What Does The Bible Say About Slander?

What Does The Bible Say About Slander?

Answer: The old adage “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is not true. Words can do a great deal of damage to those who have been slandered. Slander is making a false verbal statement that damages someone’s reputation. Slander differs slightly from libel in that libel is a written defamation of character; slander is only spoken. The Bible says a lot about slander, in both Old Testament and New (Proverbs 10:18; 1 Peter 2:1). Slander is so high on God’s list of wrongs that He included it in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:16). The ninth commandment says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Bearing false witness includes slander because of the untruths being spread. Slander is simply lying about someone with the intent of causing others to view that person in a negative light.

Slander is malicious lying, and God hates lying (Proverbs 6:16–19; 12:22). Since God is the author of truth (John 14:6; 1 John 5:6), anything untrue is in opposition to His nature and therefore repulsive to Him. Both slander and gossip are wrong, and Scripture often condemns them together (Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 16:27; 2 Corinthians 12:20), but slander takes gossip to a whole new level. Gossip collects someone’s secrets and passes them to others; slander makes up its own secrets and broadcasts them wherever they will do the most harm.

The New Testament references slander as part of our old sinful nature. Slander has no place in our lives when we become new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Colossians 3:7–8 says, “You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” Our words are to be dedicated to the glory of God, just as our bodies are (Romans 12:1–2; Ephesians 4:29). Those who know God have a responsibility to refrain from slander: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be” (James 3:9–10). Slander is one practice that must be put to death if we intend to follow Jesus (see Romans 6:11–14).

In Romans 1:28–32, Paul lists many traits of a depraved mind, and slander is included in this list (verse 30). When we slander others, we are choosing to step out of the path God designed for us. He will not participate with us in our attempts to destroy someone else with our words. Slander comes from the heart, and when we are tempted to speak untruths about someone, we should first examine our own hearts to see what ugly root is producing those desires. Jesus said, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matthew 15:18–19). God wants us to see that slandering someone is an indicator that our hearts are not right with Him. A desire to slander can spring from a root of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15), from unresolved hurt (1 Peter 3:14–16), from unforgiveness (2 Corinthians 2:10–11; Ephesians 4:32), from jealousy (Galatians 5:20; 2 Corinthians 12:20), or from other sins of the heart.

God’s solution for slander is to love each other (John 13:34). We don’t slander people whom we love (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). Love wants the best for others, and that means guarding their reputations as we do our own (Matthew 7:12). “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). When we focus on obeying the Lord by loving as He loves us, slander will not tempt us.

        This is an essay that ask one good question.  What does the Bible say about slander?  What is the definition of the word slander?  Slander is make false and damaging statements about (someone).  The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.  However, there is one particular Bible verse that has a whole lot to do with slander.  Psalms 73:9 says: They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.  This means when people talk about you, it spreads throughout the community, internet, social media, school, or neighborhood.

        When it comes to the Bible, we are supposed to avoid foolish talk and empty philosophies.  1^st Timothy 6:4 says: He is proud knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, where if cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.  You know what this means, we have to pray for those who are our enemies.  We must keep our friends close and our enemies closer.  I know that this is very difficult for some people to accomplish on their own.  Therefore, we have to be mindful of other people at all times.  To be honest with everyone, I realize that my problem stems from my past.  For Example, the people that I have affiliated with were bad.

        Slander hurts both the victim and the perpetrators themselves.  Titus 1:10-11 Says: (10) for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision: (11) whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.  This means that we cannot affiliate with the ungodly in any way; especially those people who are vain talkers and deceivers.  This also goes for false prophets.  As I recall, I was a victim of malicious slander and fraud growing up in my own hometown of Dayton, Ohio.  I was hurt really bad because the people who I thought were my friends were using me.

        To be honest, both people are hurt by these false accusations.  Titus3:2 says as follows: To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.  We must learn how to be polite in our expressions to one another.  Titus 3:3 says: For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceiving, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice, and envy.  We were hateful and hating one another.  I can truly can identify with Titus 3:3 because I was living in sin.  I was living inside of the world, and doing the things of the world.  I also used to be selfish and bitter by nature.  Through prayer from others and being admonished in a positive matter by others.  I have changed my ways.

        Hebrews 8:11 says: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother saying, know the Lord: For all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.  Everyone will know the Lord.  This is because He is a righteous Judge.  I am very happy that I have Him as my personal Savior.  Titus 3:9 says: But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law: For they are unprofitable and vain.  We must avoid anything that is not of God.  There are false prophets that are inside of the world deceiving others that are in the faith.  We must test the Spirits to see whether or not they are of God. 

   My name is Anthony Joseph Hopkins and I am from Dayton, Ohio.  I am a Blogger.  I have been clean and sober for 29 years.  My hobbies consists of reading the Bible, traveling, meditating, and using the computer on a daily basis.  I am a very nice person.  I am very intelligent, kind, giving, helpful, friendly, brave, bold, sincere, and truthful.