ROMANS 3:13

“‘THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,’ ‘THE VENOM OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS’”

I have never seen a grave opened after someone has been in it for a while, but I can imagine the scene and smells. What a disgusting idea. All over our neighborhood people have decorated their yards for Halloween without even thinking about the reality of death. They have skeletons and hands coming up out of the ground. They almost seem to be glorifying death. Listen, the grave is real and it’s a place from which you will not escape, unless…

Paul is quoting in today’s verse from two different Psalms. “Their throat…keep deceiving is from Psalm 5:9 and “the venom…lips” is from Psalm 140:3. The Psalmist was definitely painting an ugly picture about speaking falsehoods and slandering others. It’s meant to make us evaluate our tongues and ensure that we speak truth and good of others.

APPLICATION

My thoughts immediately went to Ephesians 4:29 which says, “Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” How many times have you heard people at church talking about someone else in a negative way? Of course, we disguise it as a prayer request, lol. We just love putting others down because we think it makes us look better.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to do the same thing. “Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.” Every time we speak evil about someone, it’s like taking a hammer and chisel and chipping off pieces of truth in your life. If you are always speaking evil or gossiping, no one will ever believe you if you happen to tell the truth.

Here is another passage in Romans written by Paul, which we will examine more closely later on. Romans 15:1-2 reads, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” If you think you are spiritually strong, then Paul tells you how to speak to your neighbor. Don’t let the tongue spew forth venom, as the Psalmist said. Speak truth in love and build up each other.

Thank You, Lord, for those in my life who speak truth into me and build me up.

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