Free Bible Commentary
“Ephesians 4:29-30”
Categories: Ephesians“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
--- End of Scripture verses---
One of the most difficult things for a human being to control is his mouth. James wrote in James 3:8-10: “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.” The Apostle Paul tells us that a big part of putting on the new self is putting a good filter on the tongue.
He said that we should make every effort to speak “no” (not even one) “unwholesome word”. The word “unwholesome” means base, shameful, filthy or rotten. This would include “curse” words or obscenities, dirty jokes (5:4), sexual innuendo, insults, angry words or “abusive speech” (Colossians 3:8) of any kind. The problem that this kind of talk causes for the hearers is that it is only good for their destruction and not their “edification”. We should be in the business of building people up with our words and not tearing them down. This means we should be very thoughtful, intentional and selective with our verbal communication.
Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 that, “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Speaking “wholesome” words is as much about “heart-control” as it is about “tongue-control”. Let’s be careful about the kinds of thoughts, words and images that we allow into our hearts and harbor there. What goes into the mind through our eyes and ears is very likely to come of our mouths in the form of words.
Jesus went on to say in Matthew 12:35-36: “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Our words are a very big deal. With our words we can please the Lord or actually “grieve” (upset, trouble, sadden) Him. Our words make a difference in the lives of the people we talk to, and they have a bearing on our own spiritual wellbeing.
Let’s focus on speaking words that “give grace to those who hear”!
Please read Ephesians 4:31-32 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
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