2 Timothy 4:14-15 ESV Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. (15) Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.

There is an atmosphere, a culture, an often unspoken law in many, many churches and professing Christian families and organizations. The thing is communicated in many ways, often covertly or by implication, but primarily it comes into view when it is “violated.” I am speaking of the notion that a Christian is never to say anything negative about anyone. We are expected to “love” the sinner, to show “mercy” to those who hate the Lord, and anyone who dare say something negative about someone else, soon finds out that they suffer the consequences of this unspoken law.

Now, how foolish and downright stupid all of this is. If we were to cut out every verse in the Bible that says something negative about a person, just how much of the Word would we have left? Not much. The Old Testment prophets would be silenced and Christ Himself would be said to be a rather poor example of a Christian!

Of course there are sins we are not to commit with our words. We are not to gossip or slander or revile. But we are to speak truth, and truth requires the exposure of evil. Evil is always in a person and therefore to expose it we must expose the evildoer.

Now, how many of you have been victimized by this business? You went to your pastor and told him about the abuse you were suffering in your home, and what did he say? In many cases he accused you of dishonoring your husband! He told you that you had no right to say anything negative about the man. And he probably even told you that you had better knock it off or you would be the one suffering the consequences.

The thing is a lie from the pit. Evil, the devil, his wicked servants – they all love this stuff. And how they must jump up and down with hellish glee when they see us buying into this lie. Don’t fall for it. Speak the truth. If the wicked don’t want anything negative said about them, I suggest they stop sinning.