Sins of the Tongue: What God Hates

Ligonier ministries put together an excellent series of articles on Christian speech and the tongue (note James 3).  The following article, "Sins of the Tongue: What God Hates" is well worth the time.  The author reminds us that Christians need to very careful what they say and with what they spread. Pastor Jared Jeter writes, "All sin is destructive, yet few sins have the potential to devastate quite like sins of the tongue. Not only can sins of the tongue produce deep wounds and shatter reputations, but they are also frighteningly easy to commit. It takes only a moment for a careless word to cause irreparable damage. And if a careless word uttered in a moment can cause ruptures, the weightier sins of the tongue can reduce reputations to rubble and bring lives to ruin.

It is no wonder, then, that when Proverbs 6:16–19 lists seven things that the Lord hates to such an extent that He sees them as abominations, three of them are sins of the tongue: a lying tongue; a false witness who breathes out lies; one who sows discord among brothers. The other sins listed here are related to the sins of the tongue. Haughty eyes and a heart that devises wicked plans are dispositions that lead to sins of the tongue, and Scripture frequently connects sins of the tongue with evil desires and unjust bloodshed. Sins of the tongue reveal the sins of the heart. Jesus taught that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). Therefore, much more is at stake with sins of the tongue than a seemingly innocent slip of the tongue.

When the ninth commandment teaches that we are not to bear false witness against our neighbor (Ex. 20:16), it has a wide expanse of sins in view, such as slander, gossip, and flattery. Slander involves making false statements that damage a person’s reputation. Gossip bears false witness by spreading or giving ear to damaging talk behind another person’s back, whether that talk involves rumor, suspicion, or an unnecessary disclosure of faults. Flattery bears false witness in a more subtle manner: It offers praise motivated not by truth or love, but by manipulation and self-interest. These examples only begin to show how far the ninth commandment reaches.

One of the best expositions of the Ten Commandments is found in the Westminster Larger Catechism, and it is especially helpful on the ninth commandment. Along with identifying sins that we often associate with the ninth commandment, such as those mentioned above, the catechism lists the following as examples of violations of the ninth commandment (Q&A 145):

• Giving false evidence
• Wittingly pleading for an evil cause
• Calling evil good, and good evil
• Concealing the truth
• Undue silence in a just cause
• Speaking the truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end
• Aggravating smaller faults
• Unnecessary discovering of infirmities
• Receiving and countenancing evil reports
• Stopping our ears against just defense
• Evil suspicion
• Rejoicing in the disgrace and infamy of others
• Neglecting such things as are of good report

Jesus is All We Need! An Introduction to the Book of Colossians

An Introduction to the Book of Colossians: Jesus is All We Need!

There is a lie that has plagued the church throughout its history: Jesus may be good (and all) but He is not absolutely sufficient.  The (Satanic) half-truth is that we need something more (or else) in addition to the Lord Jesus Christ!

You need Christ—but you also need human wisdom and worldly philosophy.

You need Christ—but you also need a special knowledge or new revelation that other Christians don't possess.

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Colossians to confront this kind of thinking.

His message is remarkably simple, but profoundly important:

We don't need something more or something else. Christ is sufficient!  All we have and all we need is found in Thee!

That message was desperately needed then and now.

A Small but Healthy Church Facing False Teaching

The book of Colossians was written to believers in the city of Colossae, a city in the Lycus Valley of Asia Minor. The church appears to have been established through the ministry of Epaphras, who had come to faith and apparently brought the gospel back to his hometown.

Paul himself had apparently never visited Colossae.  It was a town that history has long forgotten and was not a notable place.  Yet the caring Christ-like shepherd, Paul, cared deeply about these believers.

While imprisoned, Paul received information about the church and about some of the teachings that were beginning to threaten their understanding of Christ.

The problem was not simply that the Colossians were being tempted to abandon Christianity altogether.

The danger was subtler.

