A Biblical and First Church Perspective on Public Rebuke, Name-Calling, and Gossip in the Modern Church

1. Biblical Protocol for Confrontation: Matthew 18:15-17

Jesus provided a clear process for addressing sin or issues between believers:

• First, go to the person privately (Matthew 18:15).
• If they do not listen, bring one or two others as witnesses (Matthew 18:16).
• Only if they refuse correction should the matter be brought before the larger body (Matthew 18:17).

This process prioritizes relationship, dialogue, and reconciliation. Publicly calling out someone without first speaking to them privately directly contradicts Christ’s instructions.

2. Paul’s Approach: Correction with Love, Not Public Shaming

The Apostle Paul corrected false teachings and sin in the church, but he did so with the heart of a father, not as a public accuser. Even when he named individuals (e.g., Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1 Timothy 1:20), it was done to protect the church, not to engage in gossip or reviling.

Paul warned against “biting and devouring one another” (Galatians 5:15) and called for correction to be handled in a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1). He instructed Timothy to correct “with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2), not through public spectacle or character assassination.

3. The Sin of Name-Calling and False Accusations

The modern trend of labeling individuals as “Jezebels,” “church hoppers,” “unsubmitted,” or “false teachers” without direct engagement mirrors the Pharisees, whom Jesus rebuked for judging by appearances and lacking mercy (John 7:24, Matthew 23:23-24).

• Jesus never publicly shamed individuals without first offering them private dialogue.
• Accusing without relationship is slander, which the Bible condemns. Proverbs 10:18 says, “Whoever spreads slander is a fool.”
• Revelation 12:10 calls Satan “the accuser of the brethren,” meaning public shaming and false accusations resemble the devil’s work, not Christ’s.

4. Gossip and Reviling: A Sign of Spiritual Immaturity

Many modern critics, including some cessationists, use YouTube, TV, and social media to attack individuals and movements, especially charismatic or prosperity teachers. However, the Bible warns against such behavior:

• 1 Timothy 5:13 warns against being “busybodies” who talk about things they should not.
• 1 Corinthians 5:11 says to avoid those who practice “reviling,” equating it with idolatry and greed.
• Romans 14:4 reminds us, “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master, he stands or falls.”

5. True Biblical Discernment vs. Public Attacks

While testing teachings is biblical (1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11), doing so without personal relationship or first-hand knowledge turns into malicious gossip, reviling, and self-righteousness. The Bereans tested doctrine but did not attack individuals (Acts 17:11).

6. First Church Example: No Divisive, Sectarian Warfare

The early church in Acts did not waste time publicly bashing others but focused on preaching the gospel, loving one another, and demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:42-47). Paul rebuked division (1 Corinthians 1:10-13) and warned against teachers who stir up controversy rather than godly edification (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

Conclusion: Returning to the Biblical Standard

1. Public rebuke without private conversation is unbiblical.
2. Name-calling and labeling without personal dialogue is slanderous and Pharisaical.
3. Gossip, reviling, and divisive accusations are condemned in Scripture.
4. Correction should be done in a spirit of humility and love, not through online attacks.

Jesus calls His followers to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), slow to speak (James 1:19), and marked by love (John 13:35). The modern church must return to biblical correction methods rather than embracing public humiliation and sectarian warfare.

Biblical Perspective on Unauthorized Spiritual Control, Name-Calling, and Divination in the Modern Church

What you’re describing—churches assuming authority over visitors, labeling individuals without relationship, and engaging in presumptive spiritual readings or “scans”—is not just unbiblical but also a distorted, authoritarian version of leadership that contradicts the First Church and Christ’s example

1. Jesus’ Model: No Forced Submission, No Uninvited Authority

Jesus never forced anyone to submit to His leadership. He called people into relationship, not into hierarchical control.

• John 10:3-4 – “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.”

  • Jesus calls by relationship, not by forced dominance.
  • There is no forced submission, no silent domination.

• Luke 9:49-50 – When John told Jesus that they saw someone casting out demons in His name and tried to stop him, Jesus replied, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

  • Jesus did not claim control over everyone who operated in ministry.
  • He rebuked exclusivity and tribalism.

These Levitical Patriarchal networks that claim visitors or outsiders as “under” their authority without conversation resemble Pharisaic control, not the First Church.

