But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
No human power can tame the tongue, for it is a restless evil full of deadly poison that no person can control by human strength alone. Though even wild beasts can be tamed, the tongue remains untamed, a small member that boasts great things, like a fire that stains the whole body and sets the whole course of life ablaze with fire from hell. The same mouth blesses God and curses people made in His likeness, which ought not to happen, and full control of speech marks a mature person able to bridle the whole body. Its poison works through gossip, backbiting, faultfinding, retaliation, suspicion, and words that sow doubt, which take root from mind to mind, alienate brethren, wound souls, hinder God's work, and can destroy faith for time and eternity. Victory comes only through Christ by humbling the heart, conversion, and the control of the Holy Spirit, which transforms character, disciplines the mind and heart from which speech flows, and makes the tongue a savor of life unto life for persuading, blessing, comforting, and winning souls.
Words and Context
The tongue cannot be tamed by any human being through human power, for it is a restless and unruly evil filled with deadly poison. Even the wild beasts of the forest can be brought under control, yet no person by himself can bring the tongue under control. Victory over the desire to speak hasty, unchristlike words comes only through Christ, and when in His strength a person refuses to give voice to Satan's suggestions the plant of bitterness in the heart withers and dies so that the Holy Spirit can make the tongue a savor of life unto life.
The tongue is small yet boasts great things, acting as a fire and a world of wrongdoing and iniquity that stains the whole body and the whole life and sets the entire course of life ablaze with fire from hell. Its power is to harm, defile, and set destruction in motion, pouring out words of unbelief and darkness, doubts and questionings and much talk that surround the hearer almost continually. A person with too little moral power and strong tendencies to unbelief is in special danger from such talk, pitied by heavenly angels while surrounded with darkness, and if he allows his faith to be affected by it and seeks to compromise with embittered opposers to make life easier he will soon become all darkness and doubt and unbelief with no light or strength in the truth. Its evil is also done when a person who sees selfishness or unfair dealing feels strongly and talks about it, arousing dissatisfaction where none existed, manifesting offense by deportment from a spirit of retaliation, cherishing bitter feelings foreign to Christ's spirit, and indulging anger, resentment and all unkind tempers by speaking against those who displease and reciting the errors, failings and sins of neighbors to gratify hurtful desires.
The same mouth can bless God and curse people made in God's likeness, sending forth opposite kinds of speech, but this contradiction ought not to happen. Complete control of speech marks a mature person able to bridle the whole body, while the untamed tongue belongs to bitter envying and strife, to judging and censuring brethren, and to claiming spiritual knowledge while cherishing an unchristlike spirit. In contrast, wise conduct shows meekness, and the wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful, and free from partiality and hypocrisy, producing pure, peaceful, gentle, merciful words and actions rather than envy and strife. Speech and conduct are fruits that show whether a person belongs to Christ, just as a tree and a spring produce according to their nature, and only by the Lord's help can thoughts and words be brought into subjection to Christ so that believers put away unkind criticism and live together in Christian unity.
The chapter is to be read carefully because God's requirements are plain and forceful so that no one need mistake the way, yet understanding and obeying them requires the Holy Spirit and constant dependence on Christ's power. Its principles for what to do and what not to do in speech and conduct toward God and one another are the same principles God spoke from the pillar of cloud in Deuteronomy 4, requiring loving as brethren, doing no injustice, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy. They are sacred truth expressing the mind of the infinite God and the principles of His law, they never lose their force, every word is to be cherished, and they are to be preached and acted out in principle in all religious service, while departing from them in action misrepresents the character of God.
Deadly Harm of Tongue
The tongue holds power for great harm as well as for good, for its words can set nations against one another and kindle lasting conflict, war and bloodshed. The same gift can bring comfort, blessing and joy, and when it conveys God's words it can lead hearers to sorrow and repentance. Words that sow discord through selfishness and jealousy work against God and grieve the Holy Spirit, underscoring the responsibility to guard speech and to distinguish righteous speech from deceitful, harmful speech.
Cruel, hard, passionate words harm the souls of those who utter them and the souls of hearers, especially children, beating down God's workmanship like hailstones. They beat upon the heart through the ear to awaken the worst passions of the soul and tempt men and women to break God's commandments. Unjust, untrue words, especially from professed believers, pierce heart and brain and bruise souls trying to serve God, causing sadness and pain to those who love God and seek to do His will. Those who use the tongue freely in this way become tools for Satan's devising to hurt souls, and the Lord has a controversy with them.
