Berean Studies / Ber08 - Evil speaking and Evil Surmising

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Single Click a triangle below to see the references CT Russell selected for the associated question. The study questions (with the references) are also included as an attached Adobe PDF file at the bottom of this page.

1. What is evil speaking?

2. How prevalent is this fault among even those who profess to be Christians?

3. What is the power of the tongue?

4. What is meant by a ‘tongue set on fire of gehenna’?

5. What are the baneful influences of evil speaking, and what are some of the excuses and subterfuges offered by the fallen ...

6. What is evil surmising and what is its relation to evil speaking?

7. What are ‘secret faults,’ and of what two kinds are they?

8. Is an evil suggestion a sin, and how does it become a secret fault?

9. What is a ‘presumptuous sin,’ and when does a secret fault become a presumptuous sin?

10. What is the ‘great transgression’ to which these sins lead?

11. How may we purify and keep our hearts pure from these sins?

12. How is the Lord judging us?

13. Why should we render to God a daily account of any ‘idle’ (pernicious) words?

14. How are words the index of our hearts?

15. What does purity of heart signify?

16. What is the importance of a pure heart?

17. How may purity of heart be attained?

18. How do we know our motive is pure, since ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’?

19. What is the relation between our conscience and purity of heart?

20. Might telling the truth be evil speaking?

21. Is it always necessary to tell all we know about every affair?

22. Is an uncomplimentary remark evil speaking?

R3030 col. 1 ¶3 - Since love works blessings to the neighbor and seeks his welfare, it follows as a matter of course that "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor." Will we not, as the Lord's consecrated people, seek to put this lesson into practice in our daily lives? Will we not learn to consider the words of our mouths, and to remember that we can smite and injure a brother or a neighbor with the tongue as truly and more seriously than with our hands? Will we not learn that in even mentioning anything uncomplimentary respecting a brother or a neighbor, we are surely working him ill, doing him an injury,--injuring his reputation and standing--however true the uncomplimentary thing may be; and that in so doing we are violating the law of God, the law of love? Will we not learn that the only instance in which we would have a right to mention an uncomplimentary thing would be in the event of our seeing a brother or a neighbor in danger of injury by another and thus out of love for him be called upon to warn him of the source of danger?

F406 ¶1 - But if to tell uncomplimentary truth is to violate the Law of Love and the Golden Rule, what shall we say of the still more disreputable, still more unlovely, still more criminal habit so common, not only amongst the worldly and nominally Christian, but also among true Christians--that of telling about others disreputable things not positively known to be the truth. Oh shame! shame! that any of the Lord's people should so overlook the Lord's instruction, "speak evil of no man"; and that any but the merest babes and novices in the Law of Love should so misunderstand its message--that any without the most indubitable proofs at the mouth of two or three witnesses, and then reluctantly, should even believe evil of a brother or a neighbor, much less to repeat it--to slander him upon suspicion or hearsay evidence!

23. Would it be evil speaking to criticize doctrines publicly uttered?

24. What is a slanderer?

25. What is ‘false witness,’ and is it possible to bear false witness without uttering a word?

26. How should we deal with a brother or sister who begins to relate an evil report?

27. How should we deal with persons of the world who do evil speaking?

28. Is evil speaking against a brother in Christ more culpable than against one of the world?

29. In order to avoid gossip, slander and evil speaking, what is the only proper and Scriptural way of redress for grievanc...

30. How should we deal in a matter of evil speaking against an Elder?

31. Why is ‘a bridled tongue’ a chief essential in an Elder?

32. How may we ask advice and not do evil speaking?

33. What is the relation between ‘busy- bodying’ and evil speaking?

34. How should the Golden Rule help us to overcome evil speaking and evil surmising?

35. What is the sole exception to this rule, ‘Speak evil of no man’?

36. What inspiration should we receive from Jesus’ example?

37. How can we overcome evil surmisings and evil speaking?

38. What additional thoughts are found in index of Heavenly Manna under ‘Evil’?

39. What special experiences and practices have helped you to overcome evil surmisings to some extent?

40. As we realize how insidious this foe of the ‘new creature,’ what should be our daily prayer?

Psalms 19:12-14 - Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. (13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.