Backbiting

Perhaps one of the sins Christians commit more than any other is the sin of backbiting. The last part of Proverbs 17:9 reads, “he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” How many times can you remember good friendships (or even kin relationships, Psalms 50:20) being torn asunder because of talk going on behind people’s backs?

Do you ever bite (talk bad about) people behind their backs? The Bible says in Proverbs 10:18 “he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” We need to put away all evil speaking, and be “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven” us (Ephesians 4:31-32).

The way to stop one who “privily slandereth his neighbor” (Psalms 101:5) is to stop listening to him (Proverbs 17:4). Don’t take stock in what a person says about another behind his back. Remember, if Ralph is talking to you about Fred behind Fred’s back, then you can rest assured Ralph is also talking about you behind your back. What do you do if you find out someone is speaking evil about you? Do you return the evil? No, you return good for evil (I Corinthians 4:13, Romans 12:19-21).

Backbiting was condemned by Psalms 15:3. Remember that whisperers, backbiters, and revilers are worthy of death; they shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Romans 1:28-32, I Corinthians 6:10).

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