Backbiting on SermonAudio

This sermon delivers a sobering, pastorally charged warning against the sin of tailbearing—gossip, slander, and backbiting—rooted in Proverbs and illustrated through biblical examples, modern applications, and spiritual principles. It emphasizes that tailbearing is not merely idle talk but a destructive, deceitful practice rooted in a wicked heart, designed to sow strife, wound the soul, and destroy reputations, often disguised as concern or faithfulness. Pastor Friesen underscores the spiritual danger of such behavior, linking it to the devil's tactics in Eden and highlighting how flattery, exaggeration, and the misuse of truth can manipulate the simple and corrupt the church. With urgency, the sermon calls for discernment, personal accountability, and a commitment to protect secrets, avoid flattery, and confront the sin both privately and publicly when necessary, especially in the age of social media where its reach is amplified. Ultimately, it calls believers to guard their hearts and tongues, recognizing that such sins are not only condemned by God but will be judged, urging the congregation to pursue purity, wisdom, and love over division and malice.

The sermon, drawn from 2 Corinthians 12, centers on the profound danger of spiritual disunity within the church, warning that internal strife—manifested in debates, envy, wrath, factions, gossip, and pride—poses a greater threat than external persecution. The preacher emphasizes that while Paul faced stonings, imprisonments, and hardships without fear, he trembled at the prospect of returning to the Corinthians to find their fellowship fractured by pride, jealousy, and unresolved conflict. Rooted in the biblical call to love, forgive, and pursue unity, the message urges believers to examine their hearts, confront sin with humility, and reject the subtle sins of whispering, backbiting, and self-exaltation that erode the body of Christ. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to live in genuine humility, accountability, and love, recognizing that true spiritual health is measured not by external success but by internal harmony and faithfulness to Christ's example.

The sermon draws a powerful parallel between Absalom's insidious rise to power in 2 Samuel 15 and the biblical condemnation of discord in Proverbs 6:16–19, emphasizing that sowing division among believers is an abomination to God. Through a detailed examination of Absalom's manipulative tactics—his feigned concern, strategic positioning at the city gate, personalization of grievances, and use of religious pretense—the preacher exposes how pride, resentment, and self-promotion fuel spiritual rebellion. The message warns that such behaviour, though cloaked in sympathy and charisma, is rooted in a heart that exalts itself above God and undermines His authority, mirroring the Antichrist's counterfeit lordship. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to reject partisan loyalty and instead stand firmly on the Lord's side, guarding against the subtle, destructive work of discord that corrupts unity and destroys testimony.

Slander, blame, and false accusation are sins that are rooted in pride and are driven by an evil spirit—the spirit of the devil, who is the accuser of the brethren. The Scripture shows us clearly that blaming others began in the Garden of Eden and has marked every generation since, especially the last days. Accusation and slander are often used to hide personal guilt, justify sin, and destroy others, and they now dominate the world, politics, media, churches, and personal relationships. God condemns this behavior and promises judgment for those who practice it, while blessing those who walk uprightly, speak truth, refuse to backbite, and do not take up a reproach against their neighbor. The child of God is called to reject this spirit, guard the mind, repent of blaming and slander, and follow Christ's example—showing truth with mercy, taking personal responsibility, and living in charity and righteousness.

