Diabolic Gossip and Tattle

Church/Assembly

3Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

– Titus 2:3

44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

– John 8:44

8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

– Philippians 4:8
(NASB® © 2020)

A very interesting word used in Titus 2:3 shows how seriously God takes slander, defamation, half-truths, blasphemy (even in a pious guise), or gossip. When older women are told not to slander, we find the Greek term “diabolos” – the word used for the devil. It means “confuser, slanderer”. No wonder since he is called the father of lies in John 8:44. One who unjustly criticizes and condemns.

Gossip, half-truths (not lies per se, but distortions of reality), and other things are not trivial to God. They are of diabolical origin. Especially in light of James 3:1-12, where we are shown that our tongues can destroy much, we as believers should be very sensitive about whether, what, and how we talk about our fellow brothers and sisters.

Philippians 4:8 is a good “list of criteria”: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” If what I have to say about my brother or sister is inappropriate, maybe I should keep it to myself.

Ps 141:3: “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

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