The Spirit of Criticism by G. B. T.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 20, 1916

The Spirit of Criticism

By G. B. T.

If there were living in a community a man who, secretly yet deliberately, should poison a public drinking well, and through the contamination spread sickness and death in the neighborhood, such a dastardly act would not only subject the offender to the public execration of the people, but the hand of the civil law would be placed upon him to restrain him from further acts of the kind.

Those who constantly criticize others, who handle the reputation of their neighbors, friends, or brethren in such a way as to arouse suspicion against them, suspicion calculated to damage their influence and rob them of that which is of more value than money,—a good name,—are doing a work similar in spirit to the

one who poisons the public drinking fountain. One destroys the physical body, the other destroys the reputation and influence of the individual with poisonous words and innuendoes.

When this devilish thing creeps into the church, and is clothed with a sanctimonious robe of righteousness, it becomes all the more abhorrent and wicked. Such people usually attack their victim when he is absent and cannot defend himself. By words and insinuations they sow among friends and acquaintances doubts concerning the honesty and integrity of the individual they criticize. That anything so extremely wicked and ungodly should be in the church, masquerading in the livery of heaven, would be almost beyond belief were it not that its baneful work has actually been seen in the church, discouraging and darkening the souls of old and young, and extinguishing their hope of the life beyond.

From the biting, slanderous tongue of those in the bondage of this demon of darkness, none can be sure of escape. Their own ideas and opinions they consider as an infallible guide, and those who do not measure up to the standard which they have set up, are criticized, and in many cases held up to the scorn and ridicule of others. No matter what may be their standing in the community or in the church, their motives are judged and their apparent failures paraded before the people. A stream of poison is thus poured forth to contaminate the minds of old and young, and to befoul the spiritual atmosphere which they must breathe.

Usually no effort is made to visit the individual, to point out to him wherein he fails, but his delinquencies are paraded before a cold, unfeeling public, who have no knowledge of the situation, or the circumstances with which the individual is surrounded, or the struggles which are perchance straining the moral fiber of his soul. It would seem that a work so repugnant, so utterly contrary to every principle of righteousness, would of itself be sufficiently abhorrent to be shunned by all.

That the work of censuring and judging the acts and motives of others is from Satan himself is quite clear. The Bible declares him to be the “accuser of our brethren.” Those who engage in the work of criticizing others are working hand in hand with Lucifer. If those who do this work are professed followers of Him who once bade only those who themselves had no sin to throw stones, it is all the more deplorable.

The spirit of prophecy has arraigned this sin as among the worst in the church. Let the following be carefully studied:—

An earnest effort should be made in every church to put away evil speaking and a censorious spirit as among the sins that are productive of the greatest evils in the church. Severity and faultfinding must be rebuked as the workings of Satan. Mutual love and confidence must be encouraged and strengthened in the members of the church.—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, page 609.

Notice that the sin of faultfinding and criticizing others is among the “greatest evils” in the church and comes directly from Satan himself. Here is another statement:—

Self-righteousness not only leads men to misrepresent God, but makes them cold-hearted and critical toward their brethren. The elder son, in his selfishness and jealousy, stood ready to watch his brother, to criticize every action, and to accuse him for the least deficiency. He would detect every mistake, and make the most of every wrong act. Thus he would seek to justify his own unforgiving spirit. Many today are doing the same thing.—“Christ’s Object Lessons,” page 210.

Notice again that it is self-righteousness which leads one to engage in measuring and judging others. While picking at the supposed faults of others, they boast of being right with God themselves. But one can hardly be farther from God than when engaged in this work.

That the spirit of criticism is often engaged in to cover our own defects of character is clearly set forth in the following extract:—

He who is guilty of wrong is the first to suspect wrong. By condemning another he is trying to conceal or excuse the evil of his own heart. It was through sin that men gained the knowledge of evil; no sooner had the first pair sinned than they began to accuse each other; and this is what human nature will inevitably do, when uncontrolled by the grace of God.—“Mount of Blessing,” pages 182, 183.

How beautiful indeed it would be to see the spirit of censure and judging of others put away from the church of God. It requires no religion, culture, or intellect to be a good faultfinder. It requires simply a mean, self-righteous disposition. Will not God’s people arise and put away this wrong spirit from the church? It ruins and destroys our own souls as well as the souls of others. It makes us unhappy and causes pain to others. The Lord has promised to deliver us from all evil, take hatred and mistrust from the heart, and place therein instead the beautiful plant of love. G. B. T.