Participating In Character Assassination

# 23 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 1:9,10 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, Next on our list of lawbreakers are liars and perjurers. These lawbreakers violate God's command to “not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” The word “bear” here is interesting. It's primary meaning is “to pay attention to,” but it can also mean “to speak.” God's kind of got us coming and going on this one. This Law of God is designed to put the skids on false talk against our neighbors. Not only are we not to speak it, but we are not to pay attention to it! Some “perjurers” may go as far as to swear untrue statements against others! This matter of bearing false witness is very important to God and He has established a guideline of at least two witnesses when it comes to sorting out truth! De 19:15 "One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. I've always loved Luther's explanation of this commandment. He says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not deceitfully lie about, betray, backbite, nor slander our neighbor but defend him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable construction on all that he does.” Seek to do this, and you will have responded to this command in the manner that God has designed it! Lord help me to see that this commandment works both ways. Guard my lips and ears from participating in character assassination.