Listen to What God’s Spirit Seeks to Reveal

Siblings, sometimes we are obliged to revise what we know by heart so that we might reflect on its value. In such instances, it is prudent to listen to what God’s Spirit seeks to reveal. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.

Exodus 20:16 NLT

[16] “You must not testify falsely against your neighbour.

Do Not Swear Falsely Against the Neighbour

Initially, I thought of perjury, as it relates to knowingly making erroneous statements under oath. However, I realised that it is limited to court cases. As I listened for God’s Spirit, I realised it could be more. If we reduce bearing false witness against another to mere court cases, many of us can move right along. In fact, if we assume that the chronology of Exodus is correct, the Children of Israel had only recently begun to settle disputes ‘legally’.

What if bearing false witness included any form of slander or character assassination? The term ‘character assassination’ is strong, but I think it covers more than perjury. It doesn’t always refer to court cases, although it is still aimed at destroying another’s reputation. Slander is perhaps more correct than assassination, as it includes allegations and spreading gossip.

Self-Check

Given the aforementioned, have we been guilty of bearing false witness?

Application

The diagram indicates that character assassination has clear goals. They may not always be consciously determined. But the impact could be as dangerous as the physical act of murder. When we open our hearts to bear false witness against another – and I just realized that it isn’t always negative – we must ask ourselves, ‘to what end?’.

Just think, it was character assassination that resulted in Y’shua’s sentencing.

I believe that cases of bearing false witness – whether character assassination, libel, slander, or gossip (no matter how sweet) – have ulterior motives. There’s a reason why we choose to speak falsely of another. It may be out of anger, jealousy (not always in anger), to gain someone’s favour, or even as an act of self-preservation. When we know our motives, it might be easier to curb.

The most dangerous act of bearing false witness occurs when we lie about who God says we are. For, in those times, we also misrepresent God. In those cases, our actions present God as a liar, or that God knows less about us than God does. Remember when folks judged God and the Church based on the actions of the leadership? Oh yes, they still do.

Often, the wounds inflicted by us (in leadership) impact others’ view of salvation, the Church in general, and their views about God. Not good. Could it be time for us to paint a different picture and bear true witness to Christ?

Assignment

Where we find that we’ve shared false or misleading information about others, we must desist right away.

Let’s ask God to reveal such instances and repent of them.

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May all we seek be found in Christ