See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! (3:5).
B. Preview.
Because so powerful
Shouldnt be surprised
That a commandment devoted to it:
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (20:16).
Tonight, consider how to love neighbor and so God with tongue.
Lets first consider
What command specifically aimed at.
Second, expand a bit
To see it applies to everything we say about others.
II. Sermon. A. First, what specifically aimed at.
Command not merely against lying
Though has to do with that
But bringing false witness against neighbor.
Are times when called to testify
In disputes,
In court
This calls us to tell truth in those situations.
3
Thats what behind laying hand on Bible
Swearing to tell who truth,
Nothing but truth,
So help you God.
Here, both third and ninth commandments invoked:
If swear by name of God,
Better be calling Him bear witness to truth.
If going to bear witness regarding neighbor,
What say better be true.
Have one example of abuse
Of this command in 1 Kings 21.
Naboth owned a vineyard
Next to king Ahabs palace
That Ahab wanted for himself.
When the king approached Naboth
To buy or trade for it,
Naboth refused
Because it was familys inheritance.
When Jezebel saw Ahab was depressed
And found out why,
4 She said shed get vineyard for him.
It was really quite easy.
All she had to do
Was have the king throw a feast,
Invite a couple of worthless men
To accuse Naboth falsely
Of cursing God and the king,
Have him executed,
And then take the vineyard.
Thats what she did,
And apparently Ahab agreed,
Only what they did
Not pleasing to the Lord.
Why not?
Because she, Ahab, and these worthless men
Broke the 9 th Commandment
As well as the 3 rd and 6 th ;
And Ahab beginning by breaking the 10 th
They bore false witness against their neighbor.
This is exactly what the command forbids
And for obvious reasons.
In those days
5 Any fact could be established
On basis of two or three witnesses (Deu. 19:15).
What kept two or three
From banding together
And taking just about anything they wanted?
The warning: A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing, then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you. Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot (Deu. 19:15-21).
Whatever intend through false testimony
Will be done to you.
Love to neighbor dictates
That speak truth about them,
Especially when testifying.
Purpose of testimony
Is to punish guilty,
But also to vindicate innocent.
B. But there is larger principle:
Need to love neighbor with our words,
Not use to injure them. 6
1. There other ways can be false witness.
Such as spreading damaging lies about someone.
Call this slander.
What God think about?
One who practices this sin
Not inherit kingdom of heaven.
Psalmist writes, O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend (Psalm 15:1-3).
This perhaps most damaging thing can do
Against anyone.
Some have ruined neighbors life.
2. But what if what you tell about others is true?
Does that mean alright to share with everyone?
What if truth damages their reputation unnecessarily?
Say unnecessarily, because sometimes
Truth needs to come out
To help them repent,
Or so someone else not falsely accused.
If not necessary, then called gossip.
What God say about gossip?
7 For one thing,
Will undoubtedly injure our neighbor
And possibly destroy their relationship with others.
Solomon, He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends (Prov. 17:9).
Can be loving them if do this?
Gossip actually form of slander,
So falls under same censure.
Were told further not to associate with those who do
Because if listen, partake same sin.
Solomon, He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip (Prov. 20:19).
So what do with potentially damaging truth
Find out about someone?
Keep to self, He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy conceals a matter (11:13).
3. What if you tell lie that doesnt damage reputation,
What if actually helps them?
Two kinds of lies:
Those that hurt
Thats called slander
And those that could potentially
Make the person seem better than are.
8
God says should try outdo one another
In showing honor (Rom. 12:10),
If there is honor is to be given.
But if try to influence someone
Through exaggeration
Lying to them about selves
Then called flattery.
Flattery is never good,
And is always done for a bad reason,
Which is why Solomon, A man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his steps (Prov. 29:5).
Of course,
If exaggerate about self,
Then bearing false witness about self.
Paul calls that boasting/bragging,
Something love does not do (1 Cor. 13:4).
Again Solomon, Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips (27:2).
4. What should do if someone slanders you,
Or gossips about you,
Or tries to flatter you?
The same as when
9 They try to injure you in some other way:
Dont try to get even,
But return good for evil.
Jesus says, But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. . . Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:27-29, 35-36).
Paul writes, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Rom. 12:14).
Instead of taking to heart,
Getting angry,
And plotting how to get revenge,
Think about how to help them turn around
And do whats right.
Paul writes, Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Eph. 4:29-32).
In many cases,
Means going to them
And working towards overcoming their anger with love.
You should try to do this
When the attack first comes,
10 Or youll make matters worse, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Prov. 15:1).
Personal example from water softener company.
Use your tongue for good.
Build up with your words.
Bless and dont curse.
Thats how love neighbor.
5. Lets not forget,
Most important way to love with words
Is share good news
Of what Jesus done to save sinners.
Have a commission from Jesus
To tell everyone good news.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20).
No better use of tongue,
Nothing more honoring to God,
Than share what Hes done to save sinners
Through His Son.
So try to use every opportunity
To lead others to eternal life in Christ,
11 And you will be doing what is most honoring to the Lord.