The Danger of Gossip

Paul writes to Timothy these words in 1 Timothy 5:13. "At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies talking about things not proper to mention." Paul is discussing widows in this section of 1 Timothy 5, and he associates idleness with gossip and gossip with inappropriateness. Romans 1 associates gossip as an effect of God's wrath of abandonment upon a people because of their persistence in sin.

Gossip is a terrible thing, and it should not be found within the blood-bought body of Christ. As if Scripture isn't enough to testify of this, my personal experience testifies of this as well. Over the past few weeks, much gossip has taken place among my Christian friends. The result has been a church that grows in disunity. There is awkwardness among the beloved. Tearing down of believers has been the result. Gossip is tearing my beloved, redeemed-by-Christ friends into enemies. What a deceptive and destructive devil Satan is.

My desire is the same as it always has been: to see believers grown more into the image of God daily. How does this happen when gossip abounds? The answer is focusing on God. When one seeks to first and foremost please God, one is going to understand the sinfulness of gossip. One is going to see the destruction that it brings. When one seeks to live holy and blamelessly for the Lord, the result is a desire to build up the church, to say things that uplift and edify the body. Selfish ambitions and the desire to know things about other people that are none of your business go away for there is no time for them when pleasing the Lord is your concern.

Brethren, let us love one another. Let us not destroy the very church Christ suffered and died for. Let the gossip stop, and let repentance take place so that the Lord may be glorified in us.