Gossip should never form a part of worship

Editor: The only place in the world where one should feel safe in the assembly of thieves, murderers, gossips, fornicators, liars and such like is the church. The apostle Paul wrote ‘And such were some of you but you are washed, but you are sanctified….’ ( 1 Cor.6:11 ). He also stated “IF any man be in Christ, he IS a new creation.’( 2 Cor.5;17) Hebrews 10:25 warns against forsaking the assembly of the body of Christ. The text also speaks about exhorting one another. The danger arises when the supposed believers are not led by the spirit of God; then the Church is no longer a church, but a motley collection, a corrupt crowd gathering.{{more}} The apostle Paul lamented the fact that he was ‘in peril among false brethren’.

One of the most destructive elements in destroying unity among God’s people is the wanton use of the tongue. James describes the fiasco in his third letter. The tongue he describes as a fire out of control. Some of us are so naive, in that we vigorously guard our properties from thieves, but open the gates to our souls to the musings of gossips, then complain about the hurts they do to us. Thieves steal; what do you expect a gossip to do? Gossips do not thrive on positives; they are harbingers of death and poison, bad ‘vibes’ are what they trade in. We share our problems with them, our deep secrets, we lay bare before them. There is a saying: ‘A pig in a palace remains a pig’. Such is the situation when a person pretends to be converted. We place such people in our pulpits, not realizing that a gossip in a pulpit is still a gossip. Tell them your heartfelt secrets and they, under the illusion of being led by the spirit, break the bond of confidentiality and expose you to the rest of the world. Remember that at no time would you find that the assembly is packed with believers only. I have heard of one youth, having gone to church, having his sins articulated before the entire gathering, spelt out one by one. Then the preacher dragged him through a constant vigil, under the guise that they were praying for him. Funny how his sins were told to the preacher. How often we lie and claim revelations from the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes these Holy Ghost preachers would take to the pulpits to demonize anyone who crosses their paths. They spurt out religious diatribe to humiliate the objects of their tirades. James warns us that ‘if you have bitter envyings and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above. but is earthly, sensual and devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without HYPOCRISY. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.’

If you have a problem relating to a gossip in your church, do not feel guilty if you cannot work out a way to deal with that person. If all efforts at reaching out fail, break off the contact. Do it for your personal peace of mind. Walk away whenever that individual goes to the pulpit; do not look back, do not enquire of his utterings. Romans 16:17 advises ‘Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrines which you have learned and AVOID them.’

Remember a gossip is a dissembler; you cannot in any way assemble with him. Do not stay away from church; when the warning against staying away from the assembly was made, it was never intended that gossip should form a part of worship. Gossips yes! gossip NO!

Sinned