Watching Our Words

James 3:7-8 Notes

An Unruly Beast

James 3:7-8 (KJV) —For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: [8] But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

For context, open your Bible and read James chapter 3:3-10.

James. 3:7 Note 1: The tongue is not only like an uncontrolled fire (3:6), it is also like an untamed beast. All creatures on the face of the earth have been tamed (subdued) by man. God gave man dominion over all the animal creation (Gen. 1:28), and man has exercised that authority to subdue every kind of animal. But man can’t tame his own tongue (James 3:8).

James. 3:8 Note 1: The tongue is like a deadly snake loaded with venom of hate and death-dealing gossip. Like the forked tongue of a serpent, man’s uncontrolled words give both praise and cursing. This just should not be.

Only through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can control our words (Lk. 12:12; 1 Cor. 2:12-13). Without God’s power, we cannot know or share the Word of God.

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Prov. 21:23 Notes:

Like A Watchman

Proverbs 21:23 (NASB) —He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.

Prov. 21:23 Note 1: Guards or Keepeth (KJV): Is from an old Hebrew word “shamar” (shaw-mar’) that means to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; to protect, attend to, etc. To be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep, preserve, like a watchman.

Prov. 21:23 Note 2: Proverbs 6:2 says that we are snared and taken by the words of our mouths. So, if we stop saying stupid things, we will keep our souls (mind, will, and emotions) from being in trouble. This doesn’t mean we completely clam up, because there is good that comes from our words too (Prov. 18:21). We should speak; we just need to choose our words carefully.

We not only have to guard against the words we speak, but we must condemn the negative words spoken against us (Isaiah 54:17).

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Prov. 10:19-21 Notes

Less Blab

Prov. 10:19-21 (KJV) —In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. [20] The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. [21] The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Prov. 10:19 Note 1: One way to keep sin from the words we say is to talk less. The more we talk, the higher chance of saying something wrong. Wise people listen more than they talk (Prov. 17:27-28; James 1:19, and 3:2).

Prov. 10:20 Note 1: The right use of words is like choice silver. We need to speak words of life (Prov. 18:20-21). If we are more aware of the consequence of our words, we will choose our words more wisely.

Prov. 10:21 Note 1: Words of a person who is right with God can benefit many others, but a fool can’t grasp the truth himself, much less be a help to others.

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Prov. 18:21 Notes

Eat Your Words

Prov. 18:21 (KJV) —Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Prov. 18:21 Note 1: Death and life, the ultimate evil and good, are in “the power of the tongue.” This power affects people by the good or bad use of words. “They that love it,” love to talk, which often brings about sin (See Prov. 10:19; James 1:19.) And if they love what they say, good or bad, they shall eat the fruit thereof. They will be filled with either good or evil, according to their words (Prov. 18:20).

Prov. 18:21 Note 2: If you feel guilty by what you have said in the past. There is good news. The key is, do you love what you have said? “They that love it,” tells us, some don’t love what they have said. If you have used words of death; confess, repent, and be purified (1 John 1:9). You will eat the words you love. If we are glad about something said, that’s what goes into the belly.

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Mt. 12:36 Notes

Careless Words

Mt. 12:36 (KJV) —But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Mt. 12:36 Note 1: Many translations render the Greek word “argos”–which was translated “idle” here in the KJV–as “careless.” argos literally means “inactive, or unemployed.” The Amplified Bible says “inoperative, nonworking.” Idle words, are those words that we “carelessly” say without concern for their effect they have upon others.

Mt. 12:36 Note 2: Many careless words been spewed out in anger. “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20). The excuse, “Oh, I didn’t mean anything by that” will be just as “idle” when we stand before the Lord. We will be held accountable for our words. Our words are the true revelation of what’s in our hearts (Mt. 12:34).

Mt. 12:36 Note 3: Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” (1 Cor. 11:31) We should pray like David did in Ps 141:3, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Nothing can change what we have previously said, but, sin can be confessed, repented of, and forgiven. We can do something about what we may say in the future.

