As a Christian, why do I seem to face so much accusations and criticism? - Accusations - TouchPoints

Zechariah 3:1Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua.

Ephesians 6:12We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Revelation 12:9-11This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.”

Spiritual forces of darkness battle against all who believe in Jesus as Lord, and are often behind the criticism and antagonism we face.

Job 2:1One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.

Satan is the ultimate accuser. He will try to accuse us of many things; he will try to make us doubt our faith, our salvation, or our acceptance by God. That’s when we must rely on God’s promises and focus on his Word.

John 7:7“The world . . . does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil.”

Acts 10:42“And he [Jesus] ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.”

2 Corinthians 5:10We must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Jesus is the Truth and therefore the only authoritative accuser of our sinful world. In the end, his judgment is the only one that will matter. When we are on his side, we are on the winning side.

John 8:7-9They kept demanding an answer, so he [Jesus] stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.

The crowd of accusers quickly melted away as they contemplated their own sins before God. Sometimes accusations come from our own consciences. When that happens, it is wise to listen and then seek God for forgiveness. God may be trying to point out sin in our lives so that we can repent, be free from that sin, and enjoy closer fellowship with him.

Deuteronomy 19:16If a malicious witness comes forward and accuses someone of a crime . . .

Ezra 4:6Years later when Xerxes began his reign, the enemies of Judah wrote a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Matthew 5:44“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

1 Peter 3:15-17You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

Sometimes accusations come from those who dislike us. Christians can be victims of false accusations simply because of their beliefs. Our enemies often become our accusers, hoping they can trip us up. In those times, we have to trust God with the situation and stick to what we know is the truth—yet we must also hold humility. As Christ’s representatives, our greatest witness is our imitation of him. Our patience under trial, kindness to our accusers, and love for those who disagree is what makes us stand apart. If we lose that love and fall into making angry accusations of our own, we are playing into Satan’s hand.