As followers of Christ, we are called to be peaceable followers of righteousness, not peddlers of discord. Gossip and slander do not merely harm those being spoken about, but also damage the one speaking and the one listening. If we are truly the Church—the people of God—then we must speak and act in a way that reflects Christ’s love, unity, and peace. This lesson will explore the dangers of gossip and division, how to recognize when we are engaging in or encouraging such behavior, and ways we can shift our focus from contention to building bridges of faith and understanding.

Key Concepts

1. The Three Deaths of Rechilus: Rechilus, or talebearing, destroys three people—the speaker, the listener, and the one being spoken about. Words have power, and when used to harm, they sever relationships, erode trust, and damage reputations. This aligns with the Gospel’s call to use our words for edification rather than destruction.
2. The Church is the People, Not the Institution: The true Church is not a building, an organization, or a denomination, but the body of believers in Christ. Paul and the Book of Mormon remind us that we are to be peaceable followers of Christ, united in love and service rather than divided by theological disputes.
3. Building Bridges, Not Walls: Jesus taught that we should not condemn those who work in His name, even if they are not part of our immediate community. Instead of engaging in spiritual contention, we are called to be peacemakers, seeking unity in Christ rather than division.

Rechilus

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the Lord.” —Leviticus 19:16

The last thing I’d like to cover on this topic of cults and churches is the slanderer, gossip, talebearer. These are all types of lashon hara (Hebrew: “evil speak“) that fall under the sin of rechilus. The word rechilus comes from the root “rachil,” Hebrew for “peddler.” This is because a rechilus act is just that: peddling gossip, or ill will towards another. After looking at the idea of cults, suddenly we may see them popping up everywhere. But what is a cult to one is a religion to another. We need to avoid dangerous cults, and we need to avoid putting up walls between ourselves and other believers of the Word.

Three Deaths

The tongue can be as murderous as the hand.” —Arachin 15b:73-74, Talmud

It is said in Talmud, Arachin 15b, that rechilus speech destroys or “kills” three people. These are the one that speaks, the one that listens, and the one being spoken of. This is very reminiscent of the Lord’s words in Matthew 18:20:

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Three is a key common denominator because it is the smallest base of a community. Lashon hara is a vial weed that will destroy a whole village, turning one from another. In contrast, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the very foundation from which Christian communities are built.

Contend Against No Church

Condemn not other branches of the Church of Christ, for contention is not of me; but build bridges that all may come and worship the Father in my name.” —Doctrines of the Saints 14d:18

In June of 1829, Joseph Smith received a revelation for all those called to be Apostles in these last days. In part, they were commanded not to contend against any “church, save it be the church of the devil” (Avahr 25:39, Doctrines of the Saints 12a:35). But this commandment wasn’t new. Jesus said the same to His original Twelve:

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me; for he that is not against us is on our part.” —Mark 9:38-40

The Book of Mormon tells us that there are 2 churches, “one is the Church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil” (1 Nephi 3:221 [14:10b]). Yet there seems to be literally hundreds of thousands of churches on the earth today. How can this be?

One thing to understand is that we are the Church. In Ephesians 5:25, Paul tells the Saints that husbands should love their wives as Jesus loved the Church and gave His life for it. Did Jesus give his life for a building? For an institution? No, he died for us, each of us, personally. Thus, we are the Church. In Romans 16:5 talks about greeting the Church in a house, that would be the people. In 1 Corinthians 14:12, when Paul is talking about using spiritual gifts to edify the Church, he means to edify the people, that we should edify one another. In 1 Timothy 3:5 we are asked how someone that cannot take care of their own family take care of the people of Christ. And on and on. Mormon echoes this in the Book of Mormon:

Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the Church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope, by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.” —Moroni 7:3 [7:3]

A building cannot be a peaceable follower of Christ, nor can an institution. But we can, as human beings. We have free will. We make choices. We can choose for ourselves to side with God by loving our neighbors or with the devil by choosing to love only ourselves.

For I remember the Word of God which saith: By their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also. For behold, God hath said: A man, being evil, cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent, it profiteth him nothing; for behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. For behold, if a man, being evil, giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore, it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore, he is counted evil before God… But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him is inspired of God. Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.” —Moroni 7:4b-12 [7:5-14]

Discussion Questions

1. How does the principle of “three deaths” in rechilus relate to your own experiences with gossip or slander?
2. In what ways can we better see ourselves as the Church rather than focusing solely on institutions and denominations?
3. How can we avoid engaging in or encouraging spiritual contention while still standing firm in our beliefs?
4. What does it mean to be a “peaceable follower of Christ” in today’s world?
5. How can we apply Jesus’ teachings about unity to modern divisions within Christianity?

Suggestions for Action

1. Practice mindful speech. Throughout the week, commit to avoiding gossip or negative speech about others. If you find yourself about to say something unkind, pause and reframe your words in a way that uplifts rather than tears down. How did changing your speech impact your relationships and interactions?
2. Build a bridge, reach out to someone from a different denomination or faith tradition. Have a conversation about what unites you rather than what divides you. What did you learn from this interaction, and how did it shape your perspective on unity in Christ?
3. Set aside 10 minutes each day for quiet reflection or prayer, focusing on how your words and actions align with your faith. How does silence help us become more aware of the impact of our words?
4. Edify someone, make a conscious effort to say something uplifting to at least one person per day. A compliment, a word of encouragement, or an expression of gratitude can make a significant impact. How did others respond to your efforts, and how did it affect your own spirit?
5. Forgive and move forward. If you have been harmed by gossip or slander, take a step toward healing by choosing to forgive. If possible, have an open and honest conversation with the person involved. What did you learn about yourself and your faith through the process of forgiveness?

Final Thought & Meditation

Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Imagine yourself standing in a beautiful, peaceful garden. This garden represents your heart and soul. Now, visualize every negative or harmful word ever spoken to you as small stones scattered throughout this garden. As you walk through, pick up each stone and toss it away, letting go of the pain and burden of those words.

Next, imagine the words you have spoken to others, both good and bad. With each positive word, flowers bloom in the garden, and with each negative word, weeds appear. Commit yourself to planting only good seeds—words of kindness, encouragement, and love. Open your eyes and carry this vision into your daily life.