"'Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?' Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for He, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him" (John 6:70-71).

To what was Jesus referring when He identified Judas Iscariot as "a devil?" Was He speaking figuratively or factually? Could a human being not only "have" a devil, but actually become one?

Some believe that Judas had become so perfectly possessed by satan that he actually lost his humanity. Yet, consider: after this fallen apostle delivered Jesus up, he felt such remorse for betraying Christ that he committed suicide. Could a devil feel remorse for sin? I do not think so.

What I believe Jesus is identifying in Judas Iscariot as a "devil" is something that even today exists unchecked among many Christians; slander. In the New Testament, the Greek word translated "devil" in this text (diabolos) is rendered by its impersonal, generic definition elsewhere. The word, diabolos, simply means a "false accuser," "slanderer" or "a malicious gossip." In fact, 1 Tim. 3:11 & 2 Tim. 3:3 both translate diabolos (Strong's #1228) as "malicious gossip(s)."

In other words, what Jesus is actually saying is not, "one of you is a devil" in a biological or theological sense, but is identifying "a false accuser, a slanderer." While the disciples were almost bragging about their loyalty to Christ, Jesus corrected them, in effect saying, "Yes, I chose you, but even among you is malicious gossip, a slanderer, who will eventually betray me to my enemies."

In The Last Days
This problem of Christians who gossip, Paul tells us, will continue right into the end of the age. Listen carefully to what Paul wrote to Timothy about the end of the age: "men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips..." (2 Tim 3:1-3). In the midst of this list of great sins of the apostasy, the apostle includes "malicious gossips." This is exactly the same word translated "devil" in John 6.

Perhaps you know people who always have something negative to say about others, always bringing negative information about people into their conversations. I'm praying that the Holy Spirit will give us convictions about how "malicious gossip" is akin to the nature of satan himself!

The Scriptures say that we will be justified or condemned by our words. Yes, our words, even those spoken in secret with a spouse or friend about others, are used by God to measure our obedience to His will. Simple words, yet James writes, "If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man..." (James 3:2).

Scripture reveals that "Life and death are in the power of the tongue..." Prov. 18:21). Words have power. Your words and their confession of faith brought you into salvation; but words without faith can lead us and others into destruction and heartache.

Indeed, James 3:8 warns, "the tongue...is a restless evil...full of deadly poison." This little organ, he says, "is a fire, the very world of iniquity." He then reveals a most profound thought, that the "tongue . . . sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell." If we talk negatively about someone or maliciously gossip, the destructive fire released in our words has its origin in hell itself! Lord, help us to understand the power of our words!

I believe God wants to break the power of gossip, of negativity from the church! I don't care what your opinion is, unless it's fully centered in God and redemption, your opinion of other people is probably wrong. Christ calls us to become a house of prayer, a people of intercession motivated by compassion, wisdom and peace.

Yet, imagine if the apostle Paul came into a typical American city. Do you know what he might say about our divisions? Probably what he told the Corinthians, "I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find . . . there may be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip" (2 Cor 12:20).

Does that remind you of any churches anywhere? Strife? Jealousy? Slander and Gossip? How can we approach God with these things existing in Christians? I believe God desires to give the church a whole new approach as we enter the twenty-first century. However, we cannot lay hold of the future unless we first let go of the past.

Some of you are thinking, "So and so should hear this." Perhaps, but if you're thinking that this message is for someone besides you, then you're missing it. This message is about no one in particular and everyone in general. How do you respond to life's imperfections? Do you gossip? When you hear of someone's failure, are you quick to spread the news? If Jesus was looking at the group of disciples with whom you fellowship, would he say to you what He spoke to His early apostles, "one of you is a malicious gossip?"