Category Archives: Tongue

Backbiting, Bible, Bitterness, Curses, Scripture, Speech, Tongue

CURSES AND BITTERNESS

ROMANS 3:14

“‘THEIR MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS’”;

Every time I hear the word “bitter” I think about the Old Testament story when the Jewish nation had left Egypt and came to Marah. “When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter; for that reason it was named Marah.” (Exodus 15:23). Of course, that bitterness was due to high mineral and salt content. That is not the reason behind the bitterness we read about today.

Paul quotes in today’s verse from Psalm 10:7. “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; Under his tongue is harm and injustice.” While Paul does not quote this literally, he does give the general sense of the verse. Enemies of Christ, and therefore our enemies, will curse and spew bitter words against Him and us. We should expect no less and not be surprised when they do.

APPLICATION

People who are living for Jesus will be targets of these people. One commentator suggested that perhaps David in Psalm 10:7 was thinking about the curses that Shimei yelled at him when he was fleeing Absalom. Can you stay calm like David as your enemies hurl all kinds of accusations against you? John McArthur said in a sermon that our enemies are our mission field. How true is that!

“Bitterness” is the Greek word pikria which is only used four times in the New Testament. Ephesians 4:31 says, “All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.” This is not something a believer should have in their lives. Do you think for a second that Christ ever harbored a bitter word or thought? Then we should not either.

In short today, watch your mouth. No curses on others should be spoken which includes wishing someone ill will. Nor should you have bitter words come out of your mouth. Remember that your tongue is Christ’s tongue. He lives in you through the Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit control that little muscle in your mouth and you will be so much better off.

Father God, help me today to control my tongue and speak only holy and pure things.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Deception, Falsehoods, Poison, Scripture, Tongue

NASTY MOUTHS

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.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Grace, Scripture, Speech, Tongue, Words

SALTY SPEECH

COLOSSIANS 4:6

“Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

When you think of “salty speech,” you probably think of someone who curses a bit too much. My father-in-law was saved late in life and had kind of a salty mouth. He wasn’t crude or rude about it. He had just used these words a long time and would let a word or two slide out every once in a while. I’ve known other people who “cursed like a sailor” (no offense to all my Navy buddies out there).

Paul is not talking about that kind of salty speech today. Salt is used to season things, right? Not enough salt and the food is kind of blah. Too much salt and it is inedible. Paul is saying we should season our speech with just enough grace for the occasion. The Holy Spirit, of course, will guide us in our speech if we will just listen.

APPLICATION

Once again, Albert Barnes gives an excellent description of this “salty speech.” “Salt, among the Greeks, was the emblem of wit. Here the meaning seems to be, that our conversation should be seasoned with piety or grace in a way similar to that in which we employ salt in our food. It makes it wholesome and palatable. So, with our conversation. If it be not imbued with the spirit of piety, it is flat, insipid, unprofitable, injurious. The spirit of piety will make it what it should be – useful, agreeable, beneficial to mankind. This does not mean that our conversation is to be always, strictly speaking, religious – wherever we may be – any more than our food should be mere salt; but it means that, whatever be the topic, the spirit of piety should be diffused through it – as the salt in our food should properly season it all – whatever the article of food may be.”

So, let me ask you a question. How is your speech toward others, especially unbelievers? Do you give too little grace or too much grace? Is your speech palatable? We should weigh our words carefully. I’ve always said that words are like toothpaste. Once they are out, they can’t be put back in. Squeeze carefully.

O Lord, guard my tongue and give me the right words to say.

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Bible, Blessing, Edification, Scripture, Tongue, Words

USE THE RIGHT WORDS

EPHESIANS 4:29

“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 said something only to regret it a second later? The words just slipped out of your mouth. Sure, you were thinking them, but you didn’t mean to say them. Or maybe you did mean to say them. You meant to inflict harm on someone’s feelings. You knew exactly what you were saying. Words are like toothpaste – once they are out it is impossible to get them back in.

Paul knew the danger of unwholesome words. I am sure he had heard plenty of those when he was a pharisee. But what does that word “unwholesome” even mean? The Greek word is sapros which means “rotten, useless, corrupt, depraved” (Strong’s Concordance). The word was used primarily to refer to fruits or vegetables that were overripe or putrid. Hmmm, what does that say about these unwholesome words in our mouth?

APPLICATION

The word sapros is used in Matthew 7:17-18, “17 ‘So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad  tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.’” It’s interesting to me that sapros is used here to describe the tree (the source of the fruit) and not the fruit (the product). What does that say about us when we use unwholesome words?

Sapros is also used in Matthew 13:47-48 when Jesus told the parable about the dragnet. “47 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled, they pulled it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.’” Jesus will not receive these unwholesome words any more than He will receive these bad fish.

I believe the key to today’s verse is found in the last phrase – “so that it will give grace to those who hear.” We should only use words that give grace. What does that mean? It means to bless them in some way. We are to build them up not tear them down. Today choose your words carefully. Edify and give grace.

The tongue is a slippery thing and can cause much damage. Help me guard my tongue today, O Lord.

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