Spurgeon: November AM
* 11/29/AM
"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people
. . . Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not
suffer sin upon him."
--Leviticus 19:16,Leviticus 19:17
Tale-bearing emits a threefold poison; for it injures the
teller, the hearer, and the person concerning whom the tale is
told. Whether the report be true or false, we are by this
precept of God's Word forbidden to spread it. The reputations of
the Lord's people should be very precious in our sight, and we
should count it shame to help the devil to dishonour the Church
and the name of the Lord. Some tongues need a bridle rather than
a spur. Many glory in pulling down their brethren, as if thereby
they raised themselves. Noah's wise sons cast a mantle over
their father, and he who exposed him earned a fearful curse. We
may ourselves one of these dark days need forbearance and
silence from our brethren, let us render it cheerfully to those
who require it now. Be this our family rule, and our personal
bond--SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN.
The Holy Spirit, however, permits us to censure sin, and
prescribes the way in which we are to do it. It must be done by
rebuking our brother to his face, not by railing behind his
back. This course is manly, brotherly, Christlike, and under
God's blessing will be useful. Does the flesh shrink from it?
Then we must lay the greater stress upon our conscience, and
keep ourselves to the work, lest by suffering sin upon our
friend we become ourselves partakers of it. Hundreds have been
saved from gross sins by the timely, wise, affectionate warnings
of faithful ministers and brethren. Our Lord Jesus has set us a
gracious example of how to deal with erring friends in His
warning given to Peter, the prayer with which He preceded it,
and the gentle way in which He bore with Peter's boastful denial
that he needed such a caution.