The Sin of Blackmail

The Sin of Blackmail and the Arrogance of False Judgment

Published: May 11, 2025

There is a sin that people rarely call by its name, but it poisons families, churches, and governments alike: blackmail. Whether it’s someone holding past sins over your head, someone weaponizing knowledge of your behavior to control you, or a so-called “Christian” trying to shame you into submission—blackmail in any form is a sin of spiritual arrogance and a false claim to divine authority. And don’t confuse this for “accountability.” Accountability is truth in love; blackmail is coercion cloaked in holiness.

Anyone pretending they are authorized to wield God's judgment against someone else is deluded. Let’s be clear: if you think you’re righteous enough to act as the mouthpiece of divine wrath against another sinner, then you’re the one in the most spiritual danger. The Bible isn’t vague here:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
— Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV)

People love to pretend that judgment belongs to them when they’re holding a grudge or a grudge disguised as theology. But judgment doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to God. And if you’re invoking divine wrath to manipulate, pressure, or shame someone into doing what you want—then you're committing spiritual fraud. You’re not offering help; you're holding a hostage.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). So don’t stand over someone like your hands are clean just because you haven’t been caught. You don’t get to play God just because you’ve memorized His book. “The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

In the legal world, blackmail is criminalized under extortion statutes (18 U.S. Code § 873). But in the spiritual realm, it is a form of false prophecy. You are speaking as though you are the Lord. And the Bible warns against this explicitly:

“Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!”
— Ezekiel 13:3 (ESV)

If your motivation is love, you’ll approach someone in humility and grace. If your motivation is pride or control, you’ll use guilt, threats, or leverage. That’s not holy—it's just abusive. And Jesus wants none of it. He stood in front of the woman caught in adultery and said: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)

If that’s not enough for you—if you still think you’re justified in condemning someone publicly or privately—then the problem is with your own heart. You don’t protect the body of Christ by kicking out the injured; you protect it by binding their wounds. If you're not willing to walk with someone through repentance, then keep your mouth shut and your stones in your pocket. You're not the judge. You're just another sinner with a loud voice and a short memory.

— Killian