Posted on 12/10/2022 12:35:36 AM PST by Pilgrim's Progress
“He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18 KJV).
There are two ways one can sin with the tongue. The first is well known and recognized by all—by speaking. The use of the tongue for gossip, slander, idle talk, cursing, smutty and suggestive talk is sin. No one will deny this. Our daily prayer should be with David in Psalm 39:1: "I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue."
There is, however, another sin of the tongue which is ignored by too many of God's people—keeping silent when we ought to speak. It is not usually considered a sin, yet Ezekiel the prophet warns against this in no uncertain words (3:18, 19).
If your neighbor's house were afire and you failed to sound an alarm, it would be an inexcusable act. Then why keep silent when those about you are facing eternal fire?
“He that hideth hatred with lying lips,” that is a hypocrite, or two-faced individual. “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour” (Proverbs 11:9).
“. . . and he that uttereth a slander,” when a man slanders someone he can kill his reputation, it is not unlike murder in a real sense. Even Jesus explained that a person doesn’t actually have to shed blood to be counted as a murderer: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:21-22 KJV).
One of the hardest slanders for a man to overcome is to be accused of being a pedophile. That marks a man for life whether it is true or not, and often ends in the tragic death by suicide of the one falsely accused. God will hold that accuser to account for such an evil act.
If you hate a man enough to slander him, God will count you as a murderer: “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (I John 3:15 KJV).
That is a wicked, wicked sin and yet so many people say, “Well, I never killed anybody,” but they have told a lie against another. John tells us that “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). How many people have been killed with the knife of the tongue, and the daggers of the eyes? “If looks could kill” is a statement we hear a lot.
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