Monday, September 10, 2012

Bill Mounce on Gossip


In today's "Monday's with Mounce," New Testament scholar Bill Mounce meditates on James 1:26-27 and has strong things to say to gossiping religious people.

He says, "This verse hit me pretty hard this morning: “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (James 1:26).

I have often said that gossip is the native tongue of the church, and what this means is that a large number of people who attend religious services Sunday morning need to be told that their 'religion is worthless.' But what does that mean?"

He then explains the verse and then ends with this: "I believe gossip is the native tongue of the church. It rips and shreds. The church should be the safest place of all, and yet most have found that it is one of the most dangerous. It is a place where knowledge is used as a weapon to pummel and destroy. It is a place where unity is destroyed by the quick jab of the tongue."

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