2. Unbiblical Name-Calling: The Sin of False Accusation

Many of these groups name-call visitors without knowing them personally—labeling them Jezebels, church hoppers, or rebellious without any dialogue.

What the Bible Says About This:

• Matthew 5:22 – “Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hellfire.”

  • Unrighteous labeling and name-calling are condemned.

• James 4:11-12 – “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks evil against the law and judges the law.”

  • Condemning someone without relationship is false judgment.

• 1 Timothy 5:19 – “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

  • Biblical correction requires proof, not mere presumption.

When churches label visitors and ministers without knowing them, they act as false accusers, which aligns more with Satan (Revelation 12:10) than with Christ.

3. Presumptive “Divining” and Spiritual Scanning: Witchcraft in the Church

A disturbing practice you mention is “reading people in the spirit” to determine if they are an enemy or friend without speaking to them first.

The Bible Calls This a Form of Divination

• Leviticus 19:31 – “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them.”

  • Divination = unauthorized spiritual insight apart from God’s leading.

• Ezekiel 13:6-7 – “They see false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them.”

  • This describes people who claim to ‘see in the spirit’ but operate in deception.

Jesus discerned spirits through relationship, not through cold, impersonal “spiritual scanning.”

Example: The Woman at the Well (John 4)

• Jesus did not “scan” the woman and declare her sinful.
• He engaged in conversation and let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth through relationship.

These modern-day scanning and divining practices more closely resemble occultic reading practices than biblical discernment.

4. Racism, Colonialism, and White Religious Control

Your observations about racial dynamics in these movements also reflect historical patterns of spiritual abuse.

Pharisaic Religious Control vs. Biblical Freedom

• Matthew 23:4 – “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.”

  • Religious elites use control rather than relationship to dominate people.

• Acts 15:10 – “Now, therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

  • Peter rebuked the attempt to impose religious hierarchy where God had given freedom.

Colonial Levitical Patriarchism & Matriarchism = Pharisaic, Hierarchical Control

• Acts 10:34 – “God shows no partiality.”
• Revelation 7:9 – The true Church is “every nation, tribe, people, and language.”
• Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

True Biblical Leadership Does Not Control People Uninvited

• 1 Peter 5:2-3 – “Shepherd the flock of God… not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
  • Biblical leadership does not assume authority over visitors or outsiders.

When churches treat visitors as their property without invitation, they are practicing a colonial, Pharisaic version of control—not biblical leadership.

5. Conclusion: A Call for Biblical Leadership and Accountability

What you describe is a nationwide issue in certain charismatic networks that operate with unbiblical authority, name-calling, racial overreach, and spiritual scanning.

What the Bible Would Say About This Type of Church Culture:

1. False Authority – Assuming authority over strangers contradicts biblical leadership (1 Peter 5:2-3).
2. False Judgment – Labeling people without conversation is condemned by Jesus (Matthew 5:22, James 4:11-12).
3. Divination – “Reading people” apart from relationship resembles occult practices (Ezekiel 13:6-7).
4. Sectarianism – Claiming control over the Body of Christ contradicts Jesus’ teaching (Luke 9:49-50).
5. Pharisee Spirit – This behavior mirrors the religious control Jesus rebuked (Matthew 23:4).
6. Colonial Control – The First Church was multi-ethnic and did not impose racial dominance (Galatians 3:28).

Final Word: What Should Be Done?

• Reject Unbiblical Control: Do not submit to churches that assume control over you without relationship.
• Expose False Practices: Call out unbiblical scanning, labeling, and racial dominance.
• Promote True Biblical Leadership: Leaders must serve, not control, and must lead by invitation, not coercion.

Jesus’ leadership was based on relationship, love, and freedom—not forced submission, false judgment, or occultic discernment. The modern church must return to His example rather than replicating Pharisaic control and colonial-era religious domination.

This type of behavior—where pastors claim ownership over people who visit their church, label them as “church hoppers” or “unsubmitted,” and engage in reputation-damaging accusations—raises serious concerns when compared to biblical teachings. Let’s break this down from a First Church, Jesus Christ, and Apostle Paul perspective.