They were being tempted to believe that Christ was not sufficient. They needed Christ, but perhaps they also needed something else. Something more.

And that is one of Satan's favorite strategies.

He doesn't always tell people to reject Christ.

Sometimes he simply convinces them that Christ isn't enough.

The Danger of Adding to Christ

False teaching often begins with something that sounds reasonable.

“Of course you need Jesus.”

But then comes the addition:

“You also need this.”

You need Christ plus human philosophy.

Christ plus religious ritual (ascetism) .

Christ plus mystical experiences and special knowledge (mysticism).

Christ plus human rules and/or regulations (legalism/moralism).

Christ plus something that supposedly makes your faith complete.

But the moment we add something to Christ as necessary for our spiritual standing before God, we have undermined the sufficiency of Christ.

What Is a HEALTHY Church (and what it's not)?

 “A healthy church is not a church that’s perfect and without sin. It’s a church that continually seeks to conform itself to God’s Word.”  

Mark Dever

Evangelical Pharisees and Pharisaic, Self-Righteousness.

If we are honest every Christian is prone to falling back into the ditch of "self-righteousness." Any good bible study or related book on pharisaic, self-righteousness calls for humble self-examination and corresponding confession. May our common prayer be, "Lord have mercy on us!" "And "Father, forgive me for I have fallen short of your glory. Shower us with your grace and help us to grow in true love and true piety."

Christian author Michael Reeves calls pharisaical hypocrisy “the hidden cancer” (12) of the church. Few things tempt believers to pull away from, or even abandon Christ's church more than pharisaic, self-righteousness.  Many sheep roam without a flock, in part, because of this hidden cancer.

Churches that are (more) sound in doctrine can easily become breeding grounds for "holier than thou art" Christianity. Sadly, it took me far too many years of ministry before I really understood this grave danger. Some lessons in life are learned the hard way.  For example, I learned that identifying one's congregation (or allowing members to refer to their own congregation) as a "remnant church" fuels pride that often unintentionally creates an abundance of self-righteous (evangelical) pharisees.  

Fundamental Baptists are certainly not the only churches and graduates that struggle with this "hidden cancer."  “For the Pharisee, it all begins with a basic posture of the heart: looking down. They look down on others as they compare themselves to them. (21)"  Bringing others down while silently elevating self. This sin of comparison and judgement begins in the mind before expressing itself with the mouth (or gavel).  Pharisees strain gnats while swallowing camels under the guise of law-keeping and holiness.

Reeves wisely notes that “There are a number of telltales when Christians fall into the self-reliant mindset of the Pharisee” (48). First among these pharisaical tendencies is the sign of hypocrisy. Quoting C. S. Lewis, Reeves shows that arrogant condemnation is a first cousin to hypocrisy.  The evangelical church has hurt many sheep and damaged its Christian testimony with arrogant condemnations more times than one can count.  Hypocrisy on the other hand seeks to conceal my sin (and/or sin struggles) by seeking to widely broadcast your (supposed) sin(s). “The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins. All the worst pleasures are purely spiritual: the pleasure of putting other people in the wrong, of bossing and patronizing, and spoiling sport, and back-biting, the pleasures of power and hatred” (13).

Evangelical Pharisees are often pitiless to those they deem outside their group, but merciful to themselves and those of their own sect (tribe). Thus they violate the heart and soul of Ephesians 4 and the core teaching of Christ in Matthew 7:1-5. They may call themselves trained "peacemakers" but selectively apply the biblical principles of peacemaking (see Ken Sande's 4 G's).  Jesus taught that if one does not, first, remove any and all logs/specks out of their own eye they will not see clearly or judge properly.

Pharisees are also guilty of partiality.  Sinful partiality lies hidden beneath the surface of self-righteous scrutiny. Magnifying the perceived weaknesses and/or real sins of others, while covering up and/or minimizing, their own. Gossip, gluttony, bitterness, pornography, unforgiveness, anger, rebellious children, self-righteousness, and other vices are quietly swept under the rug while demanding others humble themselves via humiliating public confessions.  In the rare event that an evangelical pharisees confesses sin in private they declare their protected tribe as being "blameless" when back in the public spotlight.  Instead of celebrating evidences of grace in the life of fellow redeemed sinners they cast stones.

