In a number of the articles in this issue of The Christian, there has been a strong focus on the wrong use of the tongue and serious warnings as to the long-term effects of saying sinful things. These warnings are needed, for as the Lord Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:3434O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34)). Our natural hearts are evil, and if we, as Christians, allow our old sinful nature to act, our mouths will reflect our evil hearts.
Hard Knocks
Many years ago, a young man went out to China to work with Hudson Taylor in spreading the gospel. As was his custom, Hudson Taylor took the young man out to lunch in order to tell him what he might expect in his life in China. During the meal, Hudson Taylor suddenly brought his closed fist down hard on the table, causing water to spill out of both their glasses. When the young man looked at him in surprise, Hudson explained to him that in China, he would undoubtedly have to take a lot of “hard knocks.” Then he went on to say that when he received a hard knock, what was inside would come out, just as water had spilled out of the glasses of water when Hudson had struck the table.
This is a good lesson for all of us, for it is when we receive a hard knock in this world that our true state of soul is exposed. An old brother used to remind us that “circumstances do not produce our state of soul; they manifest it.”
Overcome Evil With Good
However, the word of God is balanced, and if we need warnings against using our mouths in the wrong way, so also we need encouragement to use them in the right way. Scripture reminds us, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:2121Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)). As well as guarding our lips, we ought also to speak words that are good and right. This is of greater importance than ever today, when men and women will say almost anything publicly without shame.
Our Lord Jesus Christ never sinned in any way, and this was particularly noticeable in what He said. Time and again the Jewish leaders tried to entangle Him in His talk, hoping to be able to accuse Him of something. Yet He never succumbed to any of these attempts. Let us look at a few things that He said.
Gracious Words
When our Lord began His earthly ministry, we find Him in the synagogue at Nazareth, where He had been brought up. After reading a portion of the book of Isaiah, He spoke to the people, and it is recorded that they “wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:2222And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? (Luke 4:22)). Our Lord began by bringing grace before the people, for they were used to hearing the unyielding words of a law that none of them could keep. But here was One who came to them in grace, introducing Himself as the One who would bring healing and deliverance to them, if they would have Him. Sadly, they were offended, thinking that He was only the son of Joseph, and not the Son of God. Their familiarity with Him blinded their hearts as to who He was.
The Power of Words
It is well-known that when we communicate with others, it is not only the words we say, but also the tone of our voice and our body language too that are part of the message. Needless to say, the tone of our voice and our body language carry more weight than what we say. We can rest assured that when our Lord spoke with gracious words, all that He said was in harmony with the tone of His voice and His body language. Later on in His ministry, the Jewish leaders sent officers to arrest Him. When they came back without Him, the officers said to their leaders, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:4646The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. (John 7:46)). This illustrates another point about godly words — there is a moral power in them that is greater than physical power. The officers had the natural power to arrest the Lord, but His words had such an effect on them that they could not do so. We see this same effect later on in Luke 4, when He spoke in the synagogue in Capernaum. Once again, we read that “they were astonished at His doctrine: for His word was with power” (vs. 32). There is a power in words spoken by the Spirit of God, and they have an effect even on ungodly people. I remember many years ago bringing a college friend of mine to a gospel meeting at a Bible conference, and while he did not get saved at that time, he was most impressed with the gospel message. The gospel in this case was given by a brother who had no special education, but there was power in what he said. (The young man in question did get saved many years later.)
We read in John 1:1717For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) that “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,” and while we cannot have one without the other, yet it is significant that grace is mentioned first. God is a God of grace, and what we preach today is “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:2424But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)). Just as the words of the Lord Jesus reflected that grace, so should you and I in our speech. A gracious word has often broken down a hard heart when a solemn warning seems to have no effect. Paul could exhort the Colossians in the same way, and told them, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:66Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Colossians 4:6)). Grace should always be there, but the salt is necessary too.
Strong Words of Warning
Our blessed Lord spoke with grace, as we have seen, but there were times when He had to speak strong words of warning. He had to tell those in Nazareth (Luke 4:24-2724And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. (Luke 4:24‑27)) that there was no blessing for those who rejected Him just because He had grown up among them. He had to warn the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy in Matthew 23:1-36,1Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. (Matthew 23:1‑36) calling them fools and a “generation of vipers.”
Yet, in spite of His strong words to them, He concluded His speech by lamenting over the city of Jerusalem and expressing the wish that He might gather their children together, “even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings” (vs. 37). In spite of their unbelief and rejection of Him, His thoughts were for them and the judgment that they would bring upon themselves. His love to them never changed.
A Time to Speak
As well as the example we have with our Lord’s gracious words, there are many other references to speaking and how and when we use our lips. Ecclesiastes 3:77A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; (Ecclesiastes 3:7) tells us that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Often not speaking has a greater impact than many words. In comforting someone in trial, how good it is to sit quietly in companionship and understanding. Many words are not needed here.
First Corinthians 14:3 admonishes us to “speak unto men to edification, exhortation and comfort.” These three things need learning, wisdom and compassion. We are reminded of the verse, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin” (Prov. 10:1919In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19)). Prayerful consideration should come before much speaking!
And to climax all this instruction, we have that beautiful verse in Proverbs 25:11: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures [settings] of silver.” We have all experienced that “fitly spoken word” and can appreciate its value—the right word, spoken at the right time and in the right way. May we daily ask the Lord for His guidance for our every word!
W. J. Prost