Dear people of Afghanistan and elsewhere

If it will make you feel better, please feel free to burn as many copies of the Bible as you'd like. We won't be offended. We won't riot and trash things or lash out at others. We won't hate or revile you. We won't wish you any harm.

We will love you and pray that you will be blessed. We will pray that the peace of God will fill your hearts.

While the message of the Bible is a holy and revered message to us, the physical book is just paper and ink. As followers of Jesus, we keep the Truth of the Bible in our hearts and express them through the way we live. Or at least we try to.

Jesus told us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, forgive those who offend us, and be merciful to others as he is merciful to us.

So, if burning Bibles will help you feel avenged, please go ahead. Burn Bibles by the dozens or by the hundreds or by the thousands.

It won't harm our faith in anyway. God will not be offended. And we can always print more.

Just, please, stop harming and killing people.

 

Vitriolic is as vitriolic does

So, Adele flips off the cameras because she was cut off while thanking people for an award she received. Tweets exclaim that anything but the iPhone sucks and if you don’t have one you’re a loser. Facebook friends decry one another's political views as idiotic, racist, stupid, insane, and so on. An employee shoots his boss during a performance review. Politicians slam their opposing parties as demonic, vile, Nazis, liars, Commies, crazies, and much worse. And we curse and yell at anyone in traffic around us who is doing something we don’t like.

Oy! Talk about behaving badly. Yes we are.

There’s something wrong with us when our automatic reaction is flipping the bird, pulling a gun, or slinging insults when we don’t get our own way or others disagree with us.

It amazes and saddens me to see Facebook friends who I know to be smart and usually kind people, throw insulting invectives, too often obscenity-laced, at others who disagree with their view on things, whether it’s politics, religion, fashion, food, music, or whatever.

It’s sickening and disheartening. I’m tired of it.

Defined by our own words

We are what we speak. Or do. Or write. Or think. Jesus said it plainly in Matthew 12:33-37:

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Okay, so Jesus insulted the Pharisees by calling them snakes. Before you think this justifies your bad behavior, let’s look more carefully at what’s going on:

• First, he was Jesus and he had a clear view of people’s hearts, unlike us. While we can guess what’s going on inside a person, Jesus knew (and knows).
• Second, in the context of the passage, the Pharisees were questioning Jesus’ authority to do what he did in front of their eyes – heal a man.
• Third, Jesus wasn’t hiding behind Facebook; he was standing right in front of them and was commenting on their behavior in that moment.
• Fourth, Jesus didn’t sink to their level, but rose above it through his deeds and words. He set the standard for right behavior.
• Fifth, Jesus put the onus of the issue back on the Pharisees (and us) stating that the kind of person we are will be evident by the life we live and the words we speak now and in the future (he wasn’t referring to the past).

If we are saying evil things about others, by this standard, it’s because we are evil. If we are being disrespectful of others' views, we are not respectable.

Fodder for the fireplace

When we insult another person or group, we are being insensitive, intolerant, insolent, rude, and contemptuous. We are demeaning them. And we're not doing much for ourselves, either. We’re being a bad tree bearing bad fruit.

What happens to bad trees?  “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:19, NIV).

Ouch! In other words, our cutting others down will result in our being cut down and burnt up.

So how can we be good trees and bear good fruit and avoid the fire?

Simple.

Live a life of love in the Spirit, grow in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened in the Lord (see Colossians 1:5-14).

James puts it this way:

“My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:12-18, NIV).

Republican, Democrat, Independent, Tea Party, black, white, Asian, moderate, left, right, centrist, Christian, atheist, agnostic, on Facebook or Twitter, on TV or in the cafe, open mic or closed mic, in private or public; whomever, wherever, and whenever, vitriolic talk and the thinking behind it needs to be replaced with kindness, graciousness, and civility. Especially among those who are Christ followers.

