Mind Your Own Business Part 4

IX. This series of messages has been particularly focused on the risks to Christian well-being and peace in the church through unwarranted, unwise and even sinful exercises in information- gathering (which technology is accommodating at exponential rates). A. Meddling and snooping into another person’s private affairs are forms of being a busybody, and are condemned. 1PE 4:15. B. The internet and AI have only exacerbated the problem, and AI videography is becoming almost indistinguishable from reality. People may be forming conclusions about others based upon artificially generated images (and the images may be generated from an algorithmic response to things the individual has expressed, searched for, or otherwise shown an interest in). This is toxic. C. If you ever get a notion to dig into the depths of another person’s private life using technology, ask yourself if your own life could withstand such intrusion. LUK 6:31. D. If people would spend more time minding their own business, they would have plenty to do that is profitable instead of being unduly concerned in the business of others. Mind Your Own Business 10-26-25 Page 7 X. The following are preventatives to becoming busybodies. A. Keep busy with your own work. 1TH 4:11; 2TH 3:12. B. Work out your own salvation, first. ROM 2:21; PHIL 2:12; GAL 6:4. C. Avoid evil surmisings, i.e., the framing of conjectures, suspicions. 1TI 6:4. 1. Reserve judgment when you lack sufficient evidence. 1CO 4:5. 2. Beware of engaging in slander, which is “the utterance or dissemination of false statements or reports concerning a person, or malicious misrepresentation of his actions, in order to defame or injure him.” PRO 10:18; PSA 101:5; 2TI 3:3. D. Do not watch for iniquity in others. ISA 29:20-21; PSA 64:1-7. E. Respect the right of private property. MAT 20:15. 1. One has a right to do what he will with his own. 2. The circumstances of ACT 2:44-45; 4:32-34 were unique to the Jerusalem church, and voluntary. a. Even in this situation the right of private property was respected. ACT 5:4. b. In view of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, it made sense to sell the property. c. Communistic society is foreign to Scripture. The pilgrims with good intention tried such an experiment and had to abandon it promptly. d. Paul did not tell the rich to sell everything but rather to be “...ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1TI 6:18). 3. Paul plainly instructed us to eat our “...OWN bread” (2TH 3:12). F. Respect the right of private judgment in areas of liberty. ROM 14. 1. “...Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (ROM 14:5). 2. We are perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment when we respect each other's choices in matters of liberty and do not try to force our opinions on others. 1CO 1:10. 3. Do not make matters of personal conviction into a rule for everyone else. G. Let every man bear his own burden. GAL 6:5. 1. Each will be held responsible for his own work. 1CO 3:8; EZE 18:1-4, 20; JOH 21:21-22. 2. Therefore, every man must prove his own work. GAL 6:4. 3. Let every man do his own business. 1TH 4:11. 4. Let parents train their own children. MAL 4:6; 1TI 3:4-5, 12. 5. Let each husband rule his own wife and let that wife submit to her own husband. EPH 5:22-24. 6. Let each man provide for his own that the church not be charged. 1TI 5:8, 16. XI. Scripture does teach us to concern ourselves with others. 1CO 10:24; 13:5; PHIL 2:4; JAM 2:8. A. Mind that in PHIL 2:4 we are ALSO to look on the things of others. 1. This assumes that we do indeed look on our own things, which agrees with the verses that teach us to bear our own burdens. 2. But we are not to look on our own things exclusively. B. Scripture teaches us how to concern ourselves with others so as not to become busybodies in their affairs. 1. Share in the joys and sorrows of others rather than concerning yourself only with your own joys and sorrows. ROM 12:15; 1CO 12:26; 1PE 3:8. 2. Admonish and exhort one another in love. ROM 15:14; HEB 3:13. a. admonish: To put (a person) in mind of duties; to counsel against wrong practices; to give authoritative or warning advice; to exhort, to warn. Mind Your Own Business 10-26-25 Page 8  b. exhort: To admonish earnestly; to urge by stimulating words to conduct regarded as laudable. Said also of circumstances, etc.: To serve as an incitement. 3. Pray for one another. EPH 6:18; JAM 5:16. 4. Comfort and edify one another. 1TH 4:18; 5:11; JOB 4:3-4; HEB 12:12-13. a. comfort: To strengthen (morally and spiritually); to encourage, hearten, inspirit, incite. 2. To lend support or countenance to; to support, assist, aid... b. edify: fig. To build up....to establish or strengthen (a person). 5. Care for one another. 1CO 12:25. a. Minister to the necessities of the saints. ROM 12:13; JAM 2:15-16. b. Bear the infirmities of the weak. ROM 15:1-2. (1) The context of 1CO 10:24 is the matter of liberty. (2) The strong must concern themselves with how their liberties will affect the consciences of the weak. 6. Serve one another. GAL 5:13. 7. Be kind and tenderhearted one to another. EPH 4:32. 8. Forbear with and forgive one another. COL 3:13. 9. Submit one to another. EPH 5:21; 1PE 5:5. 10. Use hospitality one to another. 1PE 4:9. 11. Love one another. JOH 13:34; 1PE 1:22. 12. By these means we bear one another's burdens and yet allow each to bear his own burden. GAL 6:2, 5; EXO 18:21-22. a. Note that Moses bore his burden but he did not bear it alone. NUM 11:17. b. The assistants bore the burden WITH Moses, making it easier for him to bear his burden. XII. Mind your own business diligently. PRO 22:29. Mind Your Own Business 10-26-25 Page 9