A COMMON HATRED. Probably most of us know the story of Jesus betrayal and trials before Pilate and Herod. Pilate was the Roman governor in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. Jesus was brought to him because under Roman law the Jews could not legally carry out the death penalty. Herod is the same Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded. Jesus refuses to speak to Herod. Pilate and Herod were enemies until this time they found a common ground.
“That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.” Luke 23:12
Human nature is very interesting. I see this happen all the time, people that were not friends become friends after both leaving a church where they had an offense. I’ve been in ministry for 20 years. I’m a church planter and I’ve seen it all. This is a very common occurrence.
People need something to bond over plus they feel justified in their offense when others agree with them. It’s a real phenomenon. Then, someone posts their offense on social media and everyone who also hates that church/person comes out in droves to comment and a share their common hatred. It’s quite the spectacle. “Oh sis! They did that to me too!” All the while claiming righteousness for themselves and smearing the holy and wonderful name of Christ. Chalk one up for Satan.
“But to the wicked (of His people) God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth, Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers. You give your mouth to evil, And your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.” Psalms 50:16-21
Around 2020, when the nonsense was at its height, I “unfriended” around 2000 people on my FB friends list of whom I either did not know, or did not talk to on a regular basis. I just wanted to clean up my list. I guess I offended a lady who used to attend our church by doing this and she proceeded to post very negative and quite frankly mean things publicly about me and our church. So then, people who had left our church years ago came on her post to disparage me personally. It was quite the show.
I only saw all this because the lady was still friends with my son who called me up and was mad because his mom was being falsely accused on a public platform. Now, does this hurt me? Of course it’s painful to read those things they were writing, I’m human. Did it hurt me son? Of course it did. He loves and knows his mom and has seen the pain his parents endure because of the ministry. We live life with people and it gets messy. But here’s where it hurts the most, this kind of behavior defames and mars the church and the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus. Christ is marred, Satan is laughing.
“Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 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. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue.
It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”
James 3:5-12 NKJV
It is an utter shame. If you call yourself by His name, you better guard your mouth (and your fingers doing the texting) with your life. You will answer to the Lord. Church, we must do better! You do not take the high road when you slander another and claim self righteousness. If you truly have been wronged, does God not know? And will He not repay? And is He not big enough to handle the situation?
He promises He will bring all things done in the dark into the light. However, if you foolishly take matters into your own hands and even more foolishly publicly defame another Christian; does He also not know this? Be careful. He knows the motives of your heart and that should put the fear of the Lord in you.
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