The Accuser of the Brethren [podcast]

Note: There’s a difference between Satan accusing God’s people and God’s people identifying wolves in sheep’s clothing among us. Be careful not to mix things up: Note that Satan is the “accuser of our BRETHREN” (Revelation 12:10)… and the “brethren” are NOT the wolves the “brethren” are commanded to “MARK” and “earnestly contend” AGAINST (Romans 16:17-18; Jude 3). Read that again. God commands His disciples to “MARK” which means to make known, to identify those wolves so God’s people can be protected. Beware of those who are misusing Scripture. Stop it now. You cannot “rightly” divide the Word of truth until you are daily, diligently studying and walking with other of His saints in the revelation that is the written Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15).

AS was the case with the fornicator in the Corinthians church (1 Corinthians 5), when he repented, here’s what Paul then instructed the other believers in Corinth to do:

“So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.” 2 Corinthians 2:7-8 

WHEN someone repents, it’s over. The offense is gone, done, washed away, remitted by the very “precious blood of Christ” – as if it were never committed (1 Peter 1:18-19). The transgressors is forgiven and restored (yet he will still reap what he sowed Galatians 6:7-8).

Of this truth the Believer’s Bible Commentary notes:

2:11 Just as there is danger for an assembly if it does not take disciplinary action when called for, so there is a danger of not exercising forgiveness when true repentance has taken place. Satan is always ready to step into a situation such as this with his cunning devices. In the first case, he will wreck the testimony of an assembly through tolerated sin, and in the second, he will overwhelm the repentant person with overmuch sorrow, if the assembly does not restore him. If Satan can’t destroy by immorality, he will try by the unmeasured sorrow following repentance.

Commenting on the expression “we are not ignorant of his devices”, J. Sidlow Baxter says:

Satan uses all manner of stratagems to turn souls from the truth: a sieve to “sift” them (Luk_22:31), “devices” to trick (as in our text), “weeds” to “choke” (Mat_13:22), “wiles” to intrigue (Eph_6:11), the roaring of a lion to terrify (1Pe_5:8), the disguise of an angel to deceive (2Co_11:14) and “snares” to entangle them (2Ti_2:26).”

Slander is Persecution

“Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12 

If you are truly one of the “few” following Christ, be not surprised when you are persecuted, lied, about, slandered, etc.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:12-14 

Notice below that the blood of Jesus is how those slandered by Satan’s agents are going to overcome. Satan has come down with great, slanderous wrath in this last hour, because he knows his time is short!

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:10-12

When someone holds you captive to a sin you committed in the past, they prove that they have not repented and confessed their own sins and therefore are not experiencing the saving grace and mercy of Christ themselves. Romans 2:1-3 speaks of these darkened unrepentant tares and how they project what they are guilty of on others. Some of these are reprobates. If they were presently walking with the merciful Savior, they’d be enacting Galatians 6:1-2.

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” Romans 2:1-3

NEVER camp out on your sin. RUN to Jesus in repentance and confession! (Prov 28:13; 1 Jn 1:9)

PITFALL WARNING

Can spreading something true about someone, something they actually did, a sin they committed, be slander in God’s eyes? YES. Just because it’s true that he or she fell into sin does not warrant you spreading it. No, God wants to “COVER” it, bury it – just like He wants to forgive and cover, bury YOUR sins. NEVER unduly uncover the past sin of a member of Christ’s body! Do you remember what happened to Ham when he dared to uncover his father? (Genesis 9) If you unduly uncover – your sins will be uncovered (Matthew 7:1-5; James 2:13). Now, read this again and let it sink in that only “an ungodly man diggeth up evil” or brings someone else’s past sins back up:

“An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.”  Proverbs 16:27

“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James 2:13

The sin problem of judging others, wrongly that is, while we have a log in our own eye, is that God knows all our own sin we’ve not overcome yet, and is going to now expose and flip our life upside down. We’d better think long and hard about sending for unwarranted judgments on others when it’s not the Holy Spirit leading us to correct them “in the spirit of meekness” to help them restored to Christ (Matthew 7:1-5; Galatians 6:1-2; James 2:13).

Slander vs Mercy

Listen to this:

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall COVER the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

See also James 5:16; Matthew 18:15-17.

Fresh Start with God!

Slander | The Mercy Mandate [book]

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