Additionally, evangelical pharisees proudly judge the apparent humility and genuineness of another's private confession or public repentance while rationalizing away their own logs and excusing their besetting sins!  The Spirit of God reminds us in Scripture, "Who among you is without sin?" Let him who is without sin cast the first stone? Who do we think we are?  

Modern-day Evangelical Pharisees are “not only pitiless but partisan, they eye others with suspicion for the minor defenses that they deem to represent a different gospel” (51).  Evangelical Pharisees “treat those not of their sect with a merciless lack of love” (64).  “Their high sense of self make them equate the gospel with their own particular style; their buzzwords; and their particular culture/group” (51).

Pharisees are legalistic often in the name of wanting to protect God's Law and God's Name.  “In just the same way, evangelicals today can fool themselves that they are being truly biblical. Scripture can be used only to confirm what they have come to believe on other grounds” (35).Reeves then explores “how tradition helps tribes” (35). “Tribalism is the inevitable consequence of allowing tradition—or anything else—parity with the word of God. As soon as we adopt any rallying banner other than the gospel, we sacrifice evangelical unity” (36).“Each silo subtly develops its own particular slang, peculiar dialect, shibboleths, and buzzwords. Its members learn the ‘in’ patter and dress code, talking and walking in specific ways that ape the inner ring of their party leaders. They become, as C. S. Lewis put it, like the country bumpkin, full of ‘the cocksure conviction of an ignorant adolescent that his own village (which is the only one he knows) is the hub of the universe and does everything in the Only Right Way.’ Out of sheer ignorance as much as anything else, the inhabitants of other villages seem increasingly alien and wrong. Out of sight and understanding, they grow horns” (36).

Modern-day Pharisees easily and mercilessly criticize others, but they are quickly and easily offended by others.  Evangelical pharisees love to find fault in other pastors, churches, and seminaries in order to elevate themselves.  In my own experience, certain "mentors" warped my understanding of judging others under the alleged banner of exercising Christian discernment.

Don’t Mistake Your Passion for Theological Precision

Caring Enough to Be Careful

I’m glad there are people in the world—most people in the world, it turns out—who know more about cars than I do. I don’t want good-natured well-wishers to replace my alternator. I want someone who has paid careful attention to the intricacies of auto repair. I want someone who cares about precision. I want someone who knows what he’s doing. I want an expert.

To act as if no one knows more than anyone else is not only silly; it’s also a serious mistake. In his book The Death of Expertise, Tom Nichols cites a survey from a few years ago in which enthusiasm for military intervention in Ukraine was directly proportional to the person’s lack of knowledge about Ukraine. It seems that the dumber we are, the more confident we are in our own intellectual achievements.

Nichols relays an incident where someone on Twitter was trying to do research about sarin gas. When the world’s expert on sarin gas offered to help, the original tweeter (a world-class “twit” we might say) proceeded to angrily lecture the expert for acting like a know-it-all. The expert may not have known it all, but in this case, he knew exponentially more than someone crowdsourcing his research online. And when it comes to chemical warfare, I’d like my experts to have as much expertise as possible.

We live in an age where passion is often considered an adequate substitute for precision.

We’ve swallowed the lie that says that if we believe in equal rights, we must believe that all opinions have equal merit. Nichols also tells the story of an undergraduate student arguing with a renowned astrophysicist who was on campus to give a lecture about missile defense. After seeing that the famous scientist was not going to change his mind after hearing the arguments from a college sophomore, the student concluded in a harrumph, “Well, your guess is as good as mine.” At which point the astrophysicist quickly interjected, “No, no, no. My guesses are much, much better than yours.”1