1. Church Ownership vs. Jesus’ Headship

• The Bible never supports the idea that a pastor owns church members. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18).
• Leaders are to shepherd, not dominate (1 Peter 5:2-3):
  “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.”
• Paul planted churches across regions and never said people had to stay in one assembly under a specific leader. Instead, he encouraged unity in the faith (Ephesians 4:3-6).

2. Church Hopping Accusation: Legalism vs. Freedom in Christ

• The term “church hopper” is not in the Bible. It reflects a Levitical control-based system, not the New Covenant freedom Christ brings.
• Jesus and Paul both traveled to different places to teach, learn, and minister. So did the first believers (Acts 2:46, Acts 8:4).
• Acts 18:24-28 speaks of Apollos moving from one group to another to minister. No one called him a church hopper.

3. False Accusations & Legalism (Pharisaic Control)

• Accusing someone falsely is a serious sin (Exodus 20:16, Proverbs 6:16-19).
• The Pharisees accused Jesus and His disciples because they didn’t fit into their man-made systems (Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 7:6-9).
• Paul warns against legalism and man-made rules in Colossians 2:20-22:
  “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances… after the commandments and doctrines of men?”
• Controlling church structures are not Christ’s way.

4. Gossip, Spying & Spirit of Fear

• The idea that a pastor “spies” on members at another church and reports it is spiritual paranoia and resembles Saul’s jealous spirit against David (1 Samuel 18:6-9).
• Proverbs 11:13 condemns tale-bearing:
  “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”
• Leaders should operate in love, not control or fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

5. New Testament Model: Apostolic Leadership vs. Levitical Patriarchy

• The First Church had no “territorial ownership” over people.
• Apostles traveled and built relationships; they didn’t demand submission through intimidation.
• The shepherding movement’s “covering doctrine” (control over people) contradicts Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 11:3, which places Christ as the head of every person, not a pastor or prophet.

Conclusion: Biblical Freedom, Not Spiritual Control

• The Levitical Patriarchy-Matriarchy model you describe reflects religious legalism, ownership mentality, and fear-driven control, which does not align with New Testament teachings.
• Jesus’ leadership is relational, not authoritarian.
• Paul rebuked legalism, gossip, and false authority in multiple letters.

If a church structure operates through fear, accusation, and ownership, it contradicts Christ’s model of servant leadership (Mark 10:42-45). Jesus’ way is based on freedom, not forced submission.

Biblical Response to “Witch Lists” in Churches

The practice of keeping a “witch list”—where certain individuals are labeled as witches or enemies of the faith—raises serious biblical and ethical concerns. Let’s analyze this from a biblical perspective and compare it to the actions of Jesus, the early Church, and Paul.

1. The Bible’s View on False Accusations & Gossip

• God hates false accusations and bearing false witness (Proverbs 6:16-19).
• Exodus 23:1 warns, “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.”
• James 4:11-12 condemns judging others unfairly:
  “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law… who art thou that judgest another?”
• Keeping a secret list of “witches” without evidence goes against the biblical command to judge righteously (John 7:24).

2. The First Church: No Secret Accusations, Only Open Confrontation

• Jesus never kept lists of people He saw as enemies. Instead, He openly rebuked sin and false teaching when necessary (Matthew 23).
• In the New Testament, leaders confronted issues directly (Matthew 18:15-17, Galatians 6:1).
• The Apostles never created hidden “blacklists.” Even when Paul warned about false teachers (2 Timothy 2:16-18), he did so openly with clear reasons—not secret accusations.

3. The Salem Witch Trial Effect: Spectral Evidence & Divination

• Many modern charismatic movements use “inner reading” or “discernment” to label people as witches without factual evidence.
• This mirrors the Salem Witch Trials, where people were condemned based on speculation, paranoia, and personal bias—not actual deeds.
• The Bible warns against divination and secret spiritual spying (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
• Jesus did not assume evil in people without interaction. He dined with sinners (Luke 19:5-7) and let their fruit prove their faith (Matthew 7:15-20).

4. What Paul Would Say About “Witch Lists”

• Paul rebuked legalistic and fear-based practices that controlled people’s faith (Galatians 3:1-3).
• He warned against “works of the flesh” such as strife, heresies, and envy (Galatians 5:19-21).
• The real enemy is Satan, not falsely accused believers (Ephesians 6:12).

