Mt. Airy church of Christ
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What to Expect
    • Web Links
    • Local Preacher
    • Privacy Policy
  • Directions
  • Words of the Week
    • Words of the Week 2023
    • Words of the Week 2022
    • Words of the Week 2021
    • Words of the Week 2020
    • Words of the Week 2018
    • Words of the Week 2017
    • Words of the Week 2016
    • Words of the Week 2015
    • Words of the Week 2014
    • Words of the Week 2013
    • Words of the Week 2012
    • Words of the Week 2011
    • Words of the Week 2010
    • Words of the Week 2009
    • Words of the Week 2019
    • Words of the Week 2007
    • Words of the Week 2008
    • Words of the Week 2006
    • Words of the Week 2005
    • Words of the Week 2004
    • Words of the Week 2003
    • Words of the Week 2002
    • Words of the Week 2001
  • Monthly Musings
    • Monthly Musings 2023
    • Monthly Musings 2022
    • Monthly Musings 2020-2021
    • Monthly Musings 2013-2019
    • Monthly Musings 2007-2012
  • Five Minutes
    • Five Minutes 2023
    • Five Minutes 2022
    • Five Minutes 2021
    • Five Minutes 2020
    • Five Minutes 2019
    • Five Minutes-2018
  • From a Woman to Women
    • From a Woman to Women 2023
    • From a Woman to Women 2020-2022
  • Sermons

Gossip: Enjoying Sinning

5/1/2015

 
“Did you hear the one about? . . .” Thus begins the stand-up comic into his humorous routine. Too often our own conversations begin the same way. But the end result is not nearly so funny. In the process we have gossiped about our brethren, our neighbors, perhaps our co-workers, maybe even our own family. Gossip, defined as idle talk about the affairs of others, is a genuine problem for God's people. Think about gossip. . .

IT IS EASY: You won't have to work hard to become an accomplished gossip. No, in fact, the practice is rather like catching the common cold. It takes very little planning, intention, or effort—it just seems to happen.

The ease with which we may be affected by this spiritual malady is the basis of a clear warning: “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much” (Proverbs 20:18). Association with the gossip is a dangerous practice. The first threat is that he may reveal some secret of ours. But also, our company with him can influence us to join in his sinful practice (1 Cor. 15:33). His disease is contagious.

Beware!We are all susceptible. In Romans chapter one, Paul wrote of the heathens who had chosen to ignore God. They had engaged in gratifying every carnal desire. Among their faults was the sin of being “whisperers” (vs. 28). Other versions translate this as “gossips.” What we see here is that men, when following the desires of the flesh rather than the will of God, will be prone to gossip.

IT IS ENJOYABLE: The ease with which folks can be made to gossip must surely be connected with the perverted kind of enjoyment it brings to those who participate in it. There is a strange sense of reward that comes from being the first to know—and tell—something on another person. Some people get such a charge out of this that they are not above manufacturing some tale. It may not be a complete fabrication. There may be shreds of truth blended together with lots of imagination—anything to arrive at a good 'juicy' bit of gossip. This, most assuredly, is a sin that brings “pleasure for a season” (Hebrews 11:25).

Christians of the first century, like us all, demonstrated a propensity for this activity. Paul was concerned that he would find “whisperings” (translated “gossip” in the NIV) when he returned to Corinth (2 Corinthians 12:20). James bemoaned certain sins of the tongue that “ought not so to be” (James 3:10). Self control in such matters is, he said, the ultimate sign of spiritual maturity: “if any man offend not in word, the same is a prefect man, and able also to bridle the whole body” (vs. 3).

This is, we have learned, the kind of thing that everyone can 'enjoy.' It is truly everyone's malady. We all like to be 'in the know,' and we love for people to know that we know! So, we gossip; we betray confidences; we spread rumors.

IT IS SIN: Here is the bottom line! Jesus warned, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:36,37).

Remember the definition of gossip? It is “idle talk about the affairs of others,” and it clearly falls within the realm of things that we will answer for in the judgment. In the Proverbs we are warned: “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life; but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction” (13:3). And again, “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles” (21:23).

Recall that we've included this as one of the maladies that affects everyone. This is not just a problem of irreligious folk. A lot of regular 'church-goers' have the problem, too. Of these James says: “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain” (James 1:26).

THERE IS A CURE: Take heart! There is a solution for the sin of gossiping. We are promised forgiveness of this sin, just like any other sin, as we comply with the conditions of God's will. And furthermore, we have the confidence that our Father will help us withstand future temptations to commit this common sin. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Our task is to look for that “way to escape,” and to avoid this terrible sin of gossip.

“Did you hear the one about? . . .” No! And please don't tell me!

​~Greg Gwin

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    RSS Feed

Mt. Airy church of Christ
7222 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19119
Phone 215.248.2026

James Baker, Preacher
Website by Darin Kennedy
©2018 Mt. Airy church of Christ
Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What to Expect
    • Web Links
    • Local Preacher
    • Privacy Policy
  • Directions
  • Words of the Week
    • Words of the Week 2023
    • Words of the Week 2022
    • Words of the Week 2021
    • Words of the Week 2020
    • Words of the Week 2018
    • Words of the Week 2017
    • Words of the Week 2016
    • Words of the Week 2015
    • Words of the Week 2014
    • Words of the Week 2013
    • Words of the Week 2012
    • Words of the Week 2011
    • Words of the Week 2010
    • Words of the Week 2009
    • Words of the Week 2019
    • Words of the Week 2007
    • Words of the Week 2008
    • Words of the Week 2006
    • Words of the Week 2005
    • Words of the Week 2004
    • Words of the Week 2003
    • Words of the Week 2002
    • Words of the Week 2001
  • Monthly Musings
    • Monthly Musings 2023
    • Monthly Musings 2022
    • Monthly Musings 2020-2021
    • Monthly Musings 2013-2019
    • Monthly Musings 2007-2012
  • Five Minutes
    • Five Minutes 2023
    • Five Minutes 2022
    • Five Minutes 2021
    • Five Minutes 2020
    • Five Minutes 2019
    • Five Minutes-2018
  • From a Woman to Women
    • From a Woman to Women 2023
    • From a Woman to Women 2020-2022
  • Sermons