Topical Bible: Slander: Includes: Bearing False Witness

◄ Slander: Includes: Bearing False Witness ►

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Definition and Nature:
Slander, in biblical terms, refers to the act of making false and damaging statements about someone. It is closely related to the concept of "bearing false witness," which is explicitly prohibited in the Ten Commandments. Slander is considered a serious sin as it not only harms the reputation of others but also disrupts community harmony and violates God's command for truthfulness.

Biblical References:

1. The Ten Commandments:
· "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
· This commandment underscores the importance of truthfulness and integrity in speech. Bearing false witness is not limited to legal settings but extends to any situation where one's words can harm another's reputation.

2. Proverbs on Slander:
· "A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape." (Proverbs 19:5)
· "A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip separates close friends." (Proverbs 16:28)
· Proverbs frequently warns against the destructive power of slander and falsehood, emphasizing that such actions lead to discord and division.

3. New Testament Teachings:
· "Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices." (Colossians 3:9)
· "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25)
· The New Testament continues the call for honesty and integrity, urging believers to reject falsehood and embrace truth as part of their new life in Christ.

4. Jesus on Slander:
· Jesus addressed the issue of slander in His teachings, highlighting the importance of the heart's condition: "But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell." (Matthew 5:22)
· This passage illustrates that slanderous words stem from a heart not aligned with God's righteousness.

Moral and Ethical Implications:
Slander is not merely a social faux pas but a moral failing that reflects a deeper spiritual issue. It is a violation of the command to love one's neighbor as oneself (Mark 12:31). The act of slander is rooted in malice, envy, or a desire to elevate oneself at the expense of others. It is antithetical to the Christian call to build up the body of Christ in love and truth.

Consequences and Accountability:
The Bible warns that those who engage in slander will face divine judgment. The Psalms and Proverbs frequently remind believers that God is a God of justice who will not overlook the sin of slander. "Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, him I will not endure." (Psalm 101:5)

Practical Application:
Believers are encouraged to guard their tongues and speak only what is edifying and true. James 3:6 describes the tongue as a "fire, a world of unrighteousness," highlighting the need for self-control and reliance on the Holy Spirit to speak words that reflect God's truth and love. Christians are called to be peacemakers, fostering unity and understanding rather than division and strife through careless or malicious words.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 20:16
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 5:20
Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 3:14
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Exposition of the Moral Law.
... prohibition of murder, adultery, and thefts includes wrath, hatred ... quit of the trifling
of the false prophets, who ... there is some reason for his bearing a divine ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 8 exposition of the.htm

The Commandments
... not make to thee other gods" includes not loving ... such as thefts, adulteries, murders,
false witnesses, covetousnesses ... would then be like fruit-bearing trees of ...
/.../swedenborg/spiritual life and the word of god/part secondthe commandments.htm

Tenth Sunday after Trinity Spiritual Counsel for Church Officers.
... What else do they but slander baptism and the ... to the office representative of Christ
and bearing his Word ... The gift of prophecy includes, further, the ability to ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/tenth sunday after trinity spiritual.htm

A Gluttonous Man and a Winebibber
... the truth which gave colour to the slander attests that ... shown to us in His perfect
life, includes the acceptance ... part of human life and experience by bearing it ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/a gluttonous man and a.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... Celsus, a witness to Scripture, [232]32 ... them, [374]ib.; slavishly submissive to the
false apostles, [375 ... Edification, includes removal of unsound parts, [520]382 ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

The Epistle of St. James
... Let him be proud to endure the shame of bearing the name of ... as in 1 Peter 2:12),
but it includes more ... To defame one another is the sin of slander denounced in 1 ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of st james.htm

part i
... manner?" By means of faith, by means of good works, and by bravely bearing the miseries ...
because it is limited by self-love, and that love is a false one; we ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

The Theology of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
... indeed, not only insufficient but actually false, because it ... life on earth bear frequent
witness to His ... lessons for ourselves from His bearing in circumstances ...
/.../chapter ii the theology of st.htm

A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus ...
... sacrifice our lives, and dearest concerns in a faithful witness-bearing.' 'Wherefore,
sir ... your doctrine which was also the doctrine of the false apostles, was ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a defence of the doctrine.htm

Moody's Stories
... take up a book that is a slander on my ... way of living without care, without solicitude,
bearing all burdens ... But you know the word "whosoever" includes every one ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys stories/moodys stories.htm