Slander or Concern? Part III

Although there are many laws in place now to prosecute murderers. We still deal with many un-prosecuted and dismissed cases of murder. No, I’m not speaking of physically killing someone and getting away with it. I’m no talking about a physical act of violence against another, resulting in death. I’m not referring to a physical Cain and Abel type of murder.

The example of Cain leaves the average human being in disgust and outrage. We feel the need to be angry and upset at the act of violence committed by Cain against his brother Abel. The raw act of murder as committed by Cain is appalling and distasteful. I still shiver when I read of how ruthless and hateful Cain was against his brother. But with all the anger and distasteful feelings toward Cain, I must stop and ask myself the question, how many murderers do I know?

Not the kind of murders that kill with guns or knives. Not the kind of ruthless killers who will use any tool or weapon necessary to eliminate their rival. I am talking about a verbal, psychological and spiritual murder. Not murder as resulting from an actual stab in the heart or a bullet in the chest, but a killer who will aim to annihilate another by using words as their weapons. I’m referring to a SLANDERER.

What is Slander anyways? How does Slander relate to Murder and how is Slander confused with Concern?

Ephesians 4:31 ESV “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice”

The phrase evil speaking can also be interpreted as Blaspheme or Slander. Paul lays out a process that a person goes through before getting to slander. Paul explains to us that slander and evil speaking begins with bitterness. The process that leads to slander begins with:

1) Bitterness (a hatred produced through time) once bitterness takes root in a person’s life they WILL begin to deal with feeling of:

2) Wrath (indignation), which will lead to:

3) Anger (agitation, internally and visibly) and

4) Clamor (bursts of outcry) and will ultimately lead to:

5) Blaspheming or Slander (Defamation of character and malicious evil statements about another or to verbally destroy another).

Isn’t it amazing that the process Paul lays out before us that leads to Slander is the same process Cain went through before murdering his brother Abel!? Let’s look at the process that Cain went through.

Gen 4:6-8 ESV “The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

First, Cain realized that God was not accepting his sacrifice. This lead him to

1) Bitterness through the process of time (Gen 4:3) and because he did not deal with his bitterness, he became

2) Angry (overcome with wrath) and

3) His Face was Fallen (He was visibly disturbed and agitated). At this point God speaks to him to help him correct the problem and stop him from going too far. But because Cain did not deal with the infant stages of bitterness and anger he allowed his mouth to begin to verbalize what he was dealing with inside.

4) He Spoke with his brother (He had an argument he had a burst of outcry). Cain had a disagreement with his brother in the field that lead to the final manifestation of bitterness.

5. 5)Cain Killed (murdered, slew, destroyed) his very own flesh and blood.
   

When Cain killed Abel, God cursed

To be continued...