TUESDAY June 25, 2024
Do You Have a Filthy Mouth?
...neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesians 5:4-5
Paul dealt next with the sins of the mouth. Filthiness is described as cussing and saying things that are not edifying. When you speak, do you still cuss? Change your speech! If you have a filthy mouth, then something is wrong! People will lose respect for you.
Foolish speaking is when all you talk about is utter nonsense. The Bible rightly states: The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness (Proverbs 15:2). Everyone recognizes a fool as soon as they open their mouth to speak: A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart (Proverbs 18:2). A fool’s words are so unlike the wise: The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; the words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness (Ecclesiastes 10:12-13).
What about coarse jesting? Do you tell dirty jokes? Even if you stay to listen to dirty jokes, it is still the same as if you were telling them. You are partaking in such foolishness. Remember, in the previous chapter we were instructed to let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers (Ephesians 4:29 KJV). Are you obeying God’s Word?
Listen, as a Christian, you are to have salty speech! You may ask, “What do you mean by that?” Salt creates a thirst. When you speak to others, does it cause them to have a thirst to know Christ? The Bible tells us: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:6). In other words, use your speech to bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
~Psalm 19:14~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
