When my kids were growing up we spent a good bit of time camping every year.
It involved a bunch of travel time. There is nothing quite like boxing 5 people up
in the cab of a truck for 12hrs when it comes to creating a fertile ground for
misusing the tongue. What I found time after time is that majority sinning occurred
due to the tongue. While Jesus taught the precept of cutting off various body parts
that cause you to sin, I thought I’d give the family a pass and see what I could learn
from all this.
Scripture has much to say about the tongue. There are well over 100 verses about
the tongue and how it can be used to build up and tear down. We are going to take
a tour of the highlights
James 3:2b-4
“And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able
also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so
that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships
also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are
guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also
the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. “
James 3:5-8
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a
fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members,
staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on
fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can
be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the
tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Prov 18:21
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat
its fruits. “
So in light of these scriptures how true do you think the saying “Sticks and stones
may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” is? It is blatantly false. In
fact, words are more capable of hurting than sticks and stones. They can bring
death or life according to scripture.
Other scripture gives us pictures of the personal consequences of abusing the
tongue:
In Matt :12:36-37 Jesus says
“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every
careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by
your words you will be condemned.”
Exod 20:7
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not
hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Matt 5:21-22
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and
whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone
who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his
brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be
liable to the hell of fire.”
So after touching on a handful of the ways we abuse our tongue, we see how easily
we come up short. But what do we do about it? How do we live up to the high
calling Jesus gives us about our tongue? Scripture gives us a very clear picture of
what’s going on here and what we can do about it.
Matt 15:10-11, 18-20
“And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it
is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of
the mouth; this defiles a person.”
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this
defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery,
sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a
person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone”
Luke 6:43-45
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,
for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from
thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person
out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out
of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his
mouth speaks.
Jesus lays it right out there for us: the condition of our heart controls the content of
our tongue and the content of our tongue is the measure of the condition of our
heart. So how do we deal with the condition of our heart?
Rom 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the
will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Col 3:16
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one
another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with
thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.”
Eph 5:3b
“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out
of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
Philippians 4:8-9
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is
any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these
things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in
me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Summing it Up
The tongue is a major source of sin
The tongue speaks from the overflow of the heart
The heart is filled with what we put into it
We will give account for our words
We cannot do this on our own
We need the Holy Spirit to cleanse our hearts and renew our minds
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