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THE WORDS OF OUR MOUTH
Js.1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and
bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is
vain.
Ps.141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep
the door of my lips.
Pr.21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth
his soul from troubles.
Pr.18:21 Death and life are in the power of the
tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
See also Js.1:19; Mat.12:34
On the occasion
of Peter’s denial of the Lord he was told, ‘thy speech betrayeth thee.’ Peter’s
accent revealed that he was from
LAY ASIDE EVIL SPEAKING
1Pet.2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all
guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.
Ps.59:12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their
lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which
they speak.
Eph.4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger,
and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be
ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
1Pet.3:10-11 For he that will love life, and see good
days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no
guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Tit.3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers,
but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
Mat.12:31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of
sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the
Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world,
neither in the world to come.
See also Js.3:3-12; Js.4:11; 2Pet.2: 10-12; Ps.15:1-3; Pr.10:32.
All too often in the body of Christ there are envies and evil speakings. And almost always the less spiritual malign the more spiritual. When Miriam spoke against Moses she became leprous. When Korah, Dathan and Abiram spoke against Moses the earth swallowed them. How fearful we should be of speaking evil of one another and of backbiting. Let us also be extremely careful that we speak not against the Holy Spirit.
NO FILTHY COMMUNICATION
Eph.4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of
your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace unto the hearers.
Col.3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger,
wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Pr.4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and
perverse lips put far from thee.
Pr.15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but
perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Certainly as Christians we ought not to use obscene language. But if we are not circumspect we may still engage in corrupt communication. In anger and frustration we may be guilty of language that may not be obscene but it may be filthy and corrupt. May the Lord keep us from having perverse lips.
NEITHER FOOLISH TALKING
Eph.5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
1Tim.5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering
about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies,
speaking things which they ought not.
2Tim.2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for
they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Mat.12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word
that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For
by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Many Christians occupy themselves in idle conversation rather than edifying talk. We should not be babblers, tattlers and gossip-mongers. The word of God condemns foolish talking and jesting. There is no place for the telling of jokes, ‘Christian’ or otherwise. Some churches are wont to bring in drama through plays and skits. Such plays and skits may make people laugh and give their applause, but is the Lord laughing or is He not displeased with the levity in the house of God? Jesus used various parables to teach on various matters. The prophets, apostles, and inspired men who wrote the Bible used various illustrations to convey their message. Can anyone point to a single joke or humorous illustration in the word of God? We shall have to give account of every idle word we speak.
SPEAK THE TRUTH
Ps.5:6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the
LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
Pr.8:6-8 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;
and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak
truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth
are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
Eph.4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
Eph.4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man
truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Col.3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have
put off the old man with his deeds.
See also Ps.12:1-4; Ps.31:18; Ps.52:1-3; Is.29:13.
Our God is the God of truth. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth. As followers of the Lord we must speak the truth. We must be honest and not use deceitful words. Jesus spoke the truth and at times it caused offence. But open rebuke is better than secret love (Pr.27:5). Let us speak the truth in love.
SPEAK AS THE ORACLES OF GOD
1Pet.4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God
giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom
be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Ps.19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation
of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Is.50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the
learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:
he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Col.4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without,
redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Tit.2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that
he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of
you.
Heb.13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to
his name.
Ps.35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy
righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
See also Deut.32:2; Ps.37:30; Ps.77:12; Ps.105:2; Ps.119:172; Ps.145:5-6,11.
We are ambassadors for Christ and must speak as the oracles of God. Our speech must be sound, seasoned with salt, able to give grace to the hearers. Let the life of Christ fill us that we may have a word in season fro the weary. Let us speak forth His praise, His majesty and all His wondrous works. May the words of our mouth be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord.