Topical Bible: Slander: Illustrated

◄ Slander: Illustrated ►

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Definition and Nature of Slander

Slander is the act of making false, damaging statements about someone, with the intent to harm their reputation. Biblically, slander is considered a serious sin, as it not only injures the person being spoken about but also reflects a corrupt heart. The Bible frequently warns against the dangers and consequences of slander, emphasizing the importance of truth and integrity in speech.

Biblical References and Illustrations

1. Old Testament Warnings:
· In the Old Testament, slander is often associated with deceit and malice. Leviticus 19:16 commands, "You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD." This verse highlights the communal damage caused by slander and the divine prohibition against it.
· Proverbs 10:18 states, "The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool." Here, slander is linked to foolishness and hidden malice, underscoring the moral deficiency in those who engage in it.

2. New Testament Teachings:
· The New Testament continues to address the issue of slander, urging believers to maintain purity in their speech. Ephesians 4:31 instructs, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice." This passage places slander alongside other destructive behaviors that Christians are called to abandon.
· James 4:11 warns, "Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it." This verse emphasizes the relational harm caused by slander and its contradiction to the law of love.

3. Illustrative Biblical Characters:
· Joseph: In Genesis 39, Joseph is falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, leading to his imprisonment. This account illustrates the destructive power of slander and the suffering it can cause to the innocent.
· Jesus Christ: Jesus Himself was a victim of slander. In Matthew 26:59-61 , false witnesses accuse Him of blasphemy, leading to His crucifixion. This ultimate act of slander against the sinless Son of God highlights the grave injustice that slander can perpetuate.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

Slander is not merely a social faux pas but a sin that grieves the heart of God. It is a violation of the command to love one's neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:39). The Bible calls believers to speak truthfully and to build one another up with their words (Ephesians 4:29). Slander, by contrast, tears down and destroys, reflecting a heart that is not aligned with God's will.

Practical Considerations for Believers

Believers are encouraged to guard their tongues and to be mindful of the impact of their words. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Christians are called to be peacemakers, using their speech to promote harmony and understanding rather than discord and division.

In summary, slander is a grievous sin that the Bible consistently condemns. It is a reflection of a heart that is not in tune with God's love and truth. Believers are urged to reject slander in all its forms and to pursue speech that honors God and edifies others.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 12:18
There is that speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 25:18
A man that bears false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Genesis
... l.)[1] the dreamer, who rose through persecution and prison, slander and sorrow ... life
and the Nemesis that waits upon sin more dramatically illustrated than in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/genesis.htm

Commandment Eighth. We Ought to Shun that which is Evil, and do ...
... and lies, and backbiting, and hypocrisy, from the remembrance of wrong, and from
all slander. ... Could evangelical morality be more beautifully illustrated?]. ...
/.../pastor/the pastor books first second third/commandment eighth we ought to.htm

The Fallacy of the Young Nation
... for money, we use quite an inaccurate expression, and we slander him very much. ... The
matter may, perhaps, be illustrated by a parallel from our modern politics. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/xviii the fallacy of the.htm

God.
... away from these, and practise and love falsehood, slander, impurity, treacherous ...
history both of nations and individuals has frequently illustrated, there is a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/1 god.htm

Rhodo and his Account of the Dissension of Marcion.
... of such a charge, and it may be rejected as a baseless slander, like the report ... of
Paul as grasped by Marcion and perhaps by Apelles, is well illustrated by a ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xiii rhodo and his account.htm

Letter ccxvii. To Amphilochius, the Canons.
... five a hearer, during four a kneeler, and for two a slander without communion. ... of
te oikonomi& 139; tes kath' heauten zoes by continency is illustrated in the ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter ccxvii to amphilochius the.htm

The Congregationalists.
... White: New England Congregationalism in its Origin and Purity; Illustrated by the ...
in these days of sectional prejudice, party animosity, and slander, to say ...
/.../ 101 the congregationalists.htm

The Third Book
... perjury, of the curials but injustice, [175] of petty officials but slander, of
all ... The burdens and difficulties of the office are best illustrated by the 192 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the third book.htm

Letter xvi. Charity.
... of this disposition upon human character and happiness are strikingly illustrated
in the ... be indulging a morbid appetite for fault-finding and slander, while we ...
/.../a practical directory for young christian females/letter xvi charity.htm

The First Epistle of St. Peter
... moral discipline is that it forms an effective 12 reply to the pagan slander of
Christians ... This, illustrated in various ways from the OT (egi2 and 19), was the ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the first epistle of st.htm