what is Gossip means for you ? how do you stop Gossiping? @ church, work and every where?

Answer 1

What does the Bible say about gossip?

Question: "What does the Bible say about gossip?"

Answer: First and foremost, God considered gossip to be such a serious matter that He included the avoidance of it as one of the Ten Commandments. "Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20). When you repeat something you heard from someone else, or share a story where you're not 100% certain the facts are correct, or even share information about another person that will only bring them harm and not good, you are bearing false witness against them. Since the second greatest commandment is "Love your neighbor as yourself," you would be breaking that one as well by gossiping. Would you gossip about yourself to others? If not, then why commit that act against your neighbor?

In the book of Romans, Paul reveals the sinful natures and lawlessness of mankind, stating how God was pouring out His wrath upon those who were rejecting His laws. Because they had turned away from God's instruction and guidance, He gave them over to their sinful natures. "They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them" (Romans 1:29b-32). God still does the same today. Many reject Him and His word, so He allows them to be ruled by their sinful nature and depraved minds.

Another group who was and is commonly known for indulging in this sinful behavior is widows. Timothy cautions widows against entertaining the habit of gossip and of being idle. "Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to" (1 Timothy 5:12-13). Because women tend to spend a lot of time in each other's homes or working closely with other women and getting involved in many people's lives, they hear and observe a variety of conversations or situations which have the potential to become distorted, if what they see is not kept private. Timothy stated that widows get into the habit of going from home to home, looking for something to occupy their idleness. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, and God cautions against allowing that sin to enter our lives.

Now, women are not the only ones who have been found guilty of this sin. Anyone can engage in the act of gossip simply be repeating something heard in confidence. The book of Proverbs has a long list of verses that cover the dangers of gossip and the potential hurt that results when care is not taken to think of the other person and how he/she might react if something they wanted kept private is revealed. "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret" (Proverbs 11:12-13).

Many times, people are asked to keep a secret, but they find the secret too good *not* to share. So, they tell just one person, thinking it'll be all right if only one other person knows. But, then that one person tells one who tells another who tells someone else, etc. Before long, what was originally repeated has become distorted and barely resembles the truth it was at the start. The problem began when the person who agreed to keep a secret, didn't stick to the promise made. There's a saying that states, "Two people can keep a secret, if one of them is dead." That saying didn't just become known without a significant measure of truth in it. "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends" (Proverbs 16:28).

Think about a time when you witnessed the destruction of a friendship over a misunderstanding that started with gossip. Those who engage in this behavior do nothing but stir up dissension and cause strife among friends. There is nothing honorable in their actions, and their own struggles or shortcomings are covered up by their desire to bring someone else down rather than focusing on the areas in their own lives which need work. Some people thrive on this and look for opportunities to destroy others. And when people like this are confronted, they deny the allegations and answer with an excuse for why they've done what they have. Rather than admit their wrong, they blame someone or something else, or attempt to make it sound like the sin committed isn't so bad. "A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts" (Proverbs 18:7-8).

Gossip usually hits deep. The topics that are "too good not to share" are generally ones that end up inflicting deep and cutting wounds to a person's inner being. And the betrayal almost always comes from someone close to the person affected. Gossip is bad enough when it comes from someone who is simply looking for a source of information they can share. But, when it begins with a trusted friend or someone who has been taken into a confidence, the betrayal cuts deep to the soul, making it even harder for the one on the receiving end to forgive. "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much" (Proverbs 20:19).

Those people who are considered "busybodies" are easily spotted and are usually in the center of the action, flitting from one situation to the next, seeking out a tidbit of information they can use to spread to others. They'll talk to just about anyone, pretending to care or be genuinely interested in what is being said to them, when all the while, their minds are racing ahead to the first person to whom they can repeat their conversation. Gossips are only in it for themselves and the perverted pleasure it brings them to tear others down.

But, God promises light at the end of the tunnel. "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will [perish] not go free" (Proverbs 19:5). The righteous will overtake the house of the wicked and bring them to ruin (Proverbs 21:12). Those who guard their mouths and tongues keep themselves from calamity (Proverbs 21:23). So, guard your tongue and refrain from the sinful act of gossip. Surrender your natural desires to the Lord and allow Him to help you remain righteous. Love your neighbor as yourself and don't sin against them in any way that you wouldn't also do to yourself. God rewards the just and the righteous, so strive to remain as such.

(as found at http://www.gotquestions.org/gossip-Bible.html)

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Gossip

Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature.
A person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts.
Trivial, chatty talk
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WHAT GOSSIP IS

Though the word “gossip” does not appear in the Bible, the concept does.

Gossip is called TALEBEARING (Lev. 19:16; Prov. 11:13; 18:8; 20:19; 26:20-22) and BACKBITING (Psa. 15:3), which is talking to others about the intimate details of people’s lives for injurious purposes.

