Spurgeon's Faith Checkbook on Slander and Consolation for the Believer

For anyone who has every felt the sting of backbiting, slander, embellished gossip, behind the back manipulation by busybodies and scoffers, here is consolation in the Word of God. Slander is an attack on the life of a believer. By my own confession, I am sinner, and I have failed to respond properly in the past at unfounded derision cast against my character. In light of the realization that people will scorn, ridicule, insult and slander, the wisdom of Charles Spurgeon and the Bible is something to reflect upon. This is an excerpt from Spurgeon's Faith Checkbook which has passed into the public domain:

November 16
Weapons Doomed to Fail

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)

There is great clatter in the forges and smithies of the enemy. They are I making weapons wherewith to smite the saints. They could not even do as much as this if the Lord of saints did not allow them; for He has created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire. But see how busily they labor! How many swords and spears they fashion! It matters nothing, for on the blade of every weapon you may read this inscription: It shall not Prosper.

But now listen to another noise: it is the strife of tongues. Tongues are more terrible instruments than can be made with hammers and anvils, and the evil which they inflict cuts deeper and spreads wider. What will become of us now? Slander, falsehood, insinuation, ridicule-these are poisoned arrows; how can we meet them? The Lord God promises us that, if we cannot silence them, we shall, at least, escape from being ruined by them. They condemn us for the moment, but we shall condemn them at last and forever. The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped, and their falsehoods shall be turned to the honor of those good men who suffered by them.

The Sin of Mockery

Should Christians, or anyone for that matter, joke, mock, scorn and ridicule at someone else's expense? The clear answer is No.

Mockery, like anger, is a powerful emotional force. In the Bible, it was almost always used by a proud person who was trying to stop or hinder the work of God or the truth of God. Mockery of truth was an attempt to get people to lay aside their minds and follow their emotions. Jesus faced much mockery while here on earth. It is questionable whether Christians should ever use mockery. Psalm 1:1 says, "Blessed is the man that...sitteth not in the seat of the scornful."

In this troubled world, Christians often are mocked for their faith, and attacked with insults and slander. This is lesson entitled, "What the Bible Says About Scorn & Mockery," is an interesting audio lecture series from the Vision Forum. Christians should be mindful to take heed to it.

While it seems natural to rise in defense to scorn, derision and mockery, the Scriptures offer counsel to the mocked... Trying to be more Christ-like entails that we do not respond in kind. Sometimes walking away becomes the discipline. It's natural to see ourselves in the best possible light, and while we should be forgiving and apt to reconcile, sometimes being forgiving does not mean continiously entertaining transgressions perpetuated against us wrongfully—least of all mockery and scorn. As the Apostle Paul reminds us...

"Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned."
— Titus 3:10-11

Reflecting on God's Sovereignty and His Plan

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
—Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV)

Jerry Bridges notes,

No one can act and no circumstances can occur outside the bounds of God's sovereign will. But this is only one side of His sovereignty. The other side, which is just as important to our trusting Him, is that no plan of God's can be thrarted. God has an over-arching purpose for all believers: to conform us to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). He also has specific plan for each of us that is His purpose for each of us that is His unique, tailor-made plan for our individual life (see Ephesians 2:10).
—Bridges, Jerry. Trusting God Even When Life Hurts: Study Guide. (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1989. p. 21)

When Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things are working together for good, to those that love God, we should take heed to the deeper meaning of this verse. It is frequently quoted as a source of comfort, but we should duly note the conditional clause. If we're a child of God, born again, then we love God. As our Lord Jesus avows, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15 NKJV). One should seek God's righteousness diligently and heed his commandments, not just the blessings of God. Too often, believers are seeking the blessings and not the needed sanctification which requires yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit in our life.