Internal Bleeding 1 Cor. 1: 10

Let me ask you something. What do you come to church for?

One Sunday morning, coming out of church, Mrs. Smith asked her husband, "Do you think that Johnson girl is tinting her hair?"

"I didn’t even see her," admitted Mr. Smith.

"And that dress Mrs. Davis was wearing," continued Mrs. Smith, "Really, don’t tell me you think that’s the proper costume for a mother of two."

"I’m afraid I didn’t notice that either," said Mr. Smith.

"Oh, for heaven’s sake," snapped Mrs. Smith. "A lot of good it does you to go to church."

Do you come for the latest juicy news or do you come to praise and worship God who despises gossip and slanderous language.

Here’s something I’ve had to remind myself of; when you speak to or speak of someone in a belittling way it attacks their character and the quality of a person’s character is God’s responsibility.

When you deliberately attack another member of the body, be it one of the leadership or not, remember that you are single handedly chipping away at the foundation of this church and Jesus said if we’re divided against ourselves we will not be able stand…we will commit spiritual suicide.

3. Can we fix it? Yes we can, if we look to Scripture for the answers. Look at [2Ti 2:14-16 NIV] where Paul tells us to:

a. Warn against meaningless words…words that have no value…

14 Keep reminding God's people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

b. Encourage personal study. Studying God’s Word will guide us to be more like Him.

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

c. Warn them to avoid profane or godless discussions.

16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” The more you gossip the more ungodly you become and more you destroy your relationship with God and His people.

Jesus gives us three steps to correcting the problem, in: [Mat 18:15-17 NIV]

Notice, first of all that not once did Jesus say to run to the gossip fence or the “tellemAll” gossip service.

But He did say for us to:

1. Make every attempt to reconcile. Jesus says in verse 15: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you…”

Where is the first place Jesus tells us to go? The one who has offended you.

Why is the phone the first place many make their first stop!?

But what if step #1 doesn’t work? Then we move to step two.

2. Take some witnesses along. Does this mean that I get my posse and we go strong-arm them into submission? Of course not.

“16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'”

Let me make a suggestion. If you have an issue with someone in this church and you have made every honest and biblical effort to reconcile the differences without any results, rather than picking up the phone to destroy them, call your deacon…your pastor. We can set up a meeting to sit down and calmly discuss the matter.