07/03/2026
By Evangelist Peter Gee, the Editor-in-Chief at Christianity News Daily
Some sins begin not with open conflict, but with a whisper or an unfounded accusation. When someone “kicks the ball of sin” by acting without facts, witnesses, due process, or reverence for God, others may follow, lacking self-control, discernment, and love.
Such behavior is the sin of the instigator.
An instigator is someone who disagrees or raises a concern without truth or humility. Scripture allows for correction, discernment, and accountability. However, the instigator of sinful offense initiates trouble without righteousness, spreads suspicion without evidence, fuels division without love, and is detrimental where prayer, patience, and biblical resolution are needed.
In today’s volatile environment, gossip and offense easily influence many Christians. Although the fruit of the Spirit is often discussed, it is rarely practiced during conflict. Galatians 5:22–23 lists these qualities, yet self-control remains a significant shortcoming in the modern church.
Without self-control, anger leads to accusation, suspicion becomes slander, and preference results in partiality. Hurt feelings escalate to hatred, and one person’s instability can divide an entire group. This often leads to unjust hatred, marginalization, and condemnation of fellow believers.
Jesus Himself was hated without cause. In John 15:25, He said, “They hated Me without a cause.” That statement is not only a prophecy fulfilled in Christ; it is also a warning to those who follow Him. The servant is not greater than his master. If the world hated Christ without cause, those who truly belong to Him may also experience hatred without cause.
Those who hate without cause reveal a heart not aligned with God’s love.
First John 4:8 says, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” This does not mean love is sentimental blindness. Biblical love does not excuse sin, hide wickedness, or reject correction. But biblical love never delights in lies, never rejoices in evil, and never destroys the innocent through gossip, prejudice, or false accusation. First Corinthians 13:6 says love “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.”
Christians should ask themselves: Am I rejoicing in truth, or am I inwardly pleased to hear negative things about someone I already dislike?
The Dangerous Beginning: When One Person Causes Offense
Matthew 18 is one of the most sobering chapters in the New Testament because Jesus speaks directly about humility, little ones, offense, sin, restoration, and judgment. The disciples asked, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus called a little child, set him before them, and taught that unless they were converted and became as little children, they would not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Christ, then, issued a terrifying warning: whoever causes one of His little ones who believe in Him to sin would be better off with a millstone hung around his neck and drowned in the depth of the sea. Then He declared, “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”
The warning, “Woe to that man by whom the offense comes,” should prompt every believer to reflect seriously.
Judgment applies not only to sin but also to causing others to sin. Accountability extends beyond personal rebellion to include provoking rebellion in others. Those who plant suspicion, spread falsehood, begin division, or cause others to stumble must answer to God.
In Scripture, offenses are not treated lightly. A stumbling block is not a harmless misunderstanding when it arises from pride, lies, manipulation, hatred, or partiality. Jesus did not say, “Blessed is the one who starts offense and watches others fall.” He said, “Woe.”
Instigators may justify their actions with emotional reasoning, claiming concern or a desire to warn others. Yet God examines the heart. Proverbs 16:2 says, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits.”
Gossip disguised in religious language remains sinful before God. Calling slander “discernment” is still walking in darkness. Claiming to protect the church while causing division is equally wrong.
False Accusation Is Not Discernment
False accusations are one of Satan’s oldest works. Revelation 12:10 calls him “the accuser of our brethren.” The devil’s nature is accusation, deception, and destruction. When believers accuse without truth, they are not imitating Christ. They are imitating the accuser.
Therefore Scripture requires witnesses, order, patience, and careful judgment.
Deuteronomy 19:15 teaches that one witness is not enough to establish a matter. Second Corinthians 13:1 says, “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” First Timothy 5:19 warns not to receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.
The principle is clear: God does not endorse reckless accusations.
To accuse without evidence is not courage. It is sin. To believe accusations without examination is not wisdom. It is foolishness. Proverbs 18:13 says, “He who answers a matter before he hears it is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:17 adds that the first one to plead his cause seems right until his neighbor comes and examines him.
Divisions often arise when people react to only one side of a story, mistaking it for the whole truth. This lack of self-control is dangerous. Immature believers react quickly, but Spirit-led believers pause, pray, examine, and avoid unrighteous judgment.
James 1:19 commands, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” That is not optional advice; it is Christian discipline.
Anyone who spreads an accusation before verifying the truth becomes complicit in the sin. Even if they did not start the issue, they contributed to its spread. This is the sin of judging others by outward appearance, wealth, status, influence, ethnicity, social standing, or preference. It is favoritism, prejudice, classism, and selective honor.
