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Thank God for THE False Accusation
“Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16 ESV).
Have you ever falsely accused somebody of something and later discovered that your accusation was false? Perhaps you accused your spouse of eating the last slice of pie only later to find out that it was one of the kids? I think we all have both made and received false accusations. It is part of the human condition.
Rarely do we give thanks for false accusations. The more serious the false accusation, the deeper the real cut. However, Christianity would very likely not exist today if not for the greatest false accusation of all time. Jesus was falsely accused of blasphemy by the Pharisees. This is unprecedented because He was the only one to ever walk on this earth and live a sinless life. Some of His “crimes” in Jerusalem immediately prior to Passover included healing on the
Sabbath, turning over the tables of the money changers that had turned the temple into a den of thieves. He also stopped the stoning of a woman accused of adultery by challenging those without sin to cast the first stone.
As is often the case, false accusations speak much, much more loudly about the character of the accuser than the one being accused. So, what is the cause of false accusations? They are clearly intended to separate the Body of Christ and the accuser is being used as a vessel of the enemy. God allows us free will but will fight and rescues those that seek His face. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10). God uses our suffering and adversity to prepare us for a closer relationship with Him and a more meaningful ministry to others.
Without these false accusations against Jesus, the subsequent crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and forgiveness of our sins would not be possible. The false accusation was imperative to initiate this important series of events upon which we base our faith. This is not intended to encourage you to falsely accuse your neighbor. A false accusation is perhaps the highest backhanded compliment that you can receive from the enemy. It means that he knows you have a glorious future of leading others to Christ and he wants to destroy you by the words of others or even better by suicide. I always enjoy a good challenge and have been told at various points in my life – you cannot achieve this or that. My determination is always strengthened and I make it a mission to achieve it faster and better than before.
Without these false accusations against Jesus, the subsequent crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and forgiveness of our sins would not be possible. The false accusation was imperative to initiate this important series of events upon which we base our faith. This is not intended to encourage you to falsely accuse your neighbor. A false accusation is perhaps the highest backhanded compliment that you can receive from the enemy. It means that he knows you have a glorious future of leading others to Christ and he wants to destroy you by the words of others or even better by suicide. I always enjoy a good challenge and have been told at various points in my life – you cannot achieve this or that. My determination is always strengthened and I make it a mission to achieve it faster and better than before.
Prayer: Dear God, Forgive us our sin of falsely accusing our brothers and sisters and help us to forgive those that falsely accuse us. We know that You are with us when we are falsely accused because You were falsely accused. May we view each false accusation that we receive as an invitation to respond in love and grace. Amen.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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