The Church Needs Wise Guys
Christians are people of truth, because we believe in a God Who IS truth. Because God cannot lie, and we are to imitate His character, we must not lie either. Yet Christian people all too often communicate what is untrue, or at least unproven. Having grown up in the church, and now approaching thirty years in vocational ministry, I have observed the Christian species literally all of my life, and so have seen this phenomenon manifest itself in many ways.
The Anti-Christ is Everywhere
I have heard many preachers promote theories as fact. I recall pastors saying that Henry Kissinger was the Anti-Christ, until he wasn’t. Ronald Reagan was said by many to be the Anti-Christ because his middle name is ‘Wilson’, giving him six letters in his three names – Ronald Wilson Reagan – 666. Yikes. Others were sure it was Mikhail Gorbachev (remember that scar on his forehead?). Yikes again. More recently Barack Obama was given the honor because, well, he’s a Democrat (that’s not really the reason, I hope). We were assured that the European Common Market was the 10-nation confederation predicted by the prophet Daniel and in the Book of Revelation, because it was comprised of ten nations at one time. Unfortunately, it now has 28. But, it was good preaching while it lasted (actually it’s probably fortunate that it’s no longer ten, because it means we don’t have to worry about being in the Tribulation – ).
The Sheep Bleat Falsehoods Too
And it’s not just preachers who stretch the truth (to put it charitably), but everyday Christians have picked up the habit as well. For parts of three decades I was asked numerous times, by well-meaning but gullible brothers and sisters, at several different churches, to sign a petition for the Federal Communications Commission to deny infamous atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair’s request to have religious broadcasting removed from the airwaves. The petition made several laps around the evangelical world, prompting the FCC to place a statement on its website saying, “The rumor that the FCC has before it a proposal to not issue licenses to religious broadcasters still continues to circulate, more than 40 years after the Commission denied that request” (see here). What’s more, though Madalyn Murray O’Hair never made the request, it continued long after her death, and has been updated to say it’s about taking people like Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer off the air (hmmm … a guy can dream).
Add to this the false claim peddled by many Christians for years that Proctor and Gamble’s corporate logo was Satanic and that some of the company’s profits went to Satanic cults (see here), that Obama was not only the Anti-Christ, but also a Muslim, wears a Muslim ring, and was born in Kenya, and you have just a few of the unsubstantiated or outright false claims made by Christian people. (I am aware that false statements are made about Republicans too, including President Trump, but I’m not dealing with those here because I don’t hear them from Christians, at least not those in my tribe.)
Falsehood at the Speed of MBPS
It has been said that “a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on,” and that was long before we could communicate at Mega Bits Per Second on the internet. Now we can simply touch a key to forward a false claim, or type an angry screed with little regard for its veracity, and within minutes it’s available to hundreds or thousands.
James 3 gives an extensive warning about the dangers of the tongue. One of the reasons for that is that the tongue is always available to sin. The tongue requires no place or time or context – it can sin anytime, anywhere. John MacArthur has said: “The tongue, because it is the instant expression of the heart, it can sin more readily and more often than any other member of the body just because of circumstances. You can’t get in a position to sin in every way with your body, but you’re always in a position to sin with your tongue.”
Therefore, the Bible says: “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check” (James 3:2). MacArthur goes on to say: “Because the tongue can sin so easily, because it is such a monitor of [our sinfulness], if you can control the tongue, the greater, the greater sinner in your body, then by virtue of controlling the greater, you have gained control over the lesser … The person who controls the tongue will also control the body with all of its other impulses.”
Wise People Do Not Spread What is, or Might Be, False
While the internet increased physical distancing long before anyone ever mandated it due to the current pandemic, it also increased our ability to communicate with one another. In fact, we now have numerous ways to get our message out, vent our feelings, and air our grievances, whether via tweet, or text, or Facebook post, or any number of other avenues. But please understand: When you forward something, it’s the same as saying it. When you tweet something, you’ve voiced it, by other means. When you text something, you’ve said it, digitally. Therefore …
Hiding behind a keyboard does not absolve our responsibility to truth.
In all of these, our responsibility to the truth remains, and only wisdom will ensure we meet it. After warning about the use of our tongues, James immediately moves to a discussion of godly wisdom, asking: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom (James 3:13).
You’ll know that you consider yourself a person of ‘wisdom and understanding’ when you begin to talk/communicate, because it shows that you believe yourself qualified to opine. But hear this:
Wisdom breeds humility, and humility recognizes that I might be wrong! Wisdom is never having to delete your tweet.
This is one reason that James 3:1 cautions: Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Silence is not only golden, it can be godly.
Words to the Wise
So, I humbly offer these suggestions to you (and me):
- If you don’t know it’s true, don’t communicate it. If you can’t prove it, don’t assert it, forward it, tweet it, or text it.
- Whenever possible, read original sources, rather than someone else’s summary of those sources. If you can’t verify the facts, bridle your tongue, and keyboard.
- Consider opposing viewpoints. If your television is set at one network so that the logo is burned into the bottom right of your screen (if that’s even possible), consider some variety in your news intake, to broaden your perspective.
- Filter your information flow. If folks pass on unverified information, warn them, ask them to take the steps above and, if they refuse, cut them off, for your spiritual wellbeing.
- If you’ve peddled what you cannot prove, then retract it, and seek forgiveness for being a conduit of possible falsehood.
- Check your bias. If you automatically believe accusations against those with whom you disagree, but reflexively get defensive about accusations toward those in your camp, you’ve lost all objectivity and, therefore any hope of credibility.
Communication is gift from God. Our words are therefore sacred. Therefore, use them carefully, and sparingly. “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19). May we use our ability to communicate wisely, and so reflect the character of the God Who gave it.
Ken Brown is the pastor of Community Bible Church in Trenton, MI. We republish his article by permission.
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash