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But I say to you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. – Matthew 12:36,37
We hear a lot in some churches today about how powerful our words are. Many in certain camps within the body of Christ believe that we can actually change our destinies through our words, attract wealth and heal ourselves.
The Scriptures however, reveal a different emphasis on the use of our words. Jesus said that we will be judged for every idle word we speak. “Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Matthew 15:11).
Jesus is more concerned about our inner defilement and how our words will affect our rewards in the judgment than using our words to get what we want out of life.
The Apostle James shows us the damage that some of our idle words can do. –
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell (James 3:5,6).
(Hmmm, I wonder, could the abundance of wildfires we are seeing today be a judgment or a physical response to the evil fires that are continuingly spewing from the mouths of men? Just a thought.)
I remember reading somewhere about a Christian woman who was known in her church for never saying a bad word about anyone. One day the youth pastor decided to put her to the test. He asked her, “What do you think about the devil?” – hoping to provoke a negative response.
She thought for a moment and then she said, “He’s always on the job.”
The Apostle Paul said that we are to “speak evil of no man” (Titus 3:2). I know that some find his instruction difficult to follow, especially in an election year, but we need to remind ourselves how important it is to remember to put a guard before our lips. We need to remember to think before we speak in order to protect ourselves from the damage our idle words can do to ourselves before the Lord and to others.
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Therefore whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops (Luke 12:2,3).
Repentance is a wonderful gift. Let’s use it now to cleanse our slates of the evil words that we have spoken in the past and partake in a new beginning.
Copyright 2023 by H. D. Shively
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