We can disagree, but let’s do it without damaging one another or ourselves. To borrow an old adage, when you flip the finger at others, you’ve got three and a thumb flipping back at you!

Boorishness is unbecoming. Let’s be nice, not belittling. Then we'll be better.

In grace, do no harm

There’s a concept in healthcare that says, “First, do no harm.” It’s is attributed to the Hippocratic Oath. Taken by healthcare practitioners, the Oath is a promise to act ethically when providing care to patients. Doctors vow to do no harm in their practice of medicine.

As Christ’s followers, this should also be our vow as we live in community with our fellow believers.

Sin hurts. It brings consequences that can endure over time. It leaves scars. Even when grace is applied, the impact of sin can go on. But it should lessen over time as we act as ministers of grace to one another.

This means when someone sins, even if their sin hurts us, we “do no harm” by not keeping their sin alive through gossip, slander, or exaggeration.

While sin is punishable, it’s not our job to administer any kind of sentence. That’s something that’s exclusively reserved for God. Correction and accountability are acceptable, but these involve the cooperation of the sinner and are done in love with care.

As for us, as Paul makes clear in Romans 3, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” and we all deserve to be put to death. We are in no way qualified to execute punishment on others.

Instead, just as we covet God’s grace and forgiveness for ourselves, we must covet the same for others.

Sadly, there are those who feel it’s their duty to keep alive and even overstate the past and perceived sins of others. Like little Satans, they run around reminding any who will listen how awful was the sin-thing that so-and-so did.

They are unforgiving of the offense, real or imagined, and so seek to cause harm to the perceived offender well past the point of the offense, and even in the face of repentance.

Passed on from generation to generation

Those who do this kind of harm self-righteously point to passages such as Numbers 14:18 that says, “Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

As they point to this latter half of this passage, they miss the key component that “he” refers to God, not them. They also ignore the first half that states, “The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.”

This is further echoed and clarified in Psalm 103:8-12:

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us,” (NIV).

And then there’s Luke 1:50 that states, “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation” (NIV).

And for good measure, let’s throw in Romans 12:14-21 (NIV):

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Fortunately for us, 1 John 1:9 declares, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (NIV).

And Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:13, to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (NIV).

The unforgiving aren’t guiltless

Every day we as Christians are challenged in our faith. Our past failings come to mind and we cringe and cry inside. We look back and think, “If only…” There are many decisions and actions we wish we could re-do. But we can’t.

And it makes no difference if these failures occurred before or after we became Christians.

The last thing we need is someone who claims to be a believer in Christ pointing at our failures and proclaiming, “Unclean!” as if we were a terminally ill spiritual leper.

Those who behave thus call into question the legitimacy of their own faith and put themselves in peril. At the same time they can cripple the efforts of the forgiven to push forward in grace. The result is to inhibit the Kingdom work for which the “failed” have been called and gifted.

The forgiven aren’t guilty

What these passages make clear are these points, among others:

1. Those guilty of sin will be punished if they remain guilty. We are all guilty of sin.
2. Only God is in a position to administer punishment. We are not God’s avengers.
3. Confession removes guilt because Jesus died for our sins. We all have access to mercy through grace.
4. Those who are forgiven are to be forgiving. We are obligated as followers of Christ to emulate the Father, just as did Christ.

Our responsibility as Christians is not to beat up our brothers and sisters with their less than perfect pasts. Instead, we are to come along side, sharing each other’s burdens, covering sins with love and forgiveness, giving witness through our behavior of the grace that Jesus offers everyone who comes to Him.

Instead of stabbing one another in the back, we are to protect one another’s back. I’ve got yours; do you have mine?

Lead us not into frustration, but deliver us into good praise and worship: Tips for worship teams

As the evangelists who came to our little church for “revivals” when I was a kid would always say, “Forgive me for I’m about to step on some toes. Hallelujah!”

That was the standard warning preamble to a 10-15 minute diatribe against some sin of fashion, passion, or whatever. The revival trail sin dujour.

