When our words return home…

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Journal,

Some time back I had a discussion with one of our students about the words that we speak. I felt it would be good to provide a study in this area. The only problem, however, is that this subject is so vast that I’ll have to narrow things down to a digestible level. It is amazing at how much the Bible has to say about how our life has a direct connection to our speaking.

Let’s take a look at this great subject of the words of our mouth. (By the way, this is not one of those hyper-confessional teachings that you find in the Word of Faith movement.)

In the world of words what we speak does affect our lives in a deeply sobering way. What we say about Christ really is a matter of life and death. This is where the confession of Christ determines our salvation.

In speaking to His mockers, the Lord said,

The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt12:35-36)

Let’s put these Scriptures into their proper setting. The ‘evil’ man in this case is the blasphemer. There were those who contributed the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus to Beelzebul. Beelzebul was one of the names given to Satan, as lord of the demons. The later Talmudic writers did exactly that. They contributed the works of Jesus to sorcery. The Talmudic writers will have to give an account for their words in the day of judgment. (Jesus calls them a brood of vipers. Their words are full of poison.)

What about the good man? The good man is that person who confesses Jesus Christ for who He really is, that is, as Savior and Messiah of Israel. Thus we hear the Lord say, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Listen carefully to what Jesus said about our confession of faith in Him:

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 10:32-33)

Let’s carry this into some basic issues of life.

Now that we have that sobering issue of salvation before us, we also need to take a closer look at why some believers have so many spiritual problems in their life. One reason believers get into trouble spiritually is because they’ve either been snared by their own words, or they’ve been snared by the words of someone else. Do you find that strange? This is a Biblical truth. And this is one reason we need the Holy Spirit to help guide us through the process of life.

Words have the power to change us for good or for bad. Words carry messages and images. Words affect our thinking. They can capture our heart. They create memories. Words have molding power. The very words we speak to our children can make a contribution to how they perceive themselves. This is why it is so important that we learn to speak the truth in love. We should never speak damaging words to our children.

My mom and dad divorced when I was rather young. A few years later they remarried. But my earliest childhood memories are of my mom. The memories that stand out the most are from things she shared with me. Mom often spoke into my life with affirmations. She gave me a image of myself that helped to strengthened me for my future role in life as a minister of the gospel. There is a sense in that my mom empowered me for the future by the words she spoke.

However, this goes far beyond a mother speaking to her child. It is an issue that governs life itself. This is why Paul said that we should never let a ‘rotten’ word proceed from our mouth, that we should only speak words that will minister grace to the hearer. Rotten words produce rottenness. Words of grace fill the heart with truth and love.

Paul was not alone. James gives a detailed explanation on this issue of how our words will determine our very future. He begins his teaching on words by saying, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

Then he said, “For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.”

The word for ‘perfect’ in Greek speaks of something that has reached its goal, thus it generally refers to a spiritual maturing. A spiritual mature believer knows how to walk in the ways of the Lord, and knows how to speak in a way that is proper.

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A tongue set on fire.

James has much more to say. He says the tongue is the member of our body that will direct our flow of life. Then he concludes this area of thought by drawing attention to the wisdom that comes from above. Rather than expand on this portion, I would encourage the members to read all of James chapter 3.

We know there is a positive side to this and a negative side. But sometimes we have to look at the negative in order to accentuate the positive. David spoke of the man who refused to speak blessings to God’s people. He said,

He did not remember to show lovingkindness … He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessings, so it was far from him. But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered into his body like water and like oil to his bones.” (Psa109:16-20)

It would be easy to say that this is Old Testament and does not apply to the covenant of Christ, but that is error. The laws that govern life don’t change. Peter picks up on this in the New Testament by quoting from David. Peter said,

The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” (Cf. 1Pet3:10)

It is so easy to think this issue of ‘words’ isn’t really very important. The truth is that there is nothing more important to a child of God. The minister in the pulpit must learn to speak from wisdom. To this very day I still find the pulpit a trembling place. I realize that people are listening carefully to what I have to say. And I also know that the Lord is holding me accountable for speaking truth to His people.

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It isn’t simply a matter of the pulpit.

But it isn’t simply in the pulpit that we need wisdom. The spiritually matured person will know how to speak out of wisdom, with a spirit of gentleness. Have you ever noticed how the apostles could bring a rebuke where a rebuke was needed, and yet leave the person fully intact? This is because the Lord had given them authority to build up, but not to tear down. (Cf. 2Co10:8) The sage said, “Better is an open rebuke than love that is concealed.” (Pro27:5)

Even when we have a message to deliver that contains strong corrections and even rebukes, we must deliver that message in a way that we are not damaging those of whom Christ loves. God loves His people and does not take lightly their being mistreated.

Think about it — Two men can speak on the same subject. One can turn the people off, no matter how knowledgeable he may be. The other can become a blessing to the people, no matter how little education he may have. What made the difference? The sage said, “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.” (Pro15:2)

Does this issue of the tongue speak to all our words? Yes! We must train our tongue to speak only that which will profit the kingdom of God and reach the souls of men and women. This is why there are such strong warnings against gossip and slander.

Its not that we can never disagree over a teaching that does not seem to accord with the Scriptures. When Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the teachings of the Pharisees, he left us an example to follow. We can warn concerning bad teachings. What we cannot do is judge or slander a brother or sister in the Lord, or become a talebearer where we are speaking to something that we have no business speaking to.

Nor is it an issue of never rebuking sin or sinners. Jesus often did this. Yet the bottom line is to keep in mind that the gospel itself means, ‘good news.’ Our job as believers is to bring good news to those who are hurting.

Isaiah said it this way:

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!'” (Isa 52:7)

Where does it all begin?

It all begins in the heart. This means that we have to set a watch in two areas. We must set a watch over our heart. We must set a watch over our lips.

The sage said,

Watch over your heart with all diligence, from it flow the springs (issues/forces/determinations) of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you.” (Pro4:23,24)

David adds,

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psa141:3)

Finally we have this very stern warning to those who would claim covenant privileges, and yet ignore how they should be speaking and acting:

“What right have you to tell of My statutes and take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you. … You let your mouth loose in evil … You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son…” (Psa50:16-21)

So, do our words have a way of coming home to live?

What do you think.

Blessings,

Buddy

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