GOSSIP - It Can Kill You!

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Ex. 20:16)

"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." (Rom. 1:28-32)


"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)

Gossip hurts. It can destroy relationships. It can harm the reputation of an innocent person that may never be overcome because the lie is out there. People will always believe what they want to believe. It dishonors God who is perfect and true. (1 John 5:6) The Word of God is clear that the fiery flames of hell await the gossip. 

The only way to avoid such punishment is that the gossip must repent and put their trust in Jesus who died for their sins. Jesus did not die to give permission to be disobedient to His word. He died because that is our death sentence. (1 Cor. 15:3) To the gossip I say look at the damage you have done to the children of God. Confess your sin to Him and accept Jesus as the One who paid your fine on the cross for there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. (Heb. 9:22) Once we turn to Jesus He gives us a new heart. (Ez. 36:26) Our old heart can only speak lies. (Gen. 6:5, Ps. 58:3) Even flattery can be false. Our new heart is circumcised with The Law of God written on it. 


“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord. In those days they shall no longer say:

“‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
    and the children's teeth are set on edge.’

But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:27-34)

Where Is Our Heart in Worship?

In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." (Gen. 4:3-7)

What is our attitude in worship? Is it something we 'must' do as in an obligation? Do we worship out of convenience when it suits our plans? Or do we worship God because we are in love with Him alone and cannot do anything but worship Him who gives us life?

The story of Cain and Abel is about two men from the same family. One labored the ground bearing fruit and the other tended sheep. The text only tells us that God had regard for Abel’s offering and not for Cain’s. It really does not say why. Mosaic law did require grain offerings so we cannot say God does not desire the fruit of the land. (Lev. 2) The clue maybe in the description of the offerings themselves. Abel brought forth the ‘firstborn’ and fat portions whereas Cain brought ‘an offering’ perhaps as an afterthought. And Cain did not take his rejection likely. Jealously ensued, murder and lying followed. In other words, we saw the true heart of Cain. (1 John 3:10) It is our true heart that God sees. (1 Sam. 16:7) Even a warning from God could not keep Cain from killing. So, when we gather for worship, let us ask ourselves, where is my heart in relation to my Maker? Is it centered on me and what I‘m doing, or is it totally centered on God alone and what He has done for me through His Blood upon the Cross?

The heart is the part of man which God chiefly notices in religion. The bowed head, and the bended knee–the grave face and the rigid posture–the ritual response, and the formal amen–all these together do not make up a spiritual worshiper. The eyes of God look further and deeper. He requires the worship of the heart. “My son,” he says to every one of us, “Give me your heart.” ~ J.C. Ryle