Words are powerful.
They can bless or curse. They can build or break. They can heal or wound. They can bring peace or stir up conflict. In “Slander PT 1 | The Sin of Character Assassination,” Bishop Omar Thibeaux begins a powerful new series on one of the most common and dangerous sins of the mouth: slander.
This message is not about condemnation. It is about conviction, correction, and alignment. Bishop reminds the church that Yahshua Jesus paid for our sins, but the Holy Spirit still corrects us so that we can walk in holiness, unity, and blessing.
One of the easiest areas to sin is with the tongue. James describes the tongue as a world of iniquity and warns that it can set the course of life on fire. That is why this message is so important. God may be preparing to bless His people, but our words can turn us away from the very place He is trying to take us.
Bishop compares the tongue to the rudder of a ship. A rudder may be small, but it can turn the entire vessel. In the same way, our words can steer our lives toward blessing or away from it.
The sermon’s central message is clear:
Watch your mouth.
The Story Behind the Sermon
The message begins in Jasher 31:52–64, in the account of Jacob, Laban, and Esau.
Jacob had left Laban after years of labor, mistreatment, and conflict. Rachel had taken Laban’s household gods, and Laban pursued Jacob. Eventually, Jacob and Laban made a covenant of peace. They built a heap of stones as a witness between them, offered sacrifices, ate together, and spent the night near the covenant marker.
But after making peace, Laban did something wicked.
He secretly sent his young son and a group of men ahead to meet Esau in Mount Seir. Instead of honoring the covenant, Laban sent a message to Esau that distorted Jacob’s story.
He told Esau that Jacob came to him naked and empty. He claimed that he made Jacob great. He said Jacob got rich because of him. He accused Jacob of fleeing in secrecy, taking his daughters like captives, and stealing his goods.
Some of what Laban said had pieces of truth, but the story was twisted. He left out what he had done to Jacob. He left out the manipulation, the years of labor, the deception with Leah and Rachel, and the fact that God was the one who blessed Jacob.
Laban’s report was not meant to help. It was meant to hurt.
And when Esau heard it, his anger was kindled. The old hatred he had toward Jacob came back.
This is what slander does.
It reignites old wounds.
It stirs up old anger.
It adds fuel to old fires.
It turns peace back into conflict.
Slander can take something that was cooling down and make it burn again.
What Is Slander?
Bishop defines slander as a false statement spoken to another person that damages someone else’s reputation.
Slander is not just “talking.” It is character assassination.
It can damage someone’s name, relationships, livelihood, social standing, ministry, family, and future. It is not harmless conversation. It is not casual commentary. It is poison released through the tongue.
Bishop also explains the legal difference between slander and libel. Slander is generally spoken. Libel is generally written. Both fall under the broader category of defamation.
Spiritually, slander is even more serious because it does not only affect reputations. It affects unity, trust, love, and the health of the body of Christ.
A person can destroy with their mouth what they never touched with their hands.
Slander vs. Gossip
One of the important distinctions in the sermon is the difference between gossip and slander.
Gossip spreads someone’s private business.
Slander spreads falsehood, distortion, or partial truth that damages someone.
Gossip is wrong because it exposes what should not be exposed. Slander is even darker because it may invent, twist, exaggerate, or misrepresent what happened.
Bishop explains that slander is like gossip on steroids.
Sometimes people think they are safe because what they said had “some truth” in it. But partial truth can still be slander if it misrepresents the whole matter. A one-sided story can be dangerous because it gives listeners enough information to judge but not enough information to judge righteously.
There is one side.
There is the other side.
Then there is the truth.
When we only tell our side, we may not be lying outright, but we may still be shaping the story in a way that damages someone unfairly.
That is why believers must be careful.
Partial Truth Can Still Be Slander
A major theme of this message is that slander is not always an obvious lie.
Sometimes slander is built from incomplete information. Sometimes it comes from assumptions. Sometimes it comes from repeating what we heard but never verified. Sometimes it comes from telling only the part of the story that makes us look good and makes someone else look bad.
Bishop gives a clear warning: if you do not know something for certain, be careful repeating it.
If you did not see it, do not present it like you saw it.
If you do not have the whole story, do not speak like you do.
If you only heard it from someone else, be careful passing it on.
If you are uncertain, do not speak with certainty.
This is important because words travel. As a story moves from person to person, it often changes. Details are added. Intentions are assumed. Emotions are attached. Before long, the story being repeated may no longer resemble the truth.
This is how reputations get damaged.
Intent Matters
One of the strongest points in the sermon is that intent matters.