Skirts are too short. Pants are too tight. Movies are too racy. And the like. The “hallelujah” gave the impression that they enjoyed toe stompin’.

Me? I’m not fond of stepping on any body part and I’m not going to address sin issues. Instead, I’m going to offer some tips to worship leaders (aka song leaders) on how to create a better singing/worship experience on Sunday mornings and other times.

From years of experience

These tips emerge from decades of being in church, both as a member and a visitor, across a variety of denominations. And they all come from the perspective of a worshipee.

If you do an Internet search on, say, “how to be an effective worship leader,” the results will pull up dozens of articles addressing the spiritual side of the equation: Be prayed up and ‘fessed up, share Bible study and prayer times with your worship team, and the like.

There are also tips to tie the music into sermon themes, stay on good terms with the pastor, and practice, practice, practice.

These are all good things. Especially the practice part.

But there are other elements that tend to get overlooked. These are what I’m going to address. They are simple, practical, and essential tips.

They are not ordered according to any priority as they are each vital for an effective worship experience for the people you are leading.

TIP: Keep your eyes open.

Just as it’s okay to pray with your eyes open, it’s okay to worship with your eyes open. As a leader (or worship team participant), it’s an absolute must.

You cannot afford to get “lost” in worship since you are the one leading others. You need to be aware of what’s happening with the other musicians and what’s happening with the congregation.

If people suddenly get confused looks on their faces and their lips stop moving, it’s a good indication the words being projected for them to sing aren’t matching what’s coming out of your mouth. Or else you’ve just suffered a wardrobe malfunction.

The worship team also needs to pay attention to cues from the leader (you do have one leader don’t you?) to know when to repeat a verse, speed up, slow down, and end it.

TIP: Let us actually sing.

There’s nothing more frustrating for a congregant than when every song is new, unfamiliar, absurdly high or low, set to an odd rhythm, or otherwise unsingable.

I like to sing during the music/worship time but have been in situations where it was impossible. You may possess a wonderful voice that can range across multiple octaves, but as a worship team member, you need to reign it in.

Check with various members of the congregation from time to time to make sure you’re singing in keys, ranges, and rhythms they can match comfortably.

Oh, and singers on a worship team must actually be able to sing well, and those with instruments should know how to play them well.

TIP: Don’t perform.

It’s not about you, ever. Yes, it’s tempting when you’re really good on your instrument and in front of people to show off. But this is totally inappropriate when part of a worship team.

Play competently and be invisible. Dress modestly, keep the movement small, don’t launch into a loud solo riff, only point people’s attention to the One they are worshiping.

Avoid choosing songs because they let you feature your talent. Pick songs that enhance the topic of the message and that everyone can sing comfortably.

TIP: Let us know what to do.

Remember to provide simple instruction as you lead people in worship. Team members should know various signals regarding transitions, tempo changes, etc.

But we in the congregation need to be told when it’s appropriate to stand and sit, where to look for the words, when it’s time to pray or just listen.

Keep us clued into what’s next.

However, avoid being too directive about how we are to worship. You are leading not directing. Everyone has their own style of responding and that may not include jumping up and down, shouting out loud, etc. Don’t chide.

TIP: Teach us new songs.

When introducing a new song, take the time to teach it! Don’t just throw the words up on the screen and start singing. Announce that it’s a new song, have us listen as you sing it through once or twice, and make sure all the team members singing and playing are presenting the melody strong and clear. Add the fancy stuff later, but first give us a chance to learn the words and melody.

Oh, and always have your strongest singer singing the straight melody for every song so we can hear it and follow along easily.

Pick new songs that can easily be sung by a congregation. Not every popular Christian song being played on the radio makes for a good congregational worship song. And please only introduce one new song in a set. In fact, you may want to teach the song over multiple weeks.

TIP: Move from praise to worship.

