3 Truths About Gaslighting Every Christian Should Know

The very first time gaslighting was used is actually written in the Bible: Genesis 3, the fall of Adam and Eve.

Now, the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” – Genesis 3:1-5

One of my favorite Bible teachers used to say he could just picture Satan leaning against the tree – to prove his point that “you will not certainly die” if you touch the tree. Of course, too, God had not said, “You must not touch it.” His words and actions were enough to make Adam and Eve question God – they began to believe Satan when he said, “You will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Thus, they ate the fruit of which they had been told not to eat, and the rest is history.

While the Bible never specifically uses the term, it does provide some general guidance on dealing with people who are manipulative and dishonest:

A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. (Proverbs 26:28)

Paul warns against what we now call gaslighting:

 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of the naive. (Romans 16:17-18)

…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:14)

Even in the first century, there were those who tried whatever method would work to pull people away from the truth they had been taught by Paul. They would lean into intelligent-sounding messages that contradicted Paul’s message.

But what about today? In our modern times, there are indeed non-believers who employ the gaslighting technique to steer people away from the messages of the Bible, as well as casual believers away from their Biblical faith. Even believers may start to question what they thought was true – and perhaps alter their stance on Biblical doctrine. But there are also those who identify as Christian who may unintentionally use gaslighting to divert from the grace of God by perpetuating such falsehoods which they have come to accept as truth.