# The Sins of the Tongue



## Puritanhead (Mar 7, 2006)

This was my blogspot for the day March 6.
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> "He that can rule his tongue can rule his whole body. Alas! that unruly member destroys peace and happiness in thousands of cases. The tongue can no man tame, but the grace of God can tame it; and that man begins life with a prospect of happiness whose tongue has been tamed by grace."
> "”C.H. Spurgeon


I've been reading the Biblical exhortations about the tongue. Colossians 4:6 reminds us, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." I have not always been sound in this area. It relates to how we answer people in our day-to-day conversation, and we should be reflective and considerate of our brothers, and speak with Christian grace. Sometimes, there are matters not appropriate to speak of to others.


> "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses´ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things."
> "”James 3:1-5, (New King James Version)


Likewise, for any victims of slander (which I know of adequately), you learn to fathom the grave implications and wrong caused by the tongue.


> "For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults."
> "” 2 Corinthians 12:20 (New King James Version)


Some sin with their tongue by assuming the worst of others, and gossiping and backbiting. Others just have lack of self-control and are quick to respond with spitefulness and scorn, and some misread people and are overly sensitive.


> "Love...thinks no evil..."
> "”1 Corinthians 13:5


 The person who gossips maliciously doesn't really care about others, especially the ones they're gossiping about. They really care more about themselves. I have grown disgruntled over certain types of personalities that get their satisfaction in belittling others and being quarrelsome. Some are so flagrant as to convey their insults in front of the person to others. Those with a penchant for fomenting strife and discord cause a lot of unnecessary harm. It's a shame that Christians seem to be worse than your non-Christians in this area.

With online interaction, misreading an e-mail or chat conversation is quite easy compared to in-person interaction, so people need to be sensitive and not to quick to react.

Myself, I see the folly of spiting an antagonist with foolishness and hasty remarks. I've made the mistake of getting angry, and sitting on it, and then telling someone off. In my mind, I rarely get angry without just cause. Nonetheless, Christ tells us to turn the other cheek, and bless our enemies as surely as we bless our neighbors and loved ones.

Gossip too, causes problems. It is an attack on the life of our brother or sister, and eggregious offense that should be shunned. Though, there is a Biblical mode for telling others of offenses committed against us by a sinning brother, but only after we patiently pleaded the cause with our offending brother.

In college, I have known of respectable Christian women to suffer immense slander and backbiting by others, though some may never have even realized it. Sometimes others belittle the reputation of women and wrongly question their chastity and allege promiscuity. Women may do this to other women often out of jealously. I've seen it happened, and tried to tacitly tell them they shouldn't do that. Guys do it to get back at women. Such offenses are in many cases slanderous falsehoods, and this is a most eggregious way to hurt a person. Yet I have known people to be casual in this arena.

Some persons have no love for peace; they love to stir up trouble (Prv. 15:18; 16:27-28; 26:21; 29:22). Good men bury the past and forgive (Prv. 10:12; 17:9; I Pet 4:8). The good seek to make peace at all times (Jas 3:17-18).


> "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
> "”James 3:17-18


 This is a general exhortation, and I step on no one's toes, but I think everyone should consider heeding Scriptural exhortations about the sins of speech, and making a commitment or recommitment in this area. All of us struggle with it, to varying degrees. Some are so malicious and flagrant in their gossip and don't recognize the gravity of their sins.


> "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."
> "”Colossians 4:6


Where I fall short in this area, my hope is that I would be more attentive to guarding my tongue, and practicing what I preach here today.

[Edited on 3-8-2006 by Puritanhead]


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## rmwilliamsjr (Mar 7, 2006)

for a tag line i often use:

dear Lord, as we walk through my life, would you put one arm on my shoulder and the other hand over my mouth.

perhaps it could be modified to "and hold my fingers still on the keyboard"


thanks for posting your mediation. it is useful and timely.

[Edited on 3-7-2006 by rmwilliamsjr]


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Mar 7, 2006)

Well said, Ryan. 

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Ps. 141.3


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## crhoades (Mar 7, 2006)

For a severely convicting set of verses: A Moral Checkup for Your Mouth - Dr. Greg Bahnsen


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## satz (Mar 8, 2006)

Very good points.

Gossip is certainly one of the hardest areas of discipline for me as well. Its easy to fall into the trap of seeing how far we can go without crossing the line. There is also the issue of not actually taking part in the gossip but enjoying listening to it, which i struggle with as well.

Another challenging verse;

Eph 5:4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.


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## satz (Mar 8, 2006)

BTW Ryan,

the spurgeon quote in your sig is really cool.


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## Puritanhead (Mar 8, 2006)

> _Originally posted by satz_
> Very good points.
> 
> Gossip is certainly one of the hardest areas of discipline for me as well. Its easy to fall into the trap of seeing how far we can go without crossing the line. There is also the issue of not actually taking part in the gossip but enjoying listening to it, which i struggle with as well.
> ...



Even preachers and elders are prone to it... it does bad things to churches, and causes fallouts and contention. Some people never make any progress in sanctification in this area sadly.

Though, I draw a distinction between a casual gossip, and malicious slander and backbiting... All of it is uncalled for.

I'm hoping to be more sensitive in this area in the future, and setting my sights of God's statutes. Chris' Bahnsen article is an excellent place to meditate about this matter. The verses are superb.


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