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1 Cor. 15:33 Notes:

Bad Company

1 Cor. 15:33 (KJV) —Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Deceived: Gk. planao (plan-ah’-o) Here it is used in the sense of deceiving oneself.

Evil: Gk. kakos (kak-os’) worthless, depraved, or injurious.

Communications: Gk. homilia (hom-il-ee’-ah) from (homilos); companionship (“homily”), i.e. (by implication) intercourse, communication.

The word “manners” was translated from the Greek word “ethos,” (ee’-thos) meaning “moral habits.”

1 Cor. 15:33 Note 1: The specific “communications” that Paul was warning the Corinthians against are the ones that encourage us to just eat and drink because we are going to die tomorrow with no hope of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:32). That would pretty much characterize most communication of the lost in our world today.

In context, Paul was continuing to argue for the resurrection. He was saying that the foolish talk and actions of those who were denying the resurrection so they could indulge themselves, had corrupted the faith of these Corinthians. They needed to disassociate themselves. Paul compared the immorality in the church to yeast in bread (5:6). Here he quotes the famous third-century B.C. Athenian writer, Menander, to show that “Bad company corrupts good morals (NET).”

This truth is brought out many places in Scripture, that association with evildoers tends to corrupt us. Some reject this, thinking that if one is really strong, association with evil can’t hurt. Paul said we are deceived if we think that.

1 Cor. 15:33 Note 2: All of us encounter evil. We are the salt of the earth, and we need to get out of the shaker to do any good. But our contact with the world has to be controlled. We need to be the ones doing the ministering, not the other way around (See Acts 19:9). Some may ask, “Why that is?” “It seems like the evil should be more influenced by the good.” Well, just as disease is contagious but health isn’t, and fat comes easier than muscle, so evil seems to be easier to achieve than good.

1 Cor. 15:33 Note 3: Paul warned Timothy about Hymenaeus and Philetus, who were telling others that the resurrection was already past. They believed that Jesus was resurrected but no one else would be. Paul said their words were like a cancer that would infect others (2 Tim. 2:16-18). Paul considered Hymenaeus’ speech blasphemy and turned him over to Satan (1 Tim. 1:20). Part of turning a person over to Satan was the withdrawal of fellowship from the body of believers (See Mt. 18:17).

Abraham’s nephew, Lot is an Old Testament example of a righteous man who was corrupted through his association with the ungodly (2 Pet. 2:7-9 and Gen. 19).

The word “evil” in this verse was translated from the Greek word “kakos.” which means “worthless, depraved,” or “injurious.” It encompasses much more than what many people think of as evil. Worthless communications also corrupt good manners. Therefore, it is not just extreme evil that we need to beware of, but all the vain, useless, and worthless speech and actions of others can affect us too (Mt. 12:36-37).

1 Cor. 15:33 Note 4: Life and death are in the power of not only our tongues but also everybody’s (Prov. 18:21). We need to be careful of the things we hear and the things we see, because they do influence our morals.

The word “communications” here means more than just the words we speak. The Greek word that was used in this verse is “homilia,” and it means “companionship or (by implication) intercourse.” This is about association, an interchange of ideas, whether it is seeing or hearing.

The word “manners” was translated from the Greek word “ethos,” meaning “moral habits.” Paul was saying that our morals are affected by the associations we keep. People cannot continually associate with evil without it corrupting their morals.

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2 Tim. 2:16-18 Notes

Amputate

2 Tim. 2:16-18 (NIV) —Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. [17] Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, [18] who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

2 Tim. 2:16 Note 1: Paul told Timothy to avoid godless chatter, literally, “shun profane empty utterances;” (See 1 Tim. 6:20)

2 Tim. 2:17 Note 1: False teaching advances like gangrene (Gk. gangraina). Avoid those who speak such profane speculations or you give their words a breading ground like gangrene.