James warns believers not to hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with partiality. Partiality contradicts the gospel.
Why? Because the gospel humbles all men equal before the cross. Just as the poor man needs Christ’s blood, so too does the rich man. The powerful woman needs the same mercy as the unknown woman. The famous preacher needs the same grace as the unnoticed servant. At Calvary, human status dies.
Partiality becomes especially dangerous when accusations arise. If a wealthy, popular, educated, or influential person accuses someone of lower status, partiality often leads people to believe the accuser immediately. If a favored group dislikes someone, partiality allows them to condemn that person before evidence is ever examined.
Such actions are unjust and sinful.
Leviticus 19:15 says, “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. God does not allow reverse partiality or elite partiality. He commands righteous judgment.
Jesus said in John 7:24, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Partiality treats people as tools. It measures worth by usefulness. It says, “This person matters because they can benefit me.” It says, “That person does not matter because they have no influence.” It creates cliques, inner circles, prejudice, classism, and spiritual coldness.
When partiality enters the church, genuine love declines.
A church controlled by partiality will protect the favored and punish the innocent. It will platform the charming and neglect the humble. It will listen to the loud and ignore the wounded. It will excuse the instigator and blame the victim.
But God is not partial. Romans 2:11 says, “For there is no partiality with God.”
Gossip: The Fuel of Division
If a false accusation ignites conflict, gossip sustains and intensifies it.
Proverbs 16:28 says, “A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.” This verse reveals the destructive power of the whisperer. The whisperer does not always shout. He does not always post publicly. He quietly poisons relationships. He plants seeds. He suggests. He hints. He says enough to damage trust but not enough to be held accountable.
Proverbs 26:20 says, “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.”
Some conflicts persist because people keep fueling them with their words. Divisions endure when conversations persist, and wounds remain open when stories are repeatedly shared.
A spirit-filled believer must discern when to end a conversation.
Ephesians 4:29 commands believers to let no corrupt word proceed out of their mouths, but only what is beneficial for necessary edification. Colossians 4:6 says speech should be with grace, seasoned with salt. Psalm 141:3 says, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Believers must not let their words become instruments of harm.
Before repeating a matter, the believer should ask, “Is it true?” Is it necessary? Is it righteous? Is it my place to say? Have I verified it? Am I helping restoration, or am I feeding division?
Proverbs 17:9 says, “He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends.” This does not mean covering abuse, crime, corruption, or serious sin that must be addressed. It means love does not delight in spreading shame. Love seeks righteous resolution, not public destruction.
Divisions Are Works of the Flesh
The Bible does not treat division as a small personality problem. It places sinful division among the works of the flesh.
Galatians 5 contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. Among the works of the flesh are “hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, and heresies. “These are not minor issues. They are fleshly works that oppose the Spirit.
Then Paul presents the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Where there is no self-control, there will soon be division. Where there is no love, there will soon be partiality. Where there is no longsuffering, there will soon be offense. Where there is no gentleness, correction becomes cruelty. Where there is no goodness, people begin to enjoy the downfall of others.
Romans 16:17 gives a direct warning: “Note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” Titus 3:10 says, “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition.”
This is serious. Scripture instructs the church to warn divisive individuals and, if they refuse correction, to avoid them. One divisive person can affect an entire group. One unstable believer can become a tool Satan uses to weaken unity, distract the church, harm the innocent, and hinder the work of the gospel.
God is honored by unity grounded in truth. Division, confusion, suspicion, and pride undermine unity.
Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” In John 17, Jesus prayed His people would be one. Ephesians 4:3 commands believers to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Unity is not me. Unity is not mere agreement or silence about sin. True unity is spirit-led loyalty to Christ, truth, holiness, love, and one another—correction versus sinful instigation.
It is important to make a biblical distinction. Sinfulness is not a characteristic of every confrontation. Not every separation is wrong. Some accusations are true. Not every rebuke is hatred.
The Bible commands believers to correct sin.
Matthew 18 provides a process for dealing with a brother who sins. Galatians 6:1 says that if a man is overtaken in a trespass, those who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness, considering himself lest he also be tempted—Second Timothy 4:2 commands ministers to convince, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. First Timothy 5:20 says those who sin should be rebuked publicly so that the rest may fear.
Righteous correction has distinct marks.
It is truthful. It is not based on rumors. It follows biblical order. It seeks restoration where possible. It is humble. It is reluctant, not eager. Humiliation is not something it enjoys. It does not create secret factions. It does not weaponize partiality. It refrains from condemning without evidence. It does not stir up hatred.
