God Takes Mental/Psychological/Emotional Abuse Serious - A Very Serious Offense
Matthew 5:22 - "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
When we look at the first part of this verse, we see that unrighteous anger is as bad as murder as we read the previous verse in Matt. 5.
Handling a person in an angrily manner violates Galatians 6:1 - "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."
We also see in James 1:20 - "for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
The second part of Matt 5:22 addresses saying "Raca!" to another person. "Raca" is the original Greek root word which has no actual English word translation. It is defined as calling someone worthless or good-for-nothing or insulting a person's intelligence. Calling someone an idiot, dumb, or stupid fits this category. Any words used to belittle a person or their intelligence also fits this category. Here are some examples:
"I can't believe you did this thing so many times but you don't know how to do it!"
"You don't know how to think right!"
"You can't do anything right!"
Making a person feel that everything they do is wrong or stupid.
Making a person feel like they don't have the ability to do things right.
Nothing is good enough.
The third part addresses saying "you fool!". In the time of the writing of scripture, a fool was meant as a wilful evil character. The verse addresses belittling a person's character. Accusing them of being wilfully evil. Examples are:
"I can't believe you call yourself a Christian when you just messed this project up!"
"You are nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing!"
"You will never accomplish anything good!"
Accusing a person of lying or any kind of evil deed without proof.
Not looking into what lead a person to do a certain deed, and accusing them of evil intentions.
"You did this because you wanted to do evil, if you tell me different, I am going to beat you!" - a line commonly used by parents.
All of these things listed in Matthew 5:22 is equivalent to murder. It is very damaging psychologically, emotionally, and mentally to a person. It is no wonder why scripture equates reviling, adultery, and homosexuality as equally evil. No one who does such things will inheret the kingdom of Heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."
The Greek word means to revile or rail
To revile means to criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.
To rail means to complain bitterly, forcefully with strong feeling, and intensity.
Those who are revilers, abusive in speech, tears people down, belittles them, insults their character and intelligence will not inheret the kingdom of Heaven according to the scriptures. They may call themselves Christians, but by their fruit, they prove to be wolves in sheep's clothing. Reviling, railing, belittling, and any forms of emotional, mental, or psychological abuse does not show love. Those things are fruits that comes from their father who is the devil.
Matthew 7:15 - 16a - "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit."
John 13:35 - "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Those who are abusive are absent of love and show themselves to be disciples of the devil.
It is by the love you have for others is the fruit that shows that you are disciple of Jesus.
If you are experiencing abuse from someone who calls themselves a Christian, I hope this sheds light on the subject, don't be discouraged, but many who mask themselves to be Christians are of the world will reject you because you are a disciple of Jesus, you were set apart from the world because you belong to Jesus. You are a part of God's kingdom. See John 15:18-25
I will be praying for you.
Rodney Calmes