There are times when information must be shared. If a child may be in danger, if a spouse needs to check on a serious matter, or if church leaders need to shepherd and protect the flock, sharing a concern may be an act of love.
But the motive must be right.
Are you trying to protect someone?
Are you trying to help restore someone?
Are you bringing the matter to someone who can actually help?
Are you keeping the circle small and responsible?
Or are you spreading information to hurt, expose, divide, embarrass, or destroy?
That is the difference.
A loving concern seeks protection and restoration.
Slander seeks damage.
Bishop says the real intent of slander, as seen through Laban’s example, is not to help. It is to hurt. It is to destroy. It is to tear down. It is to divide.
That is why we must search our hearts before we open our mouths.
Why Do People Slander?
The sermon identifies several reasons people fall into slander.
1. Anger and Revenge
Sometimes people slander because someone hurt them. Instead of going directly to the person and addressing the issue in a mature way, they go behind the person’s back and damage their name.
Bishop calls slander the coward’s weapon.
It is easier to talk behind someone’s back than to speak to their face in a godly, honest, and peaceful way. But believers are called to handle conflict differently. If there is an issue, we must seek truth, peace, and reconciliation instead of revenge.
2. Jealousy and Envy
Sometimes slander comes when someone else is shining.
When attention is on another person, envy may rise in the heart. Instead of celebrating what God is doing in their life, a person may try to throw shade on them. Bishop describes this as trying to block someone’s shine.
This is what Laban did to Jacob. Jacob was blessed, and Laban could not handle it. Instead of acknowledging that God blessed Jacob, Laban tried to take credit and damage Jacob’s reputation.
Jealousy often talks.
3. Disappointment
Bishop also teaches that slander can come from disappointment. A disappointed person may use their mouth to tear others down because they are frustrated with their own life.
This is dangerous because it becomes a cycle. The more a person slanders, the more they move out of alignment with God. The more out of alignment they become, the more disappointed they feel. Then that disappointment fuels more slander.
The cycle must be broken.
4. Attention Seeking
Some people slander because they want attention. They want to be the one with the information. They want people gathered around them. They want to feel important because they know something others do not know.
But spiritual maturity refuses to gain attention by damaging another person’s name.
Slander Cannot Easily Be Taken Back
One of the most sobering parts of the sermon is the reminder that once slander is released, it is hard to recover.
Bishop references the image of releasing feathers into a windy city and then trying to gather them all back. It cannot be done. Once the feathers are scattered, they travel in every direction.
Slander works the same way.
Once words are released, they move. They spread. They land in places we never intended. They affect people we never expected. They continue doing damage long after the original conversation ends.
Even if the person later apologizes, the words have already shaped opinions. People may still remember what was said. Suspicion may still remain. Trust may still be broken.
That is why we must be careful before speaking.
Slander Affects the Listener
Slander does not only affect the person being talked about. It also affects the person hearing it.
Even when a listener knows they should not receive slander, the words can still plant a seed. Later, if they have a disagreement with the person who was slandered, that old accusation may come back to mind.
This is one of the hidden dangers of slander. It can sit dormant in someone’s heart until conflict gives it an opportunity to speak again.
That is why believers must not only avoid speaking slander. We must also avoid receiving it.
We must learn to stop conversations that are headed in the wrong direction.
The Biblical View of Slander
Bishop walks through several scriptures to show how seriously the Bible treats slander.
James 4:11 commands believers not to speak evil of one another. When we speak evil of a brother or sister, we put ourselves in the position of judge.
Exodus 20:16 commands us not to bear false witness against our neighbor. Bishop explains that this is not limited to a courtroom. We must not lie about our neighbor anywhere.
Leviticus 19:16 commands God’s people not to go up and down as talebearers among the people. This describes someone who moves from place to place spreading damaging information.
Proverbs 10:18 says that whoever spreads slander is a fool.
Psalm 101:5 says God will cut off the one who secretly slanders his neighbor.
These scriptures reveal that slander is not a small issue to God. It is a sin that He hates because it destroys people, divides relationships, and reflects the character of the enemy.
Slander in the Church
The sermon also speaks directly to slander in the church.
Church members can slander one another. They can slander leaders. They can slander worship styles. They can slander doctrine. They can slander the balance and vision of the house.
Bishop reminds Philadelphia that the church belongs to the Most High God. It is not built around one person’s preferences, background, denomination, or former church experience. Philadelphia carries a vision of both spirit and truth, and maintaining that balance requires unity.