Start with the faster, more upbeat songs – the praise songs. Then move to the slower, more contemplative songs – the worship songs. Praise songs bring us into the presence of God with joy. Worship songs focus us on His glory and set us up to sit down and hear the Word.

Avoid having your last song be a rousing, upbeat, raucous, whoop-up of a praise song! Sit people down in a quieter mood and state. Odds are they’ll be less fidgety and more attentive to the preaching. If you want to do a post-message song that’s upbeat, that’s okay.

TIP: Know who is really on your team

The worship team is not limited to the musicians on the platform. The people running the sound board, manning the projector, and others are also part of your team.

Make sure you thoroughly identify all of the players on the team and make sure they are all involved in your practice/rehearsal times as well as your fellowship/prayer/Bible study times.

Make sure those on the team who are not on the platform are fully aware of all your special signals regarding transitions and tempo changes.

And make sure you look at them in the sound/projector booth when they are frantically trying to get your attention because something’s out of whack.

If you have a guest musician participate, introduce them so we’re not wondering who they are and why they’re there.

TIP: Separate your practice/rehearsal time from your fellowshiping/praying/Bible study time.

Time is precious and the temptation will be to jam everything into one night during the week. You’ll get together for practice and end up spending two hours praying and sharing, then remember why you got together, and cram another two hours with practicing, and go home exhausted at midnight or later. This is not a good thing.

When you get together for practice, focus only on practicing. Make the time about song selection, getting the sound right, planning transitions, and all the other very important practical, technical, and procedural stuff. Open your time with a very short prayer and end it with a very short prayer.

Then, once a month or whenever, plan to get everyone together for fellowship, Bible study, prayer, sharing, and anything else except practice.

If you fail to discipline yourselves so that your practice/rehearsal times are truly about practicing, rehearsing, and prepping, you’ll never be fully ready to lead any worship time.

Forgive me if your toes are sore

Back in the church I grew up in, things were simpler. We had hymnals, someone to play the piano, and sometimes the organ. Other musicians came and went.

There were times when we’d get to church and the pastor would approach my dad, who was not a musician, and ask him to lead the song service. Dad didn’t say no. He pulled out a hymnal, selected four or five songs, handed the list to the musicians present, and oh, the times of praise and worship that would ensue!

There are many reasons why that worked then and why it won’t work now. For instance, most churches no longer have hymnals. Which is not necessarily a good thing.

Whether you are a worship team of one in a small church, or of dozens in a megachurch, do what you do both with excellence and “as unto the Lord.”

My tips are aimed to help with both sides of that equation from the perspective of one who sings from the pews.

We’re the ones you’re leading in worship. Don’t forget us as you “enter His courts with praise.” We’d like to be able to follow along.

Just for fun

In the first video, Mr. Bean visits a church where they could use a good worship leader. In the second, well, I’m not sure what happened.

Missing God’s Giftings

A few years ago I was involved with a church headed by a young pastor full of vim, vigor, and himself. His dad was prominent in the denomination and that was his ticket, so he felt, to ecclesiastic success.

Don’t get me wrong. He was an okay guy and not a horrible pastor; just rough around the edges. And not too skilled at matching people to ministries they were gifted for. In fact, he tended to ignore the “gifts” part of the equation choosing instead to apply his own blanket test.

Having seen a need, sensing God’s prompting to fill it, and knowing I had the gifting to handle it, I approached the pastor and shared my desire to address this ministry need. His response floored me.

He said no. Period. End of discussion.

However, he suggested, perhaps I could take over the coffee setup early on Sunday mornings. By doing this “menial” task I would thus prove to him my humility and true servant’s heart.

I declined and the need God placed on my heart went unmet. Yet, someone who was gifted in hospitality continued to manage the coffee setup. I’m not sure where the pastor would have moved this servant had I chosen to bump them from the task for which they were wonderfully gifted.

I wonder how many pastors and other ministry leaders are making the same mistake this young pastor did?

