ARE YOU A PREACHER OR TALEBEARER?

There are many ways the sons of God are tried and tested by the Father. Yes, I hear the heart of some of the unlearned saying, “Satan is the one that tests the saints. This is true. However, he is unable to bring anything into the life of a son that is not authorized by the Father.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Sometimes we are not mindful of the fact that we are indeed being tested.

There has been much talk about how the world is merging with the church. This is true. Pastors are allowing things to come into the houses of faith that are abominations in the sight of God.

1 Peter 4:7-8

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

We are living in the time of the end. Therefore, we are instructed to watch unto prayer, or to watch, by praying. For it is through prayer that we are able to see the mind and intent of God for the world and the church.

Let us consider the following:

1. The Body of Christ has been defiled by those who have been seduced by the powers of hurt, offense, disappointment and rejection.
2. Many in the Body, who were once fervently on fire for the Lord, have become victims of the unholy behavior of ministers who have done much evil in the Body of Christ.
3. These innocent souls trustingly gave their allegiance to these ungodly men and women, who made a mockery of the word and way of God.
4. They committed unthinkable sins among the people, pitting them against one another and using their commitment to holiness as a weapon against them.
5. Control and manipulation has become the norm in these synagogues of satan.

But some have escaped their abusive church environment. How so?

• At some point they were either cast out of the fellowship, or obtained the courage to leave.
• Nevertheless, many of those who departed, did so in much hurt.
• Not having sat under a truth that teaches and challenges one as to how to deal with hurt and disappointment, many became depressed and disillusioned.
• Thus hurt became fertile soil for roots of bitterness to fester and grow.

These souls might have come into that ministry seeking God. Some even found salvation there in spite of the evil deeds of the leader. God was able to save those who diligently sought him. After salvation, all these souls wanted was to tell others of the goodness of God. They wanted others to know of this great salvation and love of the Father. They longed to prove to others that Jesus Christ is indeed a Savior.

But what would these souls do now? The roots of bitterness soon become trees or vines of iniquity.

Oh, but satan has a plan. He will awaken you to the fact that you are now free from your abusive church environment.

• You are not under the control of a spiritual tyrant.
• You can say all the things that are in your heart.
• Social media platforms such as Facebook are there waiting to give you a voice; that you might inform the world of your hurt, offense, and spiritual abuse.
• You can now expose the deeds of your offender to the world.
• You can make sure that all know how evil he or she is.

So what’s next? Well you will feel that you must prepare for your show and all your posts, but you’re aware that this requires organization. So you gather all your thoughts concerning this evil person. But where are these thoughts? Oh, but of course, they are neatly stored away in your imagination, in a file called ‘past offenses.’ And there is another file stored in there as well; it is called, “the other sins of the leader.”

1. Each offense has its own set of circumstances, situations and relationships.
2. Yeah, every offense is its own ‘story’ or ‘tale.’
3. And each one of the sins of the leader is a “tale” of horror and ungodliness.
4. Wow, you’ve got quite a few tales to tell.
5. Satan, that “great accuser” of the brethren is going to be quite pleased with you. And the Lord Jesus (who died for the sins of us all and has now made himself an advocate for us at the throne of mercy and grace, just in case we should be tempted and fall into some sinful weakness), is surely overjoyed at how well you have been able to dig up and compile such an impressive list of this person’s sins.
6. And of course the Father is beside himself with overwhelming pleasure at your diligence and detail in pointing out so clearly the sins he was hoping the offender would repent of.

The above is filled with sarcasms but it is indeed describing how many who are caught in the web of deception truly think.

Satan is a master at using hurts and bitterness in what one will convince themselves is true ministry. He will convince you that God has called you to expose the sins of others.

This is what you do in the name of ministry. You really try to convince yourself that your only motive is to free others whom you left in such a ministry. But you didn’t come out by these methods. No one was exposing the sins of the leader to you. You were drawn out by the hearing of the word of God. It was the truths in the gospel that delivered you.

Proverbs 11:13

A talebearer revealeth secrets:

but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

What are you, a ‘talebearer,’ or a ‘preacher?’ The talebearer wants the world to know the sins of another without any thought being given to the demands of scripture. But those who submit to the leading of the Spirit of God, do not publicize the sins of others.

You started out wanting to minister the gospel. Well the preaching and teaching of the gospel is a calling:

Hebrews 5:1-3

1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

2 Corinthians 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

There are no situations in which we are relieved of the ministry of reconciliation. But there is no way to label that as ministry without omitting judgment (imputing trespasses).

Exposing the sins of others without due process makes you a sinner or transgressor, whichever you prefer.

Matthew 18:15-17

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

The problem many talebearers have with the above passages is that the individual does not repent of the sin he or she has committed even after the matter is brought to the church. So now, many feel justified in exposing the sin to the world. But that is not what the scripture tells us to do. We are to treat them as a publican or a heathen.

And I ask you, “How are we to deal with heathens?” Simple. Are they not the ones who are ignorant, lost, or out of the way? We are to be their intercessors. Our prayers may be the bridge that brings them to repentance.

But this is not enough for the talebearer. God’s way doesn’t give us retribution, revenge, or carnal satisfaction. It is simply just not enough. Satan has convinced the talebearer that his or her way is better.

But God says, their way is wicked. The Lord also points out how these talebearers, in their quest to expose the sins of others, never consider themselves.

When your judgment is to expose the sins of others to that world, then you have also brought that same judgment upon yourself. It will come in one form or another. But it will come. The scripture declares it.

I pray that these talebearers come to repentance and once again honor God with true ministry.