5. The Root of the Issue: Control & Fear-Based Authority

• Witch lists are often tools of spiritual abuse, manipulation, and authoritarian control.
• They create a fear-based culture where dissenters or independent thinkers are punished.
• True biblical leadership operates in love, accountability, and grace—not paranoia and suspicion.

Conclusion: Unbiblical & Dangerous

• Keeping “witch lists” is nowhere in the Bible and resembles Pharisaic legalism, Salem witch trial mentality, and false accusations.
• Jesus, Paul, and the First Church never endorsed secret blacklisting.
• The real test of a believer is their fruit—not rumors, personal opinions, or subjective discernment.

NOTE PLEASE

Chat GPT said OF IT’S OWN VOLITION :

This topic deserves exposure.

The Salem Witch Trials and the Puritan heritage in America can be traced back to European witch hunts, particularly influenced by the book Malleus Maleficarum (“The Hammer of Witches”), written by the German Catholic monk Heinrich Kramer in 1487. This book fueled hysteria and led to the persecution of alleged witches, reinforcing the idea that witchcraft was a crime punishable by death.

When the Puritans came to America, they brought with them a rigid legal and religious system, heavily influenced by European Protestantism and its fear of heresy and the occult. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a direct result of this mindset, where accusations of witchcraft were based on spectral evidence (visions, dreams, and subjective experiences). This closely mirrors modern charismatic movements that label individuals as witches or Jezebels without scriptural due process.

Biblically, such practices contradict both Old and New Testament teachings. Jesus himself refused to engage in mob justice or condemnation without clear evidence (John 8:1-11). The Apostle Paul instructed believers to restore those in error with gentleness (Galatians 6:1) and warned against accusations without witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19).

The practice of keeping “witch lists” in modern charismatic circles echoes the paranoia of the Salem Witch Trials, as well as the Pharisaic legalism that Jesus condemned (Matthew 23:4-7). Would you like to include historical examples of how this mentality resurfaced throughout church history?

The practice of “far-off reading” through a so-called “seer gift,” where individuals claim spiritual insight into others without knowing them personally, and then accuse them of being false, Jezebels, or witches, closely resembles unscriptural, occultic, and psychic practices rather than anything biblical.

Biblical Comparison:

1. False Judgment Without Evidence

   • Jesus and Paul emphasized justice, fairness, and due process.
   • Matthew 18:15-16: Jesus commands private confrontation before public rebuke.
   • 1 Timothy 5:19: Paul instructs not to receive an accusation against an elder except with two or three witnesses.
   • Deuteronomy 19:15: No one should be condemned based on a single person’s testimony.

   → The modern “seer reading” accusations often come without evidence or personal relationship, violating biblical principles of justice.

2. The Occult, Divination, and False Prophecy

   • Deuteronomy 18:10-12: God condemns divination, soothsaying, and consulting spirits.
   • Ezekiel 13:6-7: False prophets speak “visions of their own minds” and claim God sent them when He did not.
   • Acts 16:16-18: Paul rebukes a girl with a “spirit of divination” rather than affirming it as a prophetic gift.

   → Using “seer gifts” to scan others and determine whether they are friend or foe aligns more with occult psychic practices than with biblical prophecy.

3. Modern Phariseeism & False Religion

   • Luke 11:39-44: Jesus condemns the Pharisees for judging outwardly but being corrupt inwardly.
   • Colossians 2:18: Paul warns about people who take pride in “visions” and impose false humility and rules not from Christ.

   → The act of labeling people as witches, Jezebels, or troublemakers without personal engagement is similar to the legalistic religious oppression Jesus fought against.

Is This False Religion or Occultism?

• False Religion: Yes, because it adds unbiblical rules, judges unfairly, and controls people through fear.
• Occultism: Yes, if it involves divination (trying to read people’s spirits without relationship).
• Psychic Practices: Yes, if it resembles fortune-telling rather than the biblical prophetic gift, which is meant to encourage and build up (1 Corinthians 14:3).

