Protect Reputation

Pastor Greg Stenzel

Ten Commandments • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Exodus 20:16

Do Not Bear False Witness Commandment

0 ratings

· 9 views

JESUS FULFILLS THE LAW FOR US AND DEFENDS US AS OUR GREAT ADVOCATE.

Notes

Transcript

Eighth Commandment

Exodus 20:16

3. The Eighth Commandment not only commands us not to lie but also exhorts us to protect our neighbor’s reputation.

Perhaps the most stupid proverb in our culture is “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Words can hurt us to the core of our being. Child psychologists say it takes ten positive remarks to compensate for one negative remark—and I think that remains true for us as adults.

The Eighth Commandment has to do with the power of words. How does one endure being falsely accused? One of the most irreparable injuries is the loss of one’s reputation. The Fifth Commandment protects life. The Sixth Commandment protects marriage. The Seventh Commandment protects property. The Eighth Commandment protects reputation.

As with any other broken commandment, the Old Testament penalties were severe. False witness, gossiping, lying, and deceiving destroy the fabric of society. Without trust and sincerity there can be no human community.

We are warned against false witness, deceiving, and gossiping ten times in the Book of Proverbs.

Two witnesses were required to convict a person of any crime (Deut 19:15).

At Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas, the two witnesses could not agree, so Jesus couldn’t be convicted on the basis of their charges (Mk 14:56).

Jewish law also was careful about prejudiced witnesses. No relative, friend, enemy, heir, or person of a disreputable occupation was allowed to give testimony.

A false witness received the same punishment the accused would have received. If the punishment was stoning, the accusers were the ones compelled to push the convicted person over the cliff (the Jewish manner of stoning) and throw the first boulder. No one took lightly accusing another of wrongdoing. Why?

2. One’s reputation is his/her most important legacy—and it can be lost in an instant.

You can leave behind children. You can start an organization or business. You can make a lot of money and pass on a huge inheritance. But your real value to the world is who you are, your character, your example, your influence. You don’t really care about Henry Ford or Donald Trump or Bill Gates. You recognize their moneymaking ability, but they mean nothing personally to you.

Who means something to you? The people of character in your life. The people who have inspired you, formed you, and supported you. Their reputation gives you strength and direction in life. Specifically, who is that in your life—a parent, an aunt, a friend, a teacher, a coach, a local public figure? What would happen to you if that person’s reputation was destroyed? You, too, would be devastated.

This commandment protects something more valuable than property or even life itself. It protects our value as a creation of God. It protects all that we are and want to be. And it is so vulnerable. How do you protect yourself from a false accusation? How do you undo your gossip against others? A reputation built up over years can be destroyed in seconds by a false accusation. It can never truly be restored. Confidence and trust are lost.

When I was a boy leaving the house for the day, my parents would often send me off with this little reminder: “Remember who you are!” In other words, don’t do anything to tarnish the Stenzel name.

James warns us, “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire” (James 3:5–6). The tongue can ruin marriages and devastate children. It can destroy careers or start wars between nations. It can cause suicide.

At the same time, however, if you must say something about another person, tell only someone who can affect change in the situation. If the issue is sexual harassment, for example, tell your superior or your superiors superior. If something negative needs to be said about another person, make sure you have the facts — not just opinions or hearsay — and only tell an individual who is in an office of authority over you, who can sort it out. Like a parent, a teacher, an employer, a pastor, a police-officer, etc. You get the idea. To tell any else who is not in a position of authority, you run the risk of breaking the Eighth Commandment.

It’s like that old saying, “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.” How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.

That is why Luther in his explanation encourages us not only to avoid perjury in court but to actively protect reputations in society. “We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way” (Luther’s Small Catechism, p. 14).

1. Our Savior Jesus constantly defends us to the Father against all accusers. Jesus Fulfills the Law for Us and Defends Us as Our Great Advocate.

That’s how God looks at us. He knows you and me at our worst. He has seen us when we did the things nobody knows about, not even our spouse or best friend. But as we heard last week, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps 103:10). Jesus stands at our side to defend us. He tells the accuser all sins have been paid for by his death on the cross in our place. He covers us with his perfect righteousness and life so we can stand in God’s presence holy and perfect. We are completely forgiven. The Father knows all we’ve done and all we’ve failed to do. Yet, in grace, he adopts us as his own children. He calls us “precious in my eyes, and honored” (Is 43:4).

Jesus Fulfills the Law for Us and Defends Us as Our Great Advocate.

No matter how badly or how often we have failed in the past, our heavenly Father continues to have great plans for us in his kingdom. He continually thinks well of us. He continually has hopes for us. He never gives up on us. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11).

He wants us to think as well toward those around us—love them, forgive them, as he would—and, as Luther emphasized, “defend [them], speak well of [them], and explain everything in the kindest way.” This is how you protect your neighbor’s reputation, and in so doing build your own—as a Christian — a little Christ — being the light and salt of the earth.