2 Tim. 2:18 Note 1: They must be amputated, like Paul “delivered over to Satan” Hymenaeus and Philetus, who wandered away from the truth (1 Tim. 1:20).

Greek philosophers scoffed at the idea of a physical resurrection. They viewed the soul as immortal and the body as its temporary prison. The soul’s only hope of release was on good behavior. So, the idea of physical resurrection of the body was foreign and difficult for them to accept. So, it was natural for them to tend toward teachings which rejected bodily resurrection (1 Cor.15; Acts 17:32). The heresies of Hymenaeus and Philetus probably included the idea that resurrection was purely spiritual which occurred at conversion or baptism. No wonder Paul said these guys had destroyed the faith of some. Physical resurrection is a keystone of Christian doctrine as Paul explains in First Corinthians 15. Without the resurrection, the entire structure of the gospel falls apart.

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Eph. 5:4 Notes

Not Fitting

Eph. 5:4 (NKJV) –neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Eph. 5:4 Note 1: Filthiness: Gk. aischrotes (ahee-skhrot’-ace) shamefulness, i.e. obscenity, all that is contrary to purity. Foolish talking: Gk. morologia (mo-rol-og-ee’-ah) literally means “silly talk, i.e. buffoonery.” Jesting: Read at least the first 20 verses of this chapter, to keep this verse in context. Paul is not against humor, but unsuitable and unclean jesting. Some jesting is convenient, meaning “fitting and proper; suitable” (American Heritage Dictionary). Joking with a person in an appropriate way can be very useful to building relationships. Jesting with a person in an inappropriate way can be damaging. If the person you are kidding doesn’t like it, it is inappropriate.

Eph. 5:4 Note 2: Paul listed some vises, (Eph. 5:3) that are “not fitting for the saints.” He included in this verse prohibited speech. His list includes filthiness (Gk. aischros); shamefulness, i.e. obscenity. The Greek word, morologia, that was translated “foolish talking” literally means “silly talk, buffoonery, stupid words.” Silliness is not a godly trait. This is not to say that there is no place for joy and fun in the Christian life. Jesus Himself was anointed with the oil of gladness more than anyone around Him (Heb. 1:9). Jesus had a good time, but He never used silly or stupid talk.

Eph. 5:4 Note 3: Paul mentioned “jesting.” (Gk. eutrapelia) Coarse jesting or joking, “vulgar, frivolous wit”—are out of place for Jesus’ followers because it is so often harmful (See Eph. 4:29), but thanksgiving is appreciation for others and is helpful. Again, Paul was not saying that humor itself is sin, but that it is wrong when used to tear down others. Dirty jokes and sexual innuendos should make you change the channel. Don’t be a part of it!

Eph. 5:4 Note 3: Thanksgiving is the opposite of filthiness, foolish talking, and inappropriate jesting. Thanksgiving takes humility. Proud people aren’t thankful; they only think of themselves. All the things Paul was condemning in these verses are rooted in selfishness. If the motive is to bless others, then jesting will be appropriate and not the type Paul was rebuking here.

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Prov. 8:6-9 Notes

Listen To Wisdom

Prov. 8:6-9 (NIV) –Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. [7] My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. [8] All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. [9] To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

Prov. 8:6 Note 1: Listen to Wisdom’s trustworthy things. The Hebrew word means; of princely things, things worthy of princes to learn and practice; or something that excels common things as much as princes do ordinary people.

Prov. 8:7 Note 1: Wisdom’s mouth speaks, in Hebrew; after meditation, not hastily. She says, “My lips detest wickedness:” She hates to speak it.

Prov. 8:8 Note 1: All my precepts, promises, and warnings. None of them crooked or perverse; unlike what you will hear in the world.

Prov. 8:9 Note 1: To the discerning; it is evident the words of Wisdom are, right, just and good. We must study Wisdom’s words and diligently use them. Our minds have been enlightened by the Spirit of God (Eph.1:15-23). Those who have knowledge; and are truly wise and discerning people, are taught of God. Amen.

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