The Railer - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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The Railer

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Intro: I do not believe I have ever heard a message on this subject. I have never preached on this topic.

A. The Company that is Selective – vs. 9, 11, 13

·        9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

·        11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company…

·        13 Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

B. The Character that is Sinful – vs. 9-11

·        11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

C. The Condemnation that is Scriptural – vs. 12, 13

·        12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

·        13 But them that are without God judgeth.

I. The Definition of a Railer 

Greek: blasphemeo blas-fay-meh’-o 

blaspheme, speak evil of, rail on, blasphemer, speak blasphemy, blasphemously

to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme; to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at

1828 Websters Dictionary

RA'ILER, noun - One who scoffs, insults, censures or reproaches with opprobrious language.

RAIL, verb intransitive Eng. to brawl. - To utter reproaches; to scoff; to use insolent and reproachful language; to reproach or censure in opprobrious terms; followed by at or against, formerly by on.

The same Greek word for RAIL is used in several places as SPEAK EVIL.

This chapter is describing in great detail the characteristics of false teachers and false prophets.

2 Peter 2

·        10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

·        11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

·        12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

God’s people are not to be a railer.

Titus 3

·        1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

·        2 To speak evil of no man, (same Greek word for RAIL) to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

·        3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

·        4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

II. The Distinctions of a Railer

There is a huge distinction between railing, and rebuking, reproving and warning.

Rebuke is generally corrective; railing is exclusively contentious.

Rebuke is commanded by God; railing is condemned by God.

In most cases, rebuke is the righteous addressing the sinner; railing is the sinner addressing the righteous.

God’s people rebuke sin; the devil’s crowd rails on God’s people.

We even have a verse that very clearly separates the two actions.

·        Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Rebuke is the responsibility of the preacher.

·        2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

·        Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Reproving sin is the responsibility of every believer.

·        Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

A preacher that preaches against sin is not railing; he is revealing, rebuking and reproving.

A preacher that exposes sin, false teaching, false prophets, false doctrine and error is not railing.

Jesus did it in Matthew 23. Was He railing?

Paul did it. Peter did it. Jude did it. Were they railers?

A Christian that stands against wickedness and evil is not a railer.

III. The Depictions of a Railer

The illustrations given in Scripture of a railer is always in a negative manner.

They are not just negative, but either blasphemous or very close to it.

Railing is a personal attack to destroy, demoralize, discourage, demean and to discredit.

Railing is a tool of Satan to try and hinder the work of God.

Railing is wicked, it is unjustified, it is an egregious use of the tongue to inflict hurt, pain and shame.

The people in the Bible that railed were always evil, wrong and contrary to God or God’s people.

Here is a short list of examples where the word RAIL is used throughout Scripture.

Nabal railed against the messengers of David – 1 Samuel 25

·        1 Samuel 25:14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

Sennacherib, King of Assyria railed against Hezekiah and against the Lord.

2 Chronicles 32

·        16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

·        17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

·        18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.

·        19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

·        20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

Those at the foot of the cross railed against Jesus.

Mark 15

·        25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

·        26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

·        27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.

·        28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

·        29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

·        30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

·        31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

·        32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

The thief on the cross railed on Jesus.

Luke 23

·        39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

·        40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

·        41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

·        42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Here again, we find the words RAILED, and REBUKED. One is evil; the other is not.

Conclusion: God’s people are clearly forbidden from railing, even against those that rail against them.

1 Peter 3

·        9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

·        10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

·        11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

·        12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Make no mistake; railers are evil!

·        Their intentions are evil.

·        Their hearts are evil.

·        Their words are evil.

·        Their tongue is evil.

·        Don’t be a railer!

·        Don’t fellowship with railers.

·        Don’t company with railers!