It's only words?

James 1: 22-26

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.


This touches on one of the big issues I believe that we should strive to change within the Church community. We all know people who talk too much, especially in the Church. They are the people who love to gossip about all of the latest happenings in the congregation. They keep up with who wears what, who is saying what, going as far sometimes as to add in a few details, and then they will hold all accountable to their deeds, and words…..except of course for themselves. The problem as I see it has come down to people today categorizing idle talk as not “that big of a deal”. Now we are warned several times throughout the bible about idle talk and gossip, (Psalms 39:1, James 3:9-10, Prov. 11:9 ) to name a few. Jesus himself warned against it Matthew (12:36-37) when he said, “by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” As I have said before there is no difference to the Lord when it comes to sin. (Matthew 5:19). Paul reminds us of howgossip is viewed in Romans chapter 1 where he tells us that they (the gossip) not only continue to repeat the same sin, they approve of others that do the same, as a result they deserve death! I think that makes for a pretty clear case of the need to keep a bridled tongue.


We have to take a role in helping our fellow Christians identify this and stop it from spreading in the Church. It is commonly pointed out as a problem by those who are thinking about Christianity, and accepting Christ. Could you imagine? Someone who has heard the word of the Lord preached to them, yet they are apprehensive, not because of the religion, but because of the hipocrocy of the followers! They want to have Christ as their savior, but they do not want to deal with the backbiting within the Church community.

I know that this some Churches are better at controlling this than others, and I have seen some that you would think it is encouraged. It comes down to each one of us as Christians, we have to hold ourselves accountable (and that can be quite a task sometimes) but we have to hold our breatheran accountable as well.

First and foremost we have to lead by example, but then we have to help our brothers and sisters see the error of their ways. It is a hard task, but one that needs to be taken on.

When we fall, and we all will stumble on this, remember: He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).


Peace,
Rev. T