Paul's Advice When Slandered

Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do? The Apostle Paul had this problem (Philippians 1:15-18; 2 Timothy 4:14). No wonder God inspired him to write 1 Corinthians 4:1-5.

Paul says we shouldn't trust the opinions of others, nor should we trust our own opinions. But we can trust God's judgments even though some dark secrets and private motives will not be fully revealed until Christ comes again. 

We can apply this wisdom to our lives by:

1. Keeping a clear conscience, not trusting ourselves, but trusting God’s guidance and correction in His Word (2 Timothy 3:16).

2. Resting in God’s approval and comfort when someone falsely accuses us or distorts situations to make us look bad (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

3. Refusing to accept unsubstantiated claims about others (Psalm 17:4). 

Slander hurts us, but let's not let it disable us. We must “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
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