Judging Accusations against Another
by Beth Johnson
No Bible character endured more suffering or shame at the hands of his enemies than King David. Even as a youth, he was accused by King Saul of trying to steal the hearts of the people (1 Sam 18:25-29). David had to run for his very life for nearly 40 years. The Psalms are replete with prayers and pleas for God’s help.
So often in the work of the church today we hear people saying they have been falsely accused or that they did not get an honest hearing when someone laid charges against them. There should be no place for such incidents in the church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How can we keep this from happening? How can we make sure that every man is heard in his cause and that Christians make wise decisions concerning one brother against another? Following the scriptures is the only way I know to be sure that every man has justice, judgment and equity.
In John, chapter 7, we read that Jesus could no longer walk in among the Jews because they sought to kill him, so he walked in Galilee and did miracles and taught the people there. Even then he was criticized by his own brothers who did not believe in him. They mocked him saying, “Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world,” (John 7:3-5).
Later we see that the Jews sought to kill him at the feast. And there was much murmuring among the people—some saying Jesus was a good man, and others saying he deceived the people. Both these reports could not be true. So which report was true? How would anyone know? Yet the Jews sought to kill him.
Another similar incident in the history of the early church shows Paul and his companions being falsely accused of seeking to destroy the goddess Diana along with the temple in Ephesus. We read about Demetrius the silversmith stirring up the crowd and causing near riot conditions for several hours before they finally caught Gaius and Aristarchus (Acts 19:24-28). No matter what the motivation, the statements made by Demetrius were partly true and partly false. Like many today, when the truth will not have the desired effect, additional (false) information is added to make the assertion “lather.” Paul and his companions did teach that there were no other gods besides the one Heavenly Father, but they did not advocate Christians tearing down or destroying the temple of Diana. That addition to the truth was nothing but a blatant false accusation, which made their whole platform abominable.
As you know from reading accounts of the trials of the Apostle Paul, he endured many such accusations from the Jews and from brethren “so called.” Fortunately the Roman government made an attempt at giving him justice even though the Jewish people did not. Sometimes the same thing is true of disputes today. A civil courtroom is often used to seek justice when the church has not judged in matters between brethren, but that is not the way it should be. What should we do? To whom should we go for judgment?
Nicodemus stated a universal truth, which many people in the church today ignore. “Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” (John 7:50-51).
What did the OT Law say? How were the Jews supposed to judge Paul and his companions?
Even under the New Testament law given by Christ, we have these commands to follow in judging any matter against a brother.
Finally, even if we have sought justice and judgment and not found it, you may be comforted by the final days of Paul the Apostle, who endured prison, mockery, and trial after trial which never gave him justice, judgment or equity in his lifetime. The letter sent by Felix to the king states Paul’s innocence plainly; yet Paul never knew freedom again because of his false accusers (Acts 25:14-27).
We see that King Agrippa gave Paul a chance to defend himself after years of imprisonment. “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews” (Acts 26:1-2).
Even though he was innocent of the accusations brought against him, Paul never found justice in this world. We may never find justice, but the Lord of all is watching and will reward on that Great Day. Meanwhile our hearts are being formed by our trials.
God bless us as we work for His purpose to gain the heart of Christ.
ISBS
Ladies Daily Devotional
02/28/05
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