Power of the Tongue by Wilbur G. Mc Keen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 20, 1913

Power of the Tongue

By Wilbur G. Mc Keen

WILBUR G. MC KEEN

The greatest victory that any person can achieve is spoken of in Prov. 16:32: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

We can not become mighty by taking a city, but by the help of the Lord we may be better in the sight of God than the one who accomplishes such an undertaking. God has said, “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” Prov. 29:20. We always consider the fools hopeless. How then must God look upon us when we are hasty in our speech? I find these words in “Testimonies for the Church:” “We can have the salvation of God in our families, but we must believe for it, live for it, and have a continual, abiding faith and trust in God. We must subdue a hasty temper, and control our words; and in this we shall gain great victories. Unless we control our words and temper, we are slaves to Satan. We are in subjection to him. He leads us captive. All jangling, and unpleasant, impatient, fretful words are an offering presented to his satanic majesty. And it is a costly offering, more costly than any sacrifice we can make for God; for it destroys the peace and happiness of whole families, destroys health, and is eventually the cause of forfeiting an eternal life of happiness.”—Vol. I, page 310.

We are admonished by the Word to “cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” Ps. 37:8. The American Revised Version has it: “Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing.” Whether we control our tongue or not is a test of our religion; for we read, “If any among you seem to be religious, and brideth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” James 1:26. Such a one is self-deceived. It

is a solemn thought that we may think ourselves on the right track, and at last, when it is too late, find that we have been deceived.

David said: “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle.” Ps. 39:1. That is a resolution we should all make, relying on the strength of God to enable us to keep it. This is a question of the utmost importance, for Christ says: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. 12:36, 37.

It is remarkable that our divine Master, in telling us of the coming judgment, makes the final destiny of all men to depend upon whether in this world they have exercised or have not exercised the grace of kindness. We are not done with life as we live it. We shall meet it all again, not only the great things we do, but the little things. Even our lightest words take their place among the fixed things of life, and will be recalled in the judgment.

“Jesus said, ‘Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.’ He does not say every wrong or evil word, but every useless, purposeless, or frivolous word. The meaning is that the smallest things in life, both evil and good, will be taken account of in the judgment.”—“The Beauty of Kindness,” pages 9, 10.

“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. . . . The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” James 3:2-6.

What shall we do with this unruly member? No man can tame it. In Col. 1:9-11, we have the promise that we shall be “strengthened with all might, according to his [Christ’s] glorious power.” He has overcome every sin for us; so if we will accept this proffered power, we may have the victory over every sin, including this one of an unruly tongue that pours forth evil or idle words. Let us remember that “a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.” Prov. 15:1, 2.

The Christian should have an object in view in his conversation. “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. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:29, 30. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Col. 4:6.

Certain kinds of speech should never be indulged in by the followers of Christ. “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” Eph. 5:3, 4.

“Those who profess to believe the third angel’s message often wound the cause of God by lightness, joking, and trifling. I was shown that this evil was all through our ranks. There should be a humbling before the Lord; the Israel of God should rend the heart, and not the garment. Childlike simplicity is rarely seen; the approbation of man is more thought of than the displeasure of God.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. I, page 133.

Melrose, Mass.