Corrupt Communication

Unclean spirits coming from the mouths of the dragon,
beast, false prophet (Revelation 16:13)

Despite the tremendous potential for good of the Internet, which offers a vast wealth of knowledge and instantaneous communication worldwide, it is also fraught with peril. Scammers are now highly sophisticated, impersonating law enforcement, banking officials, or even loved ones in their quest to deceive and defraud their victims. Artificial intelligence can quickly summarize available knowledge on any given topic, but do its users check its validity?  Can we trust what we read, hear and see online, when doctored photos and even videos run rampant?

Many years ago I personally experienced the potential harm of corrupt communication. One night, the shrill ring of the phone startled my husband Richard and me from a sound sleep. It was a business acquaintance of his, asking if it were true that Richard was stranded in Spain after his credit cards, cash and passport were stolen. How much money did he need to borrow, and how could she wire it to him?

Emerging from our dazed confusion, we finally pieced together that Richard’s email account had been hacked, and that the hacker had sent an individual email to each of my husband’s contacts, explaining the above made-up scenario and requesting a loan. Unlike most junk email and phishing scams, this one appeared to come from my husband’s correct email address and contained his name, increasing the chances that a good-hearted recipient would think it was a legitimate call for help rather than a blatant lie.

Earlier that night I had awakened from sleep with two Bible verses going through my head: “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33) and “let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay” (Matthew 5:37). I hadn’t even made the connection until I mentioned this to my husband later in the day, and he said, “Sounds like that email hoax to me.”

It made me think about how important it is for us to avoid “corrupt communication” (Ephesians 4:29). Our family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ who know we claim His name regard us, at least to some extent, as His representative (2 Corinthians 5:20). What we say therefore reflects on Him, whether rightly or wrongly. Those in positions of leadership must be especially careful not only that their speech honors Him, but also that it is doctrinally sound and pure.

We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), not being hurtful or judgmental, or causing offense that would be a stumbling block to another’s faith (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 8:9; 1 Peter 2:8; 1 John 2:10). Yet in our eagerness to be kind, accepted or politically correct, we must not gloss over truths that may be painful to hear. Saying “He’s in a better place,” about a lost person who died may make his family feel better, but it is directly opposed to Biblical truth and may remove the urgency the family members might otherwise feel about getting right with God.

It is true that only God knows the heart (Psalm 44:21; Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8; 1 John 3:20) and that deathbed conversions may occur, so we can’t know for sure what any person’s eternal destiny may be. In the above situation, it may be best to focus on that, and to thank God for offering eternal life in heaven to “whosoever” (John 3:16) believes in His Son’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) to pay for our sins .

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul explains the Gospel of grace – that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, so that all who have faith in Him will have eternal life. He warns against “evil communications” (v. 33) with those who would dilute or even deny this truth, which is the only means to salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We must not allow false teachers to compromise our knowledge of this truth (2 Peter 2:1) and our urgency to share it with others, as Christ commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).

Our own testimony and witness to others must not in any way corrupt the Gospel. Instead, it must build up and instruct the hearer regarding God’s grace and salvation through His Son (Ephesians 4:29). Similarly, Jesus warns us to speak the truth plainly – yes meaning yes, and no meaning no (Matthew 5:37). If we muddle these together, we distort what is right and wrong, black and white, into shades of gray.

End-Times prophecy speaks of a false one-world religion, described as an adulterous woman sitting on a scarlet beast and speaking blasphemy, with the title "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. In the name of tolerance and political correctness, current trends advancing this apostasy include the acceptance of all religions as leading to God and to Heaven, despite Jesus' own words that He is the only Way (John 14:6). 

For example, some in positions of Christian leadership attempt to reach out in friendship to Muslims by saying that we all worship the same God. However, our God is clearly different from how the Koran portrays Allah. Christians recognize a Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all equally God, whereas Muslims do not recognize Jesus as God, but only as a prophet superceded by Mohammed. Our God is love (1 John 4:8), and He is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:8; 1 Corinthians 1:9), unchanging (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), and true (Romans 3:4; Titus 1:2), promising eternal life to all who have a personal relationship with His Son (John 14:6-7). This promise is based only on His grace, and not on any works we could do to try to earn our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). When God chastises His children, He does it as a loving Father, for our ultimate good (Hebrews 12:5).