Its poison works through gossip, tattling, whispering, meddling, faultfinding and needless talk. Such talk includes falsehood, exaggeration and distortion, publishing evil that is known or merely suspected, and turning truth into falsehood to harm others. Jealousy, hatred and curiosity can drive this speech, and suspicion, distrust and insinuations turn even innocent words into occasions for evil.
It works through speaking against brothers and sisters, backbiting, murmuring, and spreading false or inaccurate reports. It sways those who do not know them, judges and accuses them from a limited human standpoint, misunderstanding self and others while led astray by imagination and feeling. Such use defiles the speaker, stains Christian character, divides brethren, serves Satan as accuser, and can undo efforts to help another's spiritual life. The spot left in character must be removed by reform and overcoming.
It works through retaliation and resentment, when one who sees selfishness or unfair dealing feels strongly and talks about it. That talk arouses dissatisfaction where none existed, manifests offense, cherishes bitter feelings and unkind tempers foreign to the spirit of Christ, and recites the errors, failings and sins of neighbors to gratify hurtful desires. This misuse is a greater sin than the selfishness that provoked it and comes from expecting too much from others.
Set on fire over trifling matters, it watches for evil, creates unjust suspicion, talks over grievances, catches at supposed evil and feeds upon it and rolls it as a sweet morsel. It presents every act of brethren in a distorted, perverted, bitter light with words full of bitterness. Its poison plants bitter, fibrous roots in the hearts of others that create suspicion, strengthen distrust, poison faith and defile souls. It alienates brother from brother, lays stumbling blocks before those whose hands hang down and whose knees are feeble, destroys their chance of recovery, and hinders the work God desires to be done. Those who so use the tongue become the enemy's best agents and allies of the accuser of the brethren day and night, while declaring no one perfect only gives greatest evidence of the speaker's own imperfection.
Words that sow doubt, unbelief, darkness and questioning can take root like seeds, spread from mind to mind through further speech, and later produce unbelief and apostasy when circumstances allow. Harsh, censorious, suspicious, discouraging and unadvised words can spiritually destroy struggling tempted people, make them stumble and fall, and contribute to their loss for time and eternity. One with too little moral power and strong tendencies to unbelief is in special danger when surrounded almost continually by words of unbelief, doubts, questionings and much talk, and if faith is affected and compromise is sought to make life easier, darkness, doubt and unbelief soon follow with no light or strength in the truth. Their harmful effects may persist even after the first speaker has overcome his own error and cannot be undone by later association or effort.
Persecuting tongues that attack one and then another with suspicions, envies, jealousies, censuring, backbiting and falsehood cultivate the worst traits of character and murder character. They can send others to death, love and choose an atmosphere of hell, and show the Satan side of character. To indulge this is to add influence to the cry, Crucify him, Crucify him, instead of practicing kindness and love by dwelling on good traits with a tender, pitiful, kind spirit and rejoicing in the truth rather than in iniquity.
Taming Only by God
No human power can tame the tongue, though even wild beasts can be tamed, and victory over the desire to speak hasty, unchristlike words comes only through Christ. When in His strength a person refuses to give voice to Satan's suggestions, the plant of bitterness in the heart withers and dies. Then the Holy Spirit can make the tongue a savor of life unto life, a source of life.
Overcoming requires humbling the proud heart before God and casting the self on Jesus Christ, living under the control of the Holy Spirit. God does the work when people come to Him with contrite hearts, humble supplication and believing faith and prayer. Then words become as seeds planted that bring forth fruit unto eternal life. With His help they must restrain speech, talk less and pray more, and govern and bridle the tongue. A household can guard against unkind or passionate words by agreeing that anyone who speaks them will make a small trespass offering.
Divine grace is the only hope for taming the tongue so that it obeys an enlightened conscience and holy affections. Without it Satan will keep the tongue active in his service if possible, for words exert a telling power. With it conversation becomes free from levity, pride and malice, deceit and impurity, and without guile before God, showing its works with meekness of wisdom instead of striving for pre-eminence.
