assures us that in the hereafter there will be no one who loves and tells a lie (see Revelation 21:8, 27 and 22:15).
How to counter this tendency of ours to want to gossip and spread rumors? When you hear or are tempted to gossip, go personally to the one who is the subject of this rumor and ask two questions. First, “have you actually said or done what I’ve been told?” And the second question is, “If so, what is the meaning of what you said, the reason for what you did?” Until these inquiries are made, no one has any right to say anything. To do so is foolish… even sin.
If a brother differ with you on some points of truth, do not stoop to ridicule, do not place him in a false light, or misconstrue his words, making sport of them; do not misinterpret his words and wrest them of their true meaning. This is not conscientious argument. Do not present him before others as a heretic, when you have not with him investigated his positions… To condemn that which you have not heard and do not understand will not exalt your wisdom in the eyes of those who are candid in their investigations of truth (Councils to Writers and Editors pg. 50).
Let us always exhibit the hallmark of a true Christian; to always put everyone, especially our opponents, in the best possible light.
With brotherly love,
Jim