But Allah is viewed by some as punitive and one to be feared, and salvation demands works such as pilgrimages to Mecca and repetitive daily prayers. Even so, Muslims can never be sure they have done enough to merit entrance into Paradise.

The truths of Christianity may be viewed by some as exclusive and even as intolerant and offensive. This is hardly surprising, because Christ and His Word say that His truths cause division among family members (Matthew 10:21; 34-35); that He is the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12); that our hearts are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9); and that we have all broken God’s laws in thought if not always in deed (Matthew 5:28). The doctrine emphasized by Paul is indeed offensive -- that we are all sinners; that no one is righteous; and that we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10, 23).

Yet to “reach out” to nonbelievers or to strike up “friendships” with them by denying these Biblical truths may gain a “friend” during this lifetime, yet lose a soul to hell for all eternity. What kind of “friend” keeps silent about the words of eternal life? (John 6:68) Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), but doesn’t true love demand that we speak the truth? 

Picture a scenario in which a friend comes to me for medical advice about her child dying from pneumonia. She asks if I think bathing her child six times daily will cure her, instead of allowing the hospital to give her the recommended antibiotics, Would it be loving for me, in the name of tolerance, to tell her that bathing is a perfectly acceptable cure if she sincerely believes it will work? I would rather proclaim the truth and risk losing a friend than be "tolerant" and allow the child to die. We as Christians have the Good News that keeps people from eternal death in hell, so why would we not share it? 

Christian persecution continues to grow exponentially in severity and in prevalence, which is one of the "labor pains" preceding Christ's return (Matthew 24:8-10). According to the Esther Project, more than 70 million Christians were martyred throughout history; of these, more than half were martyred in the 20th century in communist and fascist regimes. May we find boldness, courage and inspiration in their willingness to die rather than to renounce their faith. In comparison, it seems such a small price to ask of us to be willing to share the truth of the Gospel without fear of being politically incorrect, unpopular, or considered intolerant.

© 2012 Laurie Collett 

Expanded, edited and reposted from the archives

Two by One

Missionaries distributing food in COVID-19 pandemic

I dreamed that my husband Richard and I are seated at the round dining table in the kitchen of a small house we rent out in a rural area. He starts to make breakfast and sets out a loaf of bread and a box of cereal. But then he is interrupted by a phone call from Bill, the next door neighbor.

Richard says he has to leave because he wants to share the Gospel with Bill, and he thinks this would be a good time as Bill said he had some questions about the Bible. I offer to go with him, but Richard says that I should stay at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After Richard leaves I brew some tea and set it on the table, awaiting his return.

When I awaken, it is with a sense of longing and sadness that I was not able to be directly involved in this ministry opportunity, even though it was in a dream, and that I was instead left alone at home. It reminded me that Jesus sent out His disciples two by two to witness and spread the Good News of the Gospel (Mark 6:7).

In normal circumstances, that tradition has continued to the present day, and with good reason. Two or three witnesses are required to establish the truth of a matter (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15, Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1) and Jesus said that when two or more are gathered in His Name, He is in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).

Two can support one another (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) in their unified purpose of leading others to the Lord, of telling them how they can receive the gift of eternal life (John 3:16) by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

When I took part in weekly visitation at our former church, home visits were assigned to a married couple, or to two women visiting a single woman or family, or two men visiting a single man or family. This was not only for propriety, abstaining from even the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), but to make those being visited feel more comfortable.

Usually one visitation partner would take the active role, leading the conversation, answering any questions, and sharing the Gospel as the Holy Spirit opened the door (John 14:16-17; 16:13). Meanwhile, the other partner would sometimes contribute to the flow of conversation as the Lord led (1 Corinthians 2:13; Ephesians 4:15), but often would just pray silently for the Spirit to soften the heart of the unsaved or backslidden person to move closer to the will of Jesus Christ for their life.