Taming the tongue means entire transformation of character through conversion, with Christ formed within as the hope of glory bringing forth fruits unto righteousness. It requires daily conversion, being crucified with Christ, drawing sap and nourishment from the True Vine to bear genuine fruit. Thoughts must turn to feed upon the Word of God, which cleanses from unjust suspicions, being swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. The heart must be purified and made fit for the Holy Spirit, cleansed as if touched with cleansing fire, as with hot coals of juniper. When Christ dwells in the heart, words can be pure and uplifting, drawing on what He imparts, while frivolous joking, jesting, joking hilarity and glee, and reckless speech hinder spiritual growth, grieve angels, dishonor Christ and show the heart needs cleansing. Cleansing the heart of everything that lessens influence for good and saving words to comfort and encourage and bless brings charity which is love, true elevation, and a better Christian experience.
In practice, when tempted to speak passionately, angrily or unjustly, a person should hold back words, keep silent, bridle the tongue, control careless speech, speak less, and pray earnestly before speaking. Strength sought in prayer gives victory over hasty and harmful speech, and heavenly angels will help resist the evil influence that would lead to dishonoring God and harming the soul. Words are recorded and must be faced unless washed away by Christ's blood, while sincere repentance is accepted.
The tongue is disciplined only by disciplining the mind, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Thoughts must be guarded and feelings controlled, so that speech is such that heaven can approve. This requires a solemn resolve to speak only words pleasing to God, refusing discouraging words, evil speaking, backbiting, and implanting seeds of doubt, and refusing to cherish or express unbelief. Through the help Christ gives, the tongue can be learned to be bridled, following His example, who though sorely tried on the point of hasty and angry speech never sinned with His lips but met sneers, taunts and ridicule with patient calmness, answering by singing psalms until His companions joined Him.
Speech and Character
Speech reveals character, just as a tree and a spring produce according to their own nature. Jealousy, suspicion, selfishness and other inward corruption shown in words dishonor God and hinder His work, while purity of heart and nobleness of character are revealed in pure, noble speech. The same mouth blessing God and cursing people made in God's likeness is a contradiction that ought not to occur, and wise conduct instead shows meekness, with the wisdom from above pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful and free from hypocrisy. Divine grace is the only hope for taming the tongue so that it obeys an enlightened conscience and holy affections, with conversation free from levity, pride, malice, deceit and impurity and without guile. Tamed speech is used to encourage one another, to express gratitude for God's goodness, mercy and love in giving His Son, and to offer pure praise that may convict unbelievers.
Speech and conduct are fruits showing whether a person belongs to Christ. Gossip and faultfinding stir up dissension and reveal evil character. An untamed tongue talks too much and does much mischief, becoming a world of wrongdoing that changes the course of life for self and others, stirs up strife, kindles fire, and delights in the evil fruit and conflagration that follow. It lacks peace, harmony, wisdom and true humbleness of mind, has no part in the truth, and even uses truth to raise opposition, arouse combativeness and make war, giving itself to sporting and joking and hilarity and glee which the Word of God does not sustain. Satan works to keep the tongue active in his service because words exert a telling power, striving for preeminence instead of showing works with meekness of wisdom. Taming means words become select and well chosen, used with wisdom, peace and humility rather than to provoke opposition, with Christ formed within as the hope of glory bringing forth fruits unto righteousness.
The tongue must be entirely controlled through self-education in carefulness of words and acts. Leaving speech unfettered is self-deception, and restraining and gauging words and actions is not hypocrisy. Control must be carefully considered, laid to heart and built into character, studied, taken to heart and put into daily practice. Such careful speech and conduct are necessary to live out the principles of the Ten Commandments in daily life and to stand without fault before the throne of God.
People are strongly influenced by their own words, which shape thoughts and actions and affect others. Unwise words and hasty decisions can lead into a wrong course and wound souls. Pride may keep a person from taking back words after wiser reflection, so their harmful results continue. When tempted to speak passionately, a person should hold back words and pray before speaking, and heavenly angels will help resist the evil influence that would dishonor God and harm the soul.
Words are recorded and must be faced unless washed away by Christ's blood, while sincere repentance is accepted. People will answer to God for careless speech, including harsh, dishonest and exaggerated words that wound. Giving way to temper, passion, and thoughtless, hard, spiteful, angry and bitter words is sin that grieves angels and drives them from the household. Such daily exhibitions of uncontrolled speech leave a fearful spotted record against Christian character for the judgment. Only the grace of God and firm reliance on Christ's blood can efface the spots and give a clean record. Controlling the tongue is necessary to be refined, purified, made white and tried, to be hidden in the day of trouble, and to be made fit society for angels and Jesus, since nothing but purity, honesty and holiness can enter the realms of peace. Speech must therefore be treated as a sacred trust and used for good: to encourage the discouraged, show kindness, share Christ's love, and help win souls.
