Someone whispering gossip in your ear about Sister Smith and her seven pound preemie? Titillating talk about Brother Jones and his "roommate"? Such gossip is just that - gossip, and wrong.
But what is murmuring?
Murmuring is when some who are dissatisfied with the church decide to go about destroying it from within. For the best of reasons, of course. No one ever in history tried to destroy or even "just" harm a church for bad reasons - just ask them! They'll let you know all about their good reasons!
You know who else had good reasons?
Satan.
Yeah, that's right. You didn't think that Satan got one out of every three angels in Heaven to storm the throne of Almighty God with bad reasons, did you?
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| No one storms the throne without already knowing he's persuaded some. |
No. He used what sounded like good reasons. But reasons that he murmured all the same. Because that's how murmurers always work. In private. Slyly. Behind the scenes.
Are they to be found literally whispering? Perhaps. Sometimes. Other times they are simply speaking to you privately. And wouldn't want every little thing repeated, because that would just "cause trouble". How nice of them to be concerned about that.
You know who does not have to be concerned about that? People who aren't murmuring. Who can have what they have to say overheard by everyone, at any time, and in all matters. Because they aren't saying anything that can't be said in the open.
Now, is murmuring simply disagreeing with a policy? No, not at all. Disagreeing with a policy can be appropriate. But how the disagreement manifests itself is a matter of some concern.
Disagreement can be had. Discussion. Even debate. But are all sides agreeing that when it's all said and done, there'll be a vote of the conference or the board or the congregation that settles it once for all, with all sides then moving forward?
If so, then great.
But are there any who have a subtler plan, wherein the congregation or board or conference might be bullied and badgered with the threat of a withdrawal of financial support, or even an out and out schism?
Then that is who you will see going about murmuring. Why? Because they'll want to quietly gather up such support as they can first, and they know that if they do so openly that someone - like me - will name what they are doing.
For you see, splitting a church over anyone's personal opinion is hardly Christ-like. Even if they have "good reasons".
The remnant church - that is, the Seventh-day Adventist Church - is Christ's bride. Do you imagine that He wants His bride bullied or badgered or blackmailed? No. No, He does not.
And yet that is exactly what is being done any time a person tries to counsel you to put some strings on your tithes and offerings. Your bequests. Your donations to Christ's church. And that is exactly what is being done when some want to feel out various members about maybe going to another church - or starting another church - or even just meeting elsewhere, in the hopes that leadership will then seek them out to make a deal for their return.
It's murmuring. It's of Satan. Recognize it. Don't indulge in it - or indulge those who participate in it.
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