Musing 52

One of the disheartening things I see all the time is how, when it comes to in-house debates, Christians are so willing to violate the 9th commandment and in their rush to defend their own positions, simply lie, refuse to do due diligence or otherwise not give charitable interpretations when possible.

One of the clearest example of this in my own life was when discussing 2 Cor 4:4 with another Reformed brother. The tl;dr of that discussion is “who is the ‘God of this age’ that Paul refers to?” In our era, the dominant view is that it’s Satan, but I had encountered a paper that argued that it was in fact the One True God being referenced.

Now, so that it’s clear, both this brother and I were solidly in the Reformed camp, though he was a Reformed Baptist and I was a Presbyterian. And yet, despite having engaged multiple times with non-Reformed people on the doctrines of grace, Catholics on those issues, or any number of non-Christians, it was this conversation that had some the most vitriol in it coming towards me.

What made it baffling was that despite being someone who usually did their due diligence, my brother also made the exact same points the article had responded to and acted as if those points had not been made.

Since then I’ve wondered (for many reasons, one of which mentioned in my musing yesterday) what the 9th commandment requires of us in its application for interactions online and in life.

The Westminster Larger Catechism says the following on the requirements of the 9th commandment :

• 1. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?

• The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own: appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; study and practising of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.

• 1. What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?
• The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbors, as well as our own, especially in public judicature; giving false evidence; suborning false witnesses; wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause; out-facing and overbearing the truth; passing unjust sentence; calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked; forgery; concealing the truth; undue silence in a just cause, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, or complaint to others; speaking the truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end, or perverting it to a wrong meaning, or in doubtful and equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice; speaking untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, tale-bearing, whispering, scoffing, reviling, rash, harsh, and partial censuring; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; flattering, vain-glorious boasting, thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; denying the gifts and graces of God; aggravating smaller faults; hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession; unnecessary discovering of infirmities; raising false rumours, receiving and countenancing evil reports, and stopping our ears against just defence; evil suspicion; envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any, endeavouring or desiring to impair it, rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; scornful contempt; fond admiration; breach of lawful promises; neglecting such things as are of good report; and practicing or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.

There’s a lot there. And while I could write much, I think the only application to call attention to for today is that of “misconstructing intentions, words, and actions”. Especially online where we lose much context to our words, we have to do so much work to give the benefit of the doubt. Take care to, unless there’s significant evidence to the contrary that the other person means well, even if you vehemently disagree (or fail to see how the thoughts are coherent), give grace and assume the best. When we charitably deal with others, it de-escalates the tensions between brothers (or between Christans and non-Christians) and helps us honor God.