Eternal life depends not on words or profession but on earnest works, so the heart must be kept with all diligence while looking to Jesus as Author and Finisher of faith. Taming the tongue requires watching over it with decided, diligent, earnest effort. It means watching for opportunities to do good as Jesus did, preaching Christ and bringing His heavenly graces into life and thought. It means being truthful, staying ever under the discipline of the Word of God, being saved in God's appointed way by leaning on His counsel and uniting in His works, keeping a penitent and sensitive heart, and building a well-built character after the divine pattern.
Faithful Use in Daily Life
In the home evil thinking and evil speaking must be put away as leaven that produces contention, alienation and strife, for every harsh and passionate word grieves Jesus and hurts the heart of both speaker and hearer. Angry, trifling, thoughtless, hard, spiteful and bitter words have no place in the Christian home because nothing of that character finds place in the home above, and without restraint people become enslaved to evil and bring discord and harm to their families. Giving way to temper, passion and impatient, fretful speech destroys family peace, health and happiness and endangers eternal life, while restraint through God's word with strength from an indwelling Saviour makes right speech possible and brings peace and growth in grace. Such daily exhibitions grieve God's angels and drive them from the household, and leave a spotted record against Christian character for the judgment.
Parents must spend time each day in private prayer asking for wisdom, lest self-importance take possession of them and they give the talent of speech into the control of the enemy. In the home circle generous, gracious, Christlike words are of more value than any earthly treasure, while criticism, faultfinding, scandal and unkind words make trouble and discord. Children closely follow the example adults set in words and actions, and the way parents speak teaches children how to speak. A household can guard against unkind or passionate words by agreeing that anyone who speaks them will make a small trespass offering, and when tempted to speak cross words prayer for grace to resist must be offered.
In the church speech must represent Christ by building one another up in the most holy faith and helping one another day by day to grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ, and in that work the door is closed to the enemy. Ministers especially must keep under Christ's orders to build up and not tear down, speaking only words under the Holy Spirit that soften and subdue and heal mind, spirit and soul rather than aggravate and discourage fellow workers. The untamed tongue appears in envy, evil thinking and evil speaking, watching others, evil surmising, finding fault, striving for supremacy, running others down to build self up, and magnifying small mistakes. Such speaking sows seeds that grow into a harvest of evils, hinders God from working with workers, closes mission fields, separates close friends, drives the Lord's joy from the church, and leaves a root of bitterness and rubbish of disunion that corrodes, defiles many and turns the lame out of the way.
Wrong use of the tongue causing distraction and wickedness must be confessed, pride conquered, the soul humbled, and reconciliation sought at once by going directly to the injured one so old wounds are healed by grace, for vindicating a harsh course never improves character. The remedy is to humble the heart before God and confess the sins of the tongue. An unbridled tongue that visits and talks, speaks evil, sows doubt and infidelity, and leaves disagreeable and untruthful impressions plants irritation, evil-surmising, murmuring, faultfinding and disaffection, breaks up unity, defiles the church, counterworks the minister and dishonors God's name, and must be kept as with a bridle. Those disaffected who will not harmonize after faithful labor and the steps required by Christ must be separated and suspended, with sympathizers who choose the wrong side after patient instruction, or must either keep the tongue as with a bridle or find some other place to worship, for their influence for evil cannot have the sanction of the church or God's approval.
The one who gives himself up to faultfinding neglects his own precious soul, and those who see that unchristlike work and allow it to go on unrebuked are themselves accountable before God for injury to their brethren. Those who visit from house to house must not use words that encourage weakness, alienation and strife or sow seeds of doubt that unsettle the little faith many members have, but words that diffuse faith and piety and encourage faith and hope. Believers must guard, discipline and bridle the tongue, refusing discouraging words, evil speaking, backbiting, implanting seeds of doubt, and cherishing or expressing unbelief, with solemn resolve to speak only words pleasing to God. Unconsidered words, especially when repeated or taken out of context, can leave false impressions and injure others, and in the workplace careless suggