“Man is a unique creature. Of
all the creatures in the world, only humans have the ability to
communicate through verbalized speech.”—Wayne Jackson.
God gave mankind the ability to
speak,
2
And Adam said:
“This is now bone
of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of
Man.” (Genesis
2:23),
and understand speech.
16
And the Lord God
commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely
eat; (Genesis
2:16)
The way we use our speech, He
has left up to us.
Proper uses
·
The tongue may be used for good or
evil.
10
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11
Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same
opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives,
or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and
fresh. (James
3:9-12)
It is a lifelong
challenge to control our speech.
2
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not
stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole
body. (James 3:2)
1.
Praise our creator—acts
of creation, providential care, and plan ot redemption. He is worthy to
be praised.
3
I will call upon the
Lord,
who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my
enemies. (Psalms
18:3)
14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of
my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord,
my strength and my Redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14)
2.
Speak the words of truth
to unbelievers so they may come to know God’s plan to save them.
19
Go
therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Amen.
3.
Bless others—to
edify (to build up)
Our
words can exhort, encourage and comfort others who are in need.
13
but exhort one another daily, while it is called
“Today,” lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
(Hebrews 3:13)
4
who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be
able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with
which we ourselves are comforted by God.
(2 Corinthians 1:4)
4.
Reprove and rebuke—to
try to save the souls of others.
2 Preach the word!
Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching.
(2 Timothy
4:2)
Improper (Sinful) Uses
·
To
falsely teach how one is to be saved.
1.
False prophets.
15
“Beware of false prophets,
who come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
(Matthew 7:15)
2.
Pervert the gospel
6
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from
Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble
you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But
even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than
what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
(Galatians 1:6-8)
3.
Handle the word deceitfully
2
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not
walking in craftiness nor ]handling the word of God deceitfully, but by
manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s
conscience in the sight of God.
(2 Corinthians 4:2)
·
Lying —Notice how very serious this is.
8
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers,
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their
part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the
second death.”
(Revelations 12:8)
We are to put away lying
and speak the truth to our neighbor.
25 Therefore, putting away lying,
“Let each one of
you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we
are members of one another.
(Ephesians 4:25)
·
Vile language—
3
But fornication and all uncleanness or
covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for
saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting,
which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
(Ephesians 5:3-4)
Behavior that flouts
social and moral standards: obscenity and “shameful speech.”
8
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger,
wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
(Colossians 3:8)
·
Proud and arrogant speech
Some people, even
Christians, have to include their accomplishments or how much they know
in every conversation. It is always about them.
3
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not
consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is
proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over
words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of
the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such
withdraw yourself.
(1 Timothy 6:3-5)
·
Critical words—speech that injures.
Wives, husbands, or
parents may verbally abuse their spouses or children.
6
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt,
that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
(Colossians 4:6)
May Christians never be
accused of rudeness or just plain meanness.
All of us need to remember
Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:36-37
36
But I say to you that
for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the
day of judgment. 37
For by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
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