Sinful instigation is different.
It is driven by pride, jealousy, suspicion, personal offense, selfish ambition, insecurity, or hidden hatred. It often avoids proper process because the goal is not truth but influence. It gathers allies before seeking resolution. It spreads concern as gossip. It frames personal dislike as spiritual discernment. A court of public opinion is created, but the accused is not allowed to answer.
Such behavior is unacceptable.
Proverbs 6:16–19 lists things the Lord hates, including “a lying tongue,” “a false witness who speaks lies,” and “one who sows discord among brethren.” That should put an end to it. God hates the sowing of discord.
An instigator may appear influential for a time, but God sees and judges their actions.
Hated Without a Cause
Jesus being hated without cause reveals the darkness of the human heart. The Pharisees watched Him heal, teach, forgive, deliver, and reveal the Father. Yet they hated Him. Why? Because His righteousness exposed their hypocrisy. His humility exposed their pride. His truth exposed their traditions. His authority exposed their insecurity.
Those who follow Christ should not be surprised when they are hated without cause.
Matthew 5:11–12 says believers are blessed when people revile and persecute them and say all kinds of evil against them falsely for Christ’s sake. First Peter 4:14 says if believers are reproached for the name of Christ, they are blessed. Second Timothy 3:12 says all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
There is particular sorrow when unjust hatred comes from those who profess faith.
Psalm 35:19 says, “Do not let those who wrongfully oppose me rejoice; do not let those who hate me without cause wink.” Psalm 69:4 says those who hate without cause are more than the hairs of the head. These scriptures reveal that false hatred is not new. God’s people have long suffered at the hands of unjust enemies.
However, Christians must not respond in the same Spirit.
Romans 12:17–21 commands believers not to repay evil with evil but to overcome evil with good. Jesus said to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute us.
This response is not weakness, but true spiritual strength.
Self-control is not silence because of fear. Self-control is power under the rule of the Holy Spirit. It is the ability to refuse sinful reactions even when wronged. It is the ability to tell the truth without hatred, confront sin without pride, and endure false accusation without becoming false in return.
Self-Control: The Forgotten Fruit in a Reactionary Age
We live in a reactionary age. People react before praying, post before verifying, accuse before examining, and divide before reconciling. Many assume strong emotion equals truth.
But the Christian is not called to be ruled by emotion. The Christian is called to be led by the Spirit.
Proverbs 25:28 says, “Whoever has no rule over his spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” A believer in self-control has no walls. Anything can enter. Anger enters. Suspicion enters. Pride enters. Satanic suggestion enters. Gossip enters. Offense enters.
Second Timothy 1:7 says God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. A sound mind is not easily manipulated. A sound mind does not join a mob. A sound mind does not confuse accusation with proof. A sound mind does not mistake partiality for loyalty.
Self-control safeguards the church community.
It slows the tongue, disciplines emotions, refuses exaggeration, waits for truth, seeks peace, confronts properly, and does not allow Satan to turn pain into poison.
James 3 warns that the tongue is a fire. It can defile the whole body and set on fire the course of nature. Many churches have survived external persecution but have been damaged by internal tongues. Many ministries have endured financial pressure but were wounded by whisperers. Many believers have survived worldly attacks but were crushed by false brethren.
The fruit of the Spirit is not optional; it is essential for the church’s well-being.
The Proper Biblical Protocol
When offense or accusation arises, Scripture gives the church a better way.
First, examine yourself. Jesus warned against focusing on the speck in a brother’s eye while ignoring the plank in your own. Self-examination protects us from hypocrisy.
Second, seek truth, not victory. Proverbs 18:17 reminds us that one side may sound right until the other is heard. A Christian must not be eager to condemn.
Third, go directly when appropriate. Matthew 18 teaches private confrontation before escalation. Many divisions would die immediately if believers obeyed this one command.
Fourth, involve witnesses when necessary. Serious matters require confirmation, not gossip.
Fifth, seek restoration where possible. Galatians 6:1 calls the spiritual to restore with gentleness.
Sixth, rebuke persistent divisiveness. Titus 3:10 and Romans 16:17 show that divisive people must not be allowed to keep destroying the body.
Seventh, refuse partiality. James 2 and Leviticus 19:15 demand righteous judgment.
Eighth, guard the tongue. Ephesians 4:29 and Proverbs 26:20 teach that corrupt speech fuels strife.
Finally, walk in love. Colossians 3:14 says, “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
The church should rely on biblical obedience rather than worldly methods of conflict resolution.
