What the Bible says about Speech, Christ-like
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Matthew 12:33-37 This is a strong statement from our Savior! The fundamental question is: "How Christ-like is our speech?" This is just one area out of the whole of our behavior. We will be judged for every word, even the idle ones that we may just toss off in a time of weakness or when joking around with friends. That is a pretty strict judgment. Jesus speaks here in black-and-white terms. The tree (meaning the person) is either good—producing good fruit—or he is bad and produces bad fruit. Which are we—the good or the bad tree? In verse 34, He says, "Out of the abundance of the heart we speak"—and we could add, "and act." Jesus says in Matthew 15:17-18 that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him. What comes out of a person will be either good things like service, love, kindness, and other fruits of the spirit, or bad things, the works of the flesh, which He names there. So, what will it be with us? What is the abundance of our heart? The picture here is that the heart is a kind of vessel—a bowl—and things are poured into the heart. At a certain point, the vessel will overflow, and an abundance will come out of it. What comes out of our heart—this bowl or vessel—will expose the characteristics of the heart. When we pour information into our minds, we process it. For a while, it stays in the bowl, as it were, and becomes mixed with what has been put there before. Our minds work on it for a while, and over time, it begins to gel into certain ideas. Once our minds are full, ideas break out in words, plans, and behaviors. Evil thoughts within, evil speech and/or works without. Or, we can put it the other way around—godly, kind, Christ-like thoughts within, godly, kind, Christ-like speech and/or works without. What breaks out of our hearts? We have to answer that ourselves. Do we have profane minds that spew out profane speech? Or, is it "on [our] tongue is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:26) because behind our tongues are pure and kind hearts? This is vitally important because "by those words" we will either be justified or condemned. Our thoughts are just precursors to our speech and action. So, where do we stand in relation to this line that Jesus Christ our Savior, our High Priest and Judge, has drawn? Are we a good tree or a bad one? Richard T. Ritenbaugh Is God in All Our Thoughts? Related Topics: Abundance of the Heart | Defilement | Evil Heart | Heart , Pure | Profane Speech | Profanity | Speech | Speech, Christ-like | Words, Idle | Words, Judged by | Words, Power of

Philippians 4:8 What we think about will reveal itself in what we say. A mind fed by godly wisdom can follow this advice and control that most wild of all members, the tongue. As we grow in that great wisdom, our words will become fresh and reliable. We will lose the sharp edge from our tongues. Our speech will not be duplicitous, like grapes growing on a fig tree or bitter waters emerging from a freshwater spring. Once we emerge out of the ruts of human habit in our communication, we will truly begin to express what is true, noble, pure, lovely, and good. Our words will convey virtue and offer praise to God, uplifting those who hear us. As James ends his third chapter, "Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:18), so will be the results of our efforts. Righteousness will come to fruition in an atmosphere of peace. Staff Are You Sharp-Tongued? (Part Two) Related Topics: Communication | Communication among Friends | Communication, Godly | Fruit of Righteousness | Fruits of God's Holy Spirit | Fruits of Righteousness | Fruits of the Spirit | Speech | Speech, Christ-like | Speech, False | Speech, Godly | Speech, Reckless | Tongue, Control of

James 3:17-18 James concludes chapter 3 by describing the wisdom that comes only from Almighty God. It is the bit and rudder by which we can effectively gain control of our speech. Godly wisdom begins in the heart, replacing the self-indulgent human motivations with purity, peacefulness, gentleness, yieldedness, mercy, goodness, fairness, and sincerity. Words that employ these godly attributes contrast to the raging winds that fan flames of war toward total destruction. The apostle does not allow us any time to spend in the middle; our words should be fresh and trustworthy, without the bitter and shocking elements of a sharp tongue. In Matthew 12:34, Christ says, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." The real issue is that our words reveal the essence of our hearts. They will tell whether we are motivated by the earthly wisdom of human desire or by the godly wisdom of the fruit of the Spirit. Unkind words reveal an unkind heart, and kind words, a kind heart. Staff Are You Sharp-Tongued? (Part Two) Related Topics: Abundance of the Heart | Bit as Metaphor | God's Wisdom | Godly Communication | Godly Wisdom | Speech | Speech, Christ-like | Speech, Godly | Speech, Reckless | Tongue as Fire | Tongue, Control of | Wisdom | Wisdom of God | Wisdom of Man | Words, Power of

 

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