but if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am i still being condemned as a sinner? and why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. their condemnation is just. [romans 3:7-8]
if you believe in Jesus Christ
you will be slandered.
you will be persecuted.
you will be maligned.
you will be misunderstood.
Jesus himself was falsely accused and slandered:
now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. [matthew 26:59-60]
and stephen:
then they secretly instigated men who said, “we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” and they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “this man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that moses delivered to us.” [acts 6:7-14]
paul had many experiences with being slandered:
and they have been told about you that you teach all the jews who are among the gentiles to forsake moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. [acts 21:21]
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” for they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. [acts 21:27-29]
when he had arrived, the jews who had come down from jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. paul argued in his defense, “neither against the law of the jews, nor against the temple, nor against caesar have i committed any offense.” [acts 25 7-8]
and in the face of false accusations and slander–
“blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [matthew 5:11]
if Jesus promised that this would happen, why then, are we surprised when it occurs?
when we are with Jesus, when we abide with him, the desire for approval of the world begins to fade…
and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. and every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. [acts 5:40-42]
today: make it a priority to seek the presence of the Lord–to fear his name, to seek his good pleasure. let us not fear the slander of men–rejoice when you are slandered and suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus!
~ce