Some people may come from more conservative backgrounds. Others may come from more charismatic backgrounds. Some may be quieter in worship. Others may be more expressive. The goal is not to force everyone into one personality or church tradition. The goal is to keep the unity of the Spirit and worship the Most High in truth.
Bishop warns that criticizing the balance of the house can become spiritual slander. It can create factions, stir division, and cause people to judge one another over minor differences.
The call is simple:
Do not slander the church.
Do not slander the people.
Do not slander the vision.
Do not create division.
Value unity.
Major on the Majors
A powerful theme in the message is the need to major on the majors.
Bishop reminds the church that no one has perfect doctrine because no one knows God completely without any misunderstanding. We all know in part. Therefore, believers must be careful not to act like they are above correction or superior to everyone else.
This does not mean doctrine does not matter. It means we must distinguish between major truths and minor differences.
The major doctrine at Philadelphia is the gospel of Yahshua Jesus Christ.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The wages of sin is death.
God sent His Son as Savior.
Yahshua Jesus lived the life we could not live.
He died the death we deserved.
He became our sacrifice, substitute, propitiation, and atonement.
Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
That is the foundation.
Other matters must not be allowed to divide what Christ died to redeem.
Slander Is Foolish
Bishop teaches from Proverbs 10:18, which says that whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.
Slander is foolish because it goes against what a person should know. It is foolish because it invites consequences. It is foolish because it reveals the condition of the heart. It is foolish because while a person is busy talking about others, they are often neglecting their own growth, calling, family, work, and spiritual life.
The sermon challenges believers to redirect their energy.
The same energy used to talk about others could be used to build a business, strengthen a marriage, study the Word, grow in ministry, raise children, develop gifts, and serve the Kingdom.
Slander produces nothing but damage.
Slander Can Be Generational
Bishop also makes a powerful observation that slander can be generational.
Some people grew up hearing it in the house. They heard family members talk about other family members. They learned how to listen, repeat, and carry information before they even understood what they were doing.
It may not have been taught directly, but it was caught.
That is why deliverance from slander may require acknowledging patterns that were passed down. It is not a person’s fault if they were raised around it, but it becomes their responsibility not to keep it.
The cycle can stop.
God Will Cut Off Slander
The sermon gives a sobering warning from Psalm 101:5: God says He will cut off the one who secretly slanders his neighbor.
Bishop explains that this cutting off can be understood in serious ways. It may refer to God silencing the slanderer, exposing them, humbling them, or removing them from a place of influence. Either way, no believer should want God to deal with them in that manner.
The warning is not meant to scare us away from God. It is meant to lead us into repentance.
If God hates slander, we should hate it too.
Slander Is Satanic in Nature
Bishop previews that the next part of the series will explain why God hates slander so much. One of the reasons is because slander is satanic in nature.
Satan is the father of lies. He slandered God in heaven. He slandered God in the garden. He accused, distorted, and planted suspicion. When people slander, they are participating in a form of speech that reflects the character of the enemy.
That is why the church must be careful.
Slander is not just social.
Slander is spiritual.
It carries the nature of accusation, division, distortion, and destruction.
A Call to the Altar
The sermon ends by calling people to the altar, but Bishop makes clear that the most important reason to come is not only because of slander. The most important reason is salvation.
At Philadelphia, the greatest doctrine is the gospel.
Yahshua Jesus came to save sinners. He died for our iniquities and transgressions. He became sin who knew no sin so that we might become righteous. He died the just for the unjust. He became our sacrifice and substitute. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
That is the center.
Slander must be repented of, but salvation is the greatest need.
The mouth can be healed.
The heart can be changed.
The pattern can be broken.
The soul can be saved.
Final Reflection
“Slander PT 1 | The Sin of Character Assassination” is a timely word for the church, the family, the community, and the nation.
We live in a time when people can destroy reputations quickly. A rumor can spread in minutes. A partial truth can become a public accusation. A private frustration can become a public attack. A wounded person can become a dangerous voice if the heart is not submitted to God.
But the people of God are called to be different.
We are called to speak truth.
We are called to protect unity.
We are called to restore, not destroy.
We are called to confront directly, not assassinate secretly.
We are called to bless, not curse.
We are called to guard our tongues.
Before we speak, we should ask:
Is this true?
Is this the whole story?
Is this necessary?
Is this loving?
Is this my place to share?
Is this helping or hurting?
Is this building unity or causing division?
God wants to bless His people. Let us not allow our mouths to turn us away from what He is preparing.
Let this be the season where we stop slander at the door, refuse to carry false reports, and allow the Holy Spirit to fix our mouths.
Watch your mouth. Guard your heart. Protect the unity.