Gossip is called being a “BUSYBODY IN OTHER MEN’S MATTERS” (1 Pet. 4:5). This means putting one’s nose in other people’s affairs which are none of my business.

Gossip is called “SLANDER” (Num. 14:36, 37; 2 Sam. 19:27; Prov. 10:18; Jer. 9:4-6; Rom. 3:8; 1 Tim. 3:11). This means to say false things about people, especially with the objective of hurting them. For something to be slanderous, it must involve deceit and falsehood and an injurious motive. To spread rumors about someone in an attempt to hurt that person is wicked gossip. We must be extremely careful about passing along things that we hear. If there is any question about the truthfulness of something, it is essential to verify it from someone who is in a position to know the matter.

Gossip is called “TATTLING” (1 Tim. 5:13). This means to prattle on about other people’s lives when it is none of one’s business and when one has no godly motive for such talk, to gossip).

God’s people must guard themselves vigilantly against these sins. Gossip is extremely damaging. In fact, gossip can destroy a preacher’s effectiveness and can ruin an entire church.
WHAT GOSSIP IS NOT

It is very important, though, not to confuse gossip with legitimate Christian endeavors.


SPEAKING TRUTH TO PROPER PARTIES FOR A GODLY PURPOSE IS NOT GOSSIP

It is not wrong to share truthful things with those who have a right to such information.

For example, it was not gossip for the household of Chloe to tell Paul about the problems in the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:11). As the founder of that church, Paul had a right to know about those problems, and the household of Chloe were not telling him these things to hurt the Lord’s work but to help it. It is not gossip to talk to a pastor or Sunday School teacher or deacon about matters in church members’ lives that they should know about. It is not gossip to talk to a father or mother about matters affecting their children.

It was not gossip for Paul to remind Timothy that the Cretians had a poor national character which he described in such harsh-sounding terms as “liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” (Titus 1:12). What Paul said about the Cretians (quoting one of their own poets) was true, and his motive was not to hurt them but to help them (“that they may be sound in the faith” Titus 1:13) and to further the work of Christ in Crete.

It is not wrong for a Christian to warn another person about a serious problem in a church or organization, so long as the information is true and the motive is not to hurt but to help and to warn. Oftentimes I have warned people about serious problems with certain churches that I have known about. That is not gossip and it is not slander.

It is not gossip to speak the truth in love, regardless of how harsh the truth might sound.


QUESTIONING A PREACHER’S TEACHING IS NOT GOSSIP

It is also not wrong to question a pastor in a humble and godly manner and to test his teaching by the Scriptures. In fact, we have a responsibility before God to do that. That is not gossip and it is not wrong. Of course, we always must guard our hearts that we don’t become bitter and that we don’t develop a bad attitude and then try to hurt the pastor or the church by spreading things around the church membership or community.

We must also use wisdom about such matters. For example, it is not usually wise and proper to question a pastor publicly about some perceived error or problem. It is best handled in private, at least at first.

That being said, the bottom line is that it is not wrong to question a pastor’s teaching. Acts 17:11; 1 Thess. 5:21; and 1 Cor. 14:29 settle that. Pastors have much authority, but they are not popes and they are not to be followed blindly. Their authority is the Word of God, and if they veer from that they have no authority and should be corrected. And yet many godly Christians have been branded as gossips and troublemakers when they have attempted to question something the preacher taught. All too many pastors have wrongly defined “gossip” as saying anything negative about him and his preaching, and they create this false definition in order to manipulate the church members and to make them fearful of questioning anything he does. This is not right and does not create a wholesome New Testament church atmosphere. The pastor must remember that he not to lord it over God’s people. “Neither as being lords over Gods heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). According to this passage, the pastor needs to be more concerned about providing a godly example to the flock than lording it over them. This does not mean, of course, that the pastor does not have more authority than others in church. He does have authority (Heb. 13:17). What we are referring to here is the abuse of that authority. Even the Apostle Paul, who had greater authority than any pastor today, said, “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand” (2 Cor. 1:24).
WARNING OF SIN AND ERROR IS NOT GOSSIP

Marking false teachers and warning about compromisers is not gossip or slander. Paul warned of false teachers and compromisers by name no less than ten times in 1 and 2 Timothy alone. If a church leader publicly teaches error or commits a serious sin that would disqualify him or otherwise does something that people should be warned about, it is not gossip or slander for men of God to describe the problem publicly. I have often been charged with being a slanderer or a busybody when I have named men such as Billy Graham or Jerry Falwell or James Dobson and have warned about their errors. Actually I have the right and responsibility as a preacher to mark those who depart from the Word of God. I do not have to get their permission to do so, and I do not have to approach them first. If their error is public and persistent, my responsibility is to warn of them publicly, just as Paul did in regard to Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim. 1:20), Phygellus and Hermogenes (2 Tim. 1:15), Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:17), Demas (2 Tim. 4:10), and Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim. 4:14-15). Slander is spreading ill founded, untrue things about others with the intent to injure them. Warning about error in Christian charity for the sake of protecting God’s people from that error is not slander nor is it gossip.


ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IS NOT GOSSIP

Romans 15:14 says, “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Christians have an obligation to admonish one another to serve the Lord. This involves watching over one another and exhorting one another about things that would hinder our walk with Christ (Heb. 3:13; 10:24, 25). This ministry should not be confused with gossip. In some churches, though, this is exactly what happens. If a mature church member attempts to admonish and correct other church members, he or she can be labeled as a gossip and a troublemaker and a busybody in other men’s affairs. Admonishing others requires maturity and godliness (Rom. 15:14), but it is a legitimate duty of mature church members. It is not something that is to be left strictly to the pastor. Titus 2:3-5 describes how older women in the church are to teach and admonish younger women. I have known of churches, though, in which older women have gotten into trouble for attempting to exercise this ministry in a godly and scriptural manner. They were told that it was strictly up to the pastor to correct and disciple younger women about their personal lives and homes, but that is certainly not what the Bible says. There is a ministry of correction that is to be exercised by church members. I recall a situation in a church in which a young man was admonished by some mature church members to quit his job at a wicked movie theater for the sake of his own spiritual wellbeing and for the sake of other young people in the church who were watching his example. When he refused to follow this counsel and he quit the church in a huff, those who admonished him from the Word of God were branded as the troublemakers. In fact, they were exercising the legitimate biblical ministry of admonition among church members.

These examples illustrate that it is necessary to make a clear biblical distinction between gossip and legitimate Christian endeavors.

(as found at http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/whatisgossip.htm)

Answer 2

Gossip is talking about other people in a negative way. I guess talking about them positively could be considered gossip but I don't consider it to be.

I try not to gossip by doing these things:

1. Only talk about people when saying something good about them - to build them up
2. Try not to repeat anything about another person or that another person has said if you can help it (and this will help not to stir up trouble)
3. Check out the local newspaper, yahoo news, or some other news source each morning to find out what is happening in the world so you'll have something to talk about all day long. There is always something weird going on in the world to talk about that will keep you from gossiping about others and keep others from gossiping to you as well.
4. Remember - small minded people talk about other people and broad minded people talk about ideas and things.
5. Also remember Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Good luck - this is a HARD habit to break and MANY people struggle with it! :)

Answer 3

See :Gossip NIV Proverbs11:13,16:28,18:8,20:19,26:20,26:22
Romans 1:29
2 Corinthians 12:20
1 Timothy 5:13
3 John 1:10
My opinion of Gossip is it's a devil's workshop
What do I do about it...Absolutely nothing....I don't participate in it

Answer 4

Here is how you stop gossip. When you hear gossip please interrupt the gossip person right away. Stand and accuse him of future gossip he is going to say about you when you are not present. Just as he now is saying gossip about a person who is not present.

It's strong medicine but gossip will ruin friendships, ruin churches and especially ruin the reputation of the gossip person.

Answer 5

As far as you,gossip can end with you.If you let people know that you don`t want to hear it,and that you are not going to participate in it,they will ussually stop gossiping to you.They may still talk about you,but just live the sort of life that you won`t care what people say.

Answer 6

Ignore what is being said and go on with your life. If someone asks you a question or your opinion in regard to a subject that pertains to gossip, just say you don't have an opinion or have no idea.......

Answer 7

Gossip means talking about someone else who isn't present without a good purpose. If you are not praising someone or telling people something about them that is important for them to know then you are probably engaging in gossip.

In it's worse form it is spreading news about a person that doesn't make them look good and adding personal comments and innuendo and speculation that may or may not be true.

You stop gossiping by confessing that it is a sin and asking God for help to overcome in this area and to convict you when you forget. Hide verses from God's word in your heart so that the Holy Spirit can remind you of them and as soon as they come to your thoughts stop gossiping. The book of James is a good place to start.

James 1:19 So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

James 3:13 Is there anyone wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his works are in meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and strife in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and strife exist, there unrest and every evil deed are. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those making peace.

James 1:22 But become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observed himself and has gone away, and immediately forgot what sort of man he was. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one shall be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceiving his heart, the religion of this man is useless.

Answer 8

gossip is for people who are too bored with their own lives so they basically have to look into other people's lives...you can never stop gossip. just give them nothing to talk about and they'll stop

Answer 9

Gossip can destroy people's lives. It's more vicious than people realize when they're doing it.

It's possible to stop gossipping, but it takes self-control.

Answer 10

I absolutely detest people who gossip! When people start that stuff around me, I sometimes say to the person they're talking to, "You know, anyone who'll talk to you about others when they're not around, will talk to others about you when YOU'RE not around." This has led to some strained work relationships, but I feel it was well worth it. Or sometimes I just walk off. It's nothing but foul, disgusting, nasty, malicious, spiteful SH*T! Brrrrr!

Answer 11

Usually it's someone saying something about another usually nasty the amost always ends up not being true. I try to change the subject.