An expository study of the ninth commandment from Deuteronomy 5:20, tracing the prohibition from its primary application in courtroom perjury outward to lying, backbiting, slander, gossip, and talebearing. The study draws on Deuteronomy 19, Leviticus 19, and extensive passages from Proverbs to show that the sanctity of truth is axiomatic to the right ordering of family, church, and civil society. Main points: - the prohibition — perjury in the courtroom - the broad act of lying - backbiting, slander, gossip, and talebearing Scripture references: - Exodus 23:1-6 - Leviticus 19:11-18 - Deuteronomy 4:5-8; 5:1-22; 17:6-7; 19:15-21 - Proverbs 6:16-19; 10:18; 11:13; 12:17-19; 12:22; 18:8; 18:13; 18:17; 19:5; 19:9; 20:19; 25:18; 25:23; 26:20; 26:22 - Matthew 7:12; 18:15-17 - Luke 10 - Romans 1:29-30 - Ephesians 4; 5:25-28 - 1 Timothy 5:19 - Hebrews 11 - Revelation 21:8 Free Grace Baptist Church — https://www.freegrace.ca Full transcript & sermon notes: https://sermons.freegrace.ca/sermons/bible-study-the-ninth-commandment Description generated by Tyrannus.ai: https://www.tyrannus.ai

The Ninth Commandment Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 43 112. What does the ninth Commandment require? That I bear false witness against no one, twist no one's words, be no backbiter or slanderer, join in condemning no one unheard or rashly; but that on pain of God's heavy wrath, I avoid all lying and deceit as the very works of the devil; and that in matters of judgment and justice and in all other affairs, I love, speak honestly, and confess the truth; also, insofar as I can, defend and promote my neighbor's good name. The sermon centers on the Ninth Commandment's call to uphold truth and reject all forms of deceit, emphasizing that lying—whether in speech, judgment, or self-deception—is rooted in the nature of the devil and contrary to God's character as the source of truth. It challenges the congregation to resist the cultural epidemic of gossip, slander, and hasty condemnation, urging careful discernment in media consumption and personal judgment, while highlighting the danger of self-deception and self-worship that distorts our perception of others. Christians are called not only to speak truth in justice and daily affairs but also to actively defend and promote their neighbor's good name, even when silence or discretion is required, reflecting Christ's call to bless rather than retaliate. The message underscores that true faithfulness to God involves a radical commitment to honesty, humility, and love, recognizing that our words should honor God and serve others, not fuel division or pride.

This sermon, rooted in James 4:11 and guided by Richard Baxter's theology of backbiting, confronts the pervasive sin of gossip with pastoral urgency and biblical precision. It defines backbiting not merely as falsehood, but as any harmful speech about another—whether true or not—when done without divine calling or redemptive purpose. The preacher emphasizes that while truth-telling is not inherently wrong, the absence of a just cause, sufficient evidence, and a desire to restore rather than destroy renders even truthful criticism sinful. Key principles include refraining from judgment when not called, avoiding blind trust in even credible sources, and resisting the temptation to spread rumors—even about clearly wicked individuals—because evil must never be done for the sake of good. The sermon calls believers to a higher standard: silence over slander, confrontation over gossip, and humility over pride, all grounded in the character of God, who demands justice and love in equal measure. Ultimately, it challenges listeners to repent of their complicity in destructive speech and to pursue a life of restraint, integrity, and grace.

We conclude our study of: Romans 1. With a description of : SODOM & ALLIES I. Specific Sins cont. (30-31) II. Aware of Judgment (32a) III. Willful Sin (32b) Also Reference: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Hymns: Hymn # 4 C (G) "How Can It Be?" Hymn # 16 G (G) "Why Should He Love Me So?" Hymn # 360 A (G) "There Is A Fountain" Hymn # 363 C (G) "Saved By The Blood" https://bbfohio.com

00:00 Scripture Reading – Romans 1v30 03:23 Sermon Introduction – Sin Spiral Context 04:07 Point 1 – The Definition of Backbiting 11:40 Point 2 – The Damage of Backbiting 17:57 Backbiting Demonstrates a Reprobate Mind 20:52 Fruit of Reprobate Behavior 24:20 Point 3 – The Deeds of Backbiters 36:07 Early Church Faced Slander Too 40:48 Christian Backbiters and Their Danger 46:45 Point 4 – Deliverance from Backbiting 50:52 Gospel Illustration 54:08 Edify, Don't Tear Down 57:36 Christ Can Transform the Tongue 01:01:18 Closing Challenge and Invitation