First Church vs. Modern Accusation Practices

First Church Approach (Paul, Jesus, Early Church):
✔ Correction through relationship (Galatians 6:1)
✔ Due process before public rebuke (Matthew 18:15-16)
✔ Prophecy as encouragement, not accusation (1 Corinthians 14:3)
✔ Discernment, not divination (1 John 4:1)

Modern “Seer Scanning” and Witch-Jezebel Labeling:
❌ No relationship, just accusations
❌ No due process, just assumption
❌ Public shaming without discussion
❌ Similar to divination, not biblical discernment

Conclusion:

The Bible does not support scanning people spiritually from afar and labeling them as witches, Jezebels, or troublemakers. This behavior aligns more with occult, psychic, and false religious traditions than with the teachings of Jesus or the First Church. Paul and Jesus emphasized truth, fairness, and relationship-based discernment rather than speculative accusations.

PART 4 (A bit of a repeat of the First Part

Chat GPT AI asks:

Would you like a historical comparison with other religious movements that have done similar things?

Historical Comparison: False Accusations, Seer Scanning, and Witch-Hunting

1. Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693, Puritan New England)

• The Puritans, influenced by European witch-hunting traditions, conducted trials in Salem, Massachusetts, where people (mostly women) were accused of witchcraft based on spectral evidence (visions and impressions claimed by seers).
• People accused others without evidence, using “inner readings” and dreams, much like how some modern church groups “discern” witches or Jezebels without conversation.
• The Bible was misused to justify false accusations, leading to mass hysteria and the execution of 20 people.
• Biblical Rebuttal: Exodus 23:1 warns against spreading false reports, and Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5 condemns unjust judgment.

Parallels to Modern Church Accusations:

• Labeling people as Jezebels or witches without evidence mirrors the Salem trials’ use of baseless accusations.
• Fear-based leadership, rather than Jesus’ model of love and discernment.
• False spiritual “sight” used to control people, just as Puritan “spectral evidence” was used.

2. The Malleus Maleficarum (“Hammer of Witches,” 1487) – German Monk Heinrich Kramer

• A Catholic inquisitor, Heinrich Kramer, wrote this book as a manual for detecting and punishing witches.
• It promoted the idea that witches (especially women) were inherently deceptive, working with Satan, and should be exterminated.
• Accusations were often based on suspicion, social bias, or misfortunes like illness or crop failure.
• Biblical Rebuttal: Romans 12:19 states vengeance belongs to God, not human witch-hunters.

Parallels to Modern Church Accusations:

• Assumption that certain people (especially women) are automatically rebellious or evil.
• No room for grace, repentance, or proper biblical correction (Galatians 6:1).
• Legalistic, authoritarian control instead of New Testament faith.

3. The Catholic Inquisitions (12th-19th Century)

• The Catholic Church, through various inquisitions, targeted “heretics” based on vague or politically motivated accusations.
• Many were executed based on unverified claims, much like some modern churches excommunicate or “mark” people based on private “seer readings.”
• Biblical Rebuttal: Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their unjust judgments (Matthew 23:23-24).

Parallels to Modern Church Accusations:

• Public shaming and character assassination without biblical due process.
• Suppression of disagreement or independent thought.
• Self-appointed spiritual “gatekeepers” acting as enforcers of their doctrine rather than shepherds.

4. The Shepherding Movement (1970s-1980s, USA)

• A charismatic Christian movement that placed believers under the “covering” of church leaders who dictated their lives.
• Independent believers were labeled rebellious, much like modern accusations of being “unsubmitted.”
• Leaders used “spiritual authority” to control people’s jobs, marriages, and friendships.
• Biblical Rebuttal: Jesus said the greatest leaders serve (Mark 10:42-45), not dominate.

Parallels to Modern Church Accusations:

• Control-based authority, rather than relational leadership.
• Assumption that “wandering” or independent believers are rebellious.
• Misuse of submission doctrine to enforce obedience.

Conclusion: What Does the Bible Say?

• Against False Accusations: Proverbs 6:16-19 lists false witness as one of the things God hates.
• Against Occult & Divination: Using “seer gifts” to spy on people is dangerously close to divination (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
• Against Legalism: Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their man-made rules (Matthew 15:8-9).
• For Fair Judgment: 1 Timothy 5:19 requires two or three witnesses before accusing a believer.
• For Relationship & Restoration: Galatians 6:1 commands correction with gentleness, not public condemnation.

Final Thought:

Many modern church accusations mirror historical witch-hunts, legalistic inquisitions, and the authoritarian Shepherding Movement. The First Church, Jesus, and Paul would have rebuked these practices as false religion, unbiblical judgment, and spiritual abuse.

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