The Defilement of Listening To An Evil Report

Pastor Mike Hendon

 The Problem
What causes conflicts in families, churches, businesses, and organizations that lead to split? What causes close friendships to be broken when neither part offended the other? Why are attempts to restore a fallen Christian brother or sister often met with defeat?

 #1 Major Cause: Wrong Response to an EVIL Report

Definition: An evil report involves distortion of facts, incomplete facts, or false information. It is given with wrong motivations and causes the hearer to come to inaccurate conclusions and to respond with unscriptural solutions .

 Evil reports are so destructive that they can even destroy long lasting, close friendships: A whisperer separateth chief friends. Pr.16:28
NOTE: Wrong doing should never be covered over. BUT it must be dealt with in a Scriptural manner between offending parties and those in authority over them. This process can be damaged by an evil report.

 Stages Of Defilement:
IGNORANCE EXPOSURE CONTAMINATION INFECTION DISEASE

 1. IGNORANCE (2 Cor.2:11)
IGNORANCE IS NOT BEING AWARE OF THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF UNTRUE OR DISTORTED WORDS And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. Ja.3:6

Ignorance of how .
Words destroy close friendships:
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. Pr.17:9

Ignorance of how
The unclean defile the clean, rather than the clean influencing the unclean.
Haggai 2:11-14 What constitutes and evil report? An unauthorized, distorted or false report which influences us to form an evil opinion about another person.

 How evil reports are given:

Evil reports are communicated by words, facial expressions, gestures, and tonal patterns. They can be subtle or obvious, quiet or angry, sweet or bitter.

 Ignorance of WHO gives evil reports:

Whisperer: one who secretly or privately passes on evil reports to others. Ps.41:7 All who hate me whisper together against me Gossip: One who magnifies and sensationalizes rumors and partial information Slanderer: One who seeks to destroy another s credibility or reputation with damaging facts, distortion of facts, or evil suspicions. Num.14:36 Bad report= complaining

 Busybody: One who digs up evil reports and makes it his business to spread them by means of gossip, slander, or whispering. Such and action is considered sin by God. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people s matters. 1 Pet.4:15 See the class of sins this falls in with

Ignorance of what..
Motivates Evil Reports:
Bitterness Rebellion Deception Pride Guilt Envy

 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:14-18

Ignorance of
How susceptible we are to evil reports We can enjoy them because they exalt us They bring down those we dislike HOW SATAN USES EVIL REPORTS:
Discredit spiritual leadership Cause Christians to close their spirit toward each other To multiply conflicts & produce more ungodliness Prompt unbelievers to mock Christianity and reject Christ

EXPOSURE
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished. Pr.27:12 Exposure is entering into a conversation with a person who is a carrier of an evil report.

 How does God want us to respond?

Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off Ps.101:5 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Ep.5:10-12

 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Ro.16:17 The Holy Spirit is an EARLY WARNING DETECTION system. He will warn us. The Word of God warns us. Our leaders warn us. But sometimes we are ambushed.

 How TO Detect A Carrier Of An Evil Report

A. They will test your spirit B. They will check your acceptance/openness C. They will create curiosity so you ask D. They will ask for advice E. They make it seem like they are on the inside so you will admire them F. They evoke details and even search them out

 How to cleanse your mind from an evil report

1. Ask God to cleanse you from all defilement 2. Pray for genuine love for all concerned 3. Cleanse your mind with Scripture:

 Have I accepted the report as true? The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. Pr.14:15 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Ps.19:13 Presumption: To assume to be true in the absence of proof to the contrary

 Has the evil report affected how I feel toward the person involved? A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. Pr.15:4 for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Ro.2:1

 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 1 Pet.4:8 love Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. 1 Cor.13:5-6

 Do I have an urge to tell someone else the evil report?

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ep.4:29 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Pr.11:13 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends Pr.17:9

 You know you have cleansed your heart when:

When you lose your urge to tell someone else When you grieve over the fact that a report was given When you have genuine love toward the person involved in the report When you are prompt to examine your own heart for failures