God does the gifting and calling

When God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle, He also instilled in various individuals all the necessary skills and giftings needed to complete the work. For example, Bezalel, who God “filled…with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship” Exodus 35:31-33 (NIV).

Today, when it comes to building up the church, followers of Christ are also given spiritual gifts. These gifts enable each of us, as various functioning parts of the body of Christ, to share in the work of the church. Paul writes about these gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:5-11 (NIV), stating:

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”

There are several other New Testament passages addressing spiritual gifts. The primary points to grasp are (1) that there are many gifts, (2) they all come from God, (3) every believer is gifted in some way, and (4) how a believer is gifted plays into how they serve in the church. God does not call someone to something that He doesn’t also gift them to do.

Fitting people to ministry

While it may seem like a reasonable idea to require everyone to serve in a “humble” or “menial” role before taking on “bigger things,” I don’t believe this is what God intended.

First, there are no “menial” tasks in the Kingdom of God. Serving in any role implies a sense of humility and sacrifice.

While the term menial can imply something involving humble service, it also carries the implication of being demeaning, lowly, and even degrading. It’s the latter meaning that is usually meant when the word is used. Labeling a task as “menial” demeans the task and anyone doing it.

Cleaning toilets and other janitorial work often falls into this “menial” category. Calling it menial demeans the one doing it. Any work done for the glory of God is not tainted. Any worker doing work for the glory of God is not tainted.

Doing janitorial work in a church takes as much commitment and dedication as serving on the board.

Second, God does the gifting. To ignore this is to deny God’s knows what He’s doing.

Gifts are given through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It’s the job of pastors and other leaders to work with individuals to discern their giftings and tap into them.

To force fit any believer into a task that is deemed menial merely to test their willingness to serve humbly insults the God who both gifted them and placed in their heart the desire to serve. It’s a false and unnecessary test.

For a new believer just beginning to find their way, suggesting they try out various tasks is not a bad idea. Through trial and error, they can begin to more clearly recognize how God has and hasn’t gifted them. However, this is not necessarily a good tactic for a seasoned believer who has a pretty good grasp on what their giftings are.

The gifting and the work are holy things, and when the worker is gifted for the work, amazing things can happen.

Where to start

There are a number of tools available to help someone discover their spiritual gifts, below are three simple steps that can at least get you started in the right direction.

Note: Over all of this there needs to be prayer going on. Prayer is not a “step” in any process when it comes to the church and ministry. Prayer is the essence of a church’s ministry and is ongoing.

1. Are they an introvert or extrovert? When seeking to connect people to ministry needs in the church, the basic consideration is personality type: are they an extrovert or an introvert. Recognizing and acknowledging this basic characteristic can go a long way in avoiding burning out someone by pushing them into a ministry that grates against who they are. For example, an introvert is probably not a good fit for being in the public eye as a greeter, while an extrovert could be crushed by having to perform a quiet, passive task.
2. What have they enjoyed doing and had success at? Next, talk to the person about the kinds of responsibilities they’ve had in the past that they truly enjoyed as well as those they hated. God isn’t a mean task-master who will make you do what you hate. He created you to enjoy how you were created. Doing a simple inventory of likes and don’t likes can help point a person to how they are gifted.
3. Is there a need matching their perceived giftings? If a person approaches a pastor offering to address a need that truly exists, they need to be paid attention to. If there is no need, then that could be a red flag.

Every believer has value in the Kingdom of God and every believer has a role in His Kingdom. It’s the responsibility of every believer to work with their local church leaders to connect the gifts God has given them to the needs in their church. And no church leader should block what God wants to do. It really isn’t rocket science.

Just for fun

Below are two videos related to serving in the church. In the first, both the congregant and the pastor are missing the mark in the conversation; neither is “right.” The second video presents in a very blunt manner a common failing when extrovert pastors or leaders don’t “get” their introvert church members.

Do you look like the devil? J’accuse!