When Satan Uses an Unstable Believer
Not every person who causes division realizes the full spiritual damage they are doing. Sometimes an unstable believer becomes a vehicle for Satan’s purpose without recognizing it. Peter loved Jesus, yet when he resisted the way of the cross, Jesus said, “Get behind Me, Satan!” The issue was not that Peter was literally Satan, but that his thinking had become aligned with Satan’s opposition to God’s will.
Likewise, when a believer spreads accusation, partiality, or division, Satan can use that person’s lack of self-control to harm the body.
Second Corinthians 2:11 says believers should not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. One of his devices is division. Another is accusation. Another is offense. Another is pride disguised as righteousness.
The devil knows that a divided church becomes weaker in witness. A divided ministry loses focus. A divided family loses peace. A divided community loses trust.
That is why Ephesians 4:27 says, “nor allow place to the devil.” Offense provides him a place. Gossip gives him a place. Partiality gives him a place. Unforgiveness provides him a place. False accusations provide him a place.
Do not allow him any opportunities.
The Heart of Christ Toward the Innocent and the Wounded
Jesus is deeply concerned about His little ones. Matthew 18 shows His protective love. He does not treat the vulnerable as disposable. He does not approve of spiritual bullying. He does not ignore those crushed by false judgments.
The church must regain a healthy fear of harming Christ’s little ones.
Some believers are gentle, humble, quiet, childlike, and sincere. They may not know how to defend themselves against organized gossip or partial treatment. They may be easily wounded by accusations that stronger personalities casually spread. But Christ sees them.
To receive such a one in Christ’s name is to receive Christ himself. To cause such a one to stumble is a dreadful offense.
This perspective should shape how Christians communicate with one another.
Before you repeat a claim, remember that the person you are discussing may be precious to Christ. Before excluding someone based on rumors, remember that Christ died for that soul. Before joining a group against someone, remember that God will judge every idle word.
Matthew 12:36 warns that men will render an account for every idle word they speak.
This accountability also applies to religious gossip.
Love Does Not Mean Blindness, and Truth Does Not Mean Cruelty
A mature Christian must hold love and truth together.
Love without truth leads to compromise. Truth without love leads to cruelty. Christ came full of grace and truth.
If someone has sinned, the goal should be righteousness and restoration, not entertainment and destruction. If someone is dangerous, the church must protect the flock. If someone is falsely accused, the church must protect the innocent. If someone is divisive, the church must warn and avoid them.
In all matters, the church must act under the authority of Christ.
Micah 6:8 says the Lord requires us to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Justice without mercy becomes harsh. Mercy without justice becomes disorder. Both must walk with humility.
The Call to Repentance
The instigator must repent.
The gossip must repent.
The partial person must repent.
The divisive person must repent.
The one who believed lies without examination must repent.
The one who hated without cause must repent.
The one who lacked self-control and became a tool of offense must repent.
Repentance is not merely saying, “I am sorry.” It is turning from sin. It may require confession, correcting false reports, public clarification if the damage was public, seeking forgiveness from the person harmed, or stepping back from influence until the heart is healed.
Matthew 5:23–24 teaches that if a brother has something against you, reconciliation matters. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Do what is within your control.
You cannot force everyone to repent. You cannot make everyone tell the truth. You cannot stop every accusation. But you can refuse to become what hurt you. You can walk in truth. You can guard your tongue. You can reject partiality. You can practice self-control. You can bless those who curse you. You can leave vengeance to God.
Romans 12:19 says, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” says the Lord.
Conclusion: Avoid Initiating Sinful Actions
The world is already filled with offense. The church must not become another place for accusation, gossip, partiality, or division. God’s people are called to be different.
Do not be the person by whom offense comes.
Do not start wrongdoing and then claim innocence because others continued it.
Do not be detrimental and then blame the consequences.
Do not call hatred discernment.
Do not call partiality loyalty.
Do not call gossip a concern.
Do not call division truth.
Christ calls His people to humility like little children, love without hypocrisy, truth without cruelty, correction without pride, and self-control under the Holy Spirit.
This is not the time for careless Christianity. The church’s witness is vital. Both people and God observe our actions.
Let the church return to the fear of God.
Let believers stop accusing without facts.
Let the Spirit govern the tongue.
Let partiality be cast out.
Let divisive people be warned.
Let the wounded be protected.
Let the truth be established.
Let love reign.
And let every follower of Christ remember the words of the Lord Jesus: “Woe to the world because of offenses… but woe to that man by whom the offense comes.”
May we never be that man.
May we be peacemakers, truth bearers, mercy walkers, and Spirit-filled children of God.
For “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