But that was in “normal” circumstances, in the pre-COVID-19 era that seems like ages ago, even though it has only been several months. Now, many such ministries have been stifled by the need for social distancing to avoid transmitting the virus, and home visits have become rare or nonexistent. The Gideons are no longer able to distribute Scriptures in person, and many missionaries have encountered restrictions on travel and in-person gatherings that have severely limited their ministries.

In the dream, my longing and sadness over having to stay at home I believe reflect the feelings I have over currently lacking in-person opportunities for ministry, such our dance ministry, teaching a ladies’ Bible study class, and singing in church. But one opportunity that still remains is that of the “silent partner” – the member of the visitation team who prays while the other witnesses.

We may not be able to go to the mission field ourselves, but we can still pray for those who go, and we can give out of our abundance (2 Corinthians 8:14), or even out of our want (Mark 12:44), to support missionaries, pastors, and fellow saints who all have a role in sharing the Gospel. We may not be able to go out two by two, but rather two by one, as each of us in isolation can still do our part to support the two (or more) that go.

Praying for fruit from these missions, and for our fellow-laborers in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9), is no less important than actually doing the legwork, and I believe will also be rewarded when we see Christ face-to-face (1 Corinthians 13:12).

As I think about the other symbolism of the dream, I consider the bread and cereal my husband set on the breakfast table. Breakfast is a particularly important and enjoyable meal, because it follows an overnight fast. In many ways, the period of lockdown and isolation because of the pandemic has been an emotional and spiritual fast, as many of us are at least temporarily deprived of our usual activities and social interactions.

But periods of rest and spiritual renewal are often prescribed in the Bible, and often precede times of great revival, as in the case of the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17). As we are still (Psalm 46:10) and wait upon the Lord (Psalm 37:9; 123:2, Isaiah 8:17; 40:31), we can trust that He is doing great things, and that He is preparing us for greater opportunities to serve Him, once all the elements are in place.

Meanwhile, we must pray for wisdom and His strength to empower us to do whatever we can in whatever setting He places us, for we are pilgrims in a foreign country (Hebrews 11:13), longing for our true home in Heaven. It seems fitting that the dream took place in a humble, rural rental home.

In the dream, the table reminded me of the communion table, which should also be preceded by self-examination and fasting (1 Corinthians 11:20-34). The bread, symbolizing Christ as the Bread of Life, had been set out by my husband, the spiritual head of the household. The cereal, which is grain broken in small pieces, I believe symbolizes the breaking of bread in the communion sacrament (1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:24), and ultimately the body of Christ, broken for us (Matthew 26:26).

But the meal was put on hold while my husband went out to share the Gospel. In the interim, I brewed tea, perhaps symbolizing the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives when He infuses us with the Living Water (John 7:38; Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13). The tea plant must be crushed and heated before it can produce tea.

Jesus Christ was bruised and suffered to pay for our sins (Isaiah 53:5), and Gethsemane, the place He prayed for us before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:36-46), means “olive press.” Just as an olive is crushed before it can yield its precious oil, so did Christ endure agony, shedding every drop of His precious blood (Matthew 26:28), so that all who trust Him could be anointed with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22), often symbolized as oil in Scripture (1 Samuel 16:13; Isaiah 61:3).

Because I brewed the tea while awaiting my husband’s return, the symbolic elements of communion were ready, but the sacrament itself could not yet take place in his absence. It reminded me that the church, or bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2), is waiting for the Bridegroom’s return (Matthew 9:15) at the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), to meet with us in the sky and to celebrate our eternal union at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! (Revelation 19:9).

Like the ten wise virgins awaiting the Bridegroom, may we use the time wisely, keeping our lamps filled with the oil of the Spirit (Matthew 25:1-13), serving Christ in whatever ways He appoints to us, until His imminent return! 

© 2020 Laurie Collett