In 1898, French writer Emile Zola wrote an open letter to the President of France in defense of an Army general being tried for treason. In the process of defending the general, Zola accused the government of judicial wrongdoing and related misdeeds. His famous letter was published on the front page of the newspaper under the simple title, “J’accuse!”

French for “I accuse,” this exclamation is flung regularly at/by politicians, business leaders, Occupiers, and even Christians, both justly and unjustly.

We’ve all heard the adage, especially around Thanksgiving, “You are what you eat!” Okay, you won’t literally turn into a turkey when you eat turkey. But, when it comes to behavior, you can look like how you speak.

A devil by any other name is still diabolical

In the Bible, Satan is labeled, among other things, as the “accuser.” In Revelation 12, he is characterized as accusing the faithful before God day and night. Satan doesn’t recognize redemption and forgiveness.

His scriptural names include diabolos, katēgoros, and katēgōr.  In English, the meanings of these names are translated devil, false accuser, slanderer. A more detailed definition includes prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely, a calumniator, false accuser, slanderer. Most telling, the terms are used metaphorically “applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.” (Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Diabolos". "The New Testament Greek Lexicon".)

Have you ever passed on a rumor about someone? Been the initiator of a lie about someone else? Falsely accused another person? Continued to disparage a person’s past even though they had confessed and changed? Shared how you believe you were wronged by someone else while never directly going to the one you believed wronged you?

One of Satan’s key ploys is to bring up past, forgiven sins over and over and over, hoping to wear us down and drive us away from grace. When we engage in accusatory behavior, we take on the appearance of the devil. In a sense, we become little satans.

Advocating for the Accuser

In the church I grew up in, it was tough going for those who sought salvation yet struggled with assumed and real sins. Smoking, lusting, gambling, and drinking were biggies. None of the “faithful” believed that smokers and drinkers could be saved. Even candy cigarettes were off limits! And a teen going through puberty was doomed.

Regardless of the failing, the tongues wagged and that was that. Once flagged a sinner, or worse – a backslider, you were pretty much an outcast. It’s no wonder people have since flocked away from that and similar church situations. What’s the point in going to church where grace is not the norm?

Today, self-righteous “Christians” look down their noses at those inside and outside the church who they’ve decided are somehow beyond God’s grace. Much of the accusations spread are lies. Even when based in truth, these "Christians" behaving like little satans forget that forgiveness is supposed to be their response. And forgiveness means not fomenting ongoing rumors about past failings, real or perceived.

But it’s the truth!

Appealing to the fact that an accusation is based in truth does not make it okay to continue spreading stories. The Bible lays out a process for dealing with situations where someone has wronged another. It starts with private, loving confrontation. The goal is always restoration. And once the matter is settled, the parties involved need to shut up about it.

However, too many refuse to follow biblical process wanting instead to find self-righteousness in secretly destroying the reputation of the person they are accusing. They never face the one they are accusing, but go all around them seeding lies in the minds of their friends and colleagues, claiming to be wounded, and seeking pity. Confronting their “enemy” biblically would mean losing their status as a victim.

They would rather advocate for the cause of Satan than live out the call of Christ. One could legitimately call into question their claim of being Christian.

Whenever we falsely or secretly accuse another, we are voiding the image of God in us and putting on the aura of Satan, the perennial accuser of the saints.

Put on Christ and put off the Devil

So what should be our attitude toward those who we believe to have failed in their faith walk? We covet forgiveness for ourselves and pray that God’s promised forgetfulness will cover our own failings. We should deal with the sins of others following this example of our Heavenly Father:

Psalm 103:8-12 (NIV) states, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

When we keep the sins of others alive, we are forfeiting our own forgiveness. In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus taught us that, “…if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

When it comes to another's sin, our response is to forgive as we have been forgiven, 70 x 7 and beyond, covering their failing with the love of a gracious Lord. Refusing to do so puts us in spiritual jeopardy and on the side of Satan.