DEVOTIONAL INSIGHTS & REFLECTIONS

Slander vs. Historical Fact/Truth - November 29

"Do not go about spreading slander among your people... Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt." ~Leviticus 19:16&17

"Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." ~Proverbs 27:5&6

"Slander" is "the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation; to make false and damaging statements about (someone)." Synonyms: defame (someone's character), blacken someone's name, tell lies about, speak ill/evil of, sully someone's reputation, libel, smear, cast aspersions on, spread scandal about, besmirch, tarnish, taint... (Google)

Sometimes we believe something is true but we don't know for sure..., but we go ahead and repeat it to others as if it were an undisputed fact --- that's slanderous.

On the other hand "facts" are undisputed/uncontroverted historical evidence. Attorney's use "facts" at the beginning of a complaint, in the first part of briefs and at the onset of oral arguments because "facts" set the stage, so to speak. We had better get the facts straight, before we move forward...

When someone attacks the "truth," they are attacking "historical fact" because "facts" are "historical truth."
With that said, the bible is a "historical" document.

Jesus loves you: and that's an uncontroverted/indisputable fact then demonstrated by His historical life, death, burial and resurrection, which was also foretold by the prophets.

...and Jesus did it all just for you and me to bring us into right fellowship with the Father. He is known as the sacrificial lamb, the bridge, the way-maker, the bread of life, the prince of peace... He is the author and the finisher of our faith. (See Hebrews 12:2.)

Oh, how He loves us.