Deep Dive into When Words Become Weapons: Slander, the Ninth Commandment, and the Call to Christlike Speech

The sin of slander is defined as false or unjustly damaging speech about another person’s character or conduct, spoken to others, which needlessly injures that person’s reputation. It is considered a serious spiritual evil rather than a minor social flaw because it has profound theological roots and destructive consequences.

Slander constitutes a vertical insult to God because it strikes at His character as the God of truth and purity, offering words bent by deception and malice instead of mirroring God’s truthfulness. Furthermore, slander is a diabolical sin; the Greek term for the devil, diabolos, literally means "slanderer" or "accuser." When engaging in slander, a believer imitates the Accuser, contradicting the gracious, truthful ministry of Christ, the Advocate.

The sin originates in the corruption and idolatry of the heart. Jesus taught that slanders come from within, revealing underlying issues like pride (the desire to be seen as superior by lowering others), envy (chipping away at a neighbor’s name), and bitterness (using words to exact social revenge). The doctrine of justification in Christ remedies these motives by securing the believer's status and righteousness, freeing them from the frantic need for self-justification.

Slander violates the Ninth Commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” which is God’s comprehensive rule for how believers think and speak about one another. This command requires believers to be guardians of each other’s good name, interpreting actions charitably and defending the innocent. Slander is thus a “theft of honor,” stripping away the dignity God has given His image-bearers.

In contemporary life, slander manifests as "sanctified gossip," where damaging reports are cloaked in pious language like "sharing a concern," or through digital slander, where partial, unverified information is rapidly broadcast online. To put this sin to death requires practicing holy slowness, taking agitation to God in prayer, and strictly adhering to the Matthew 18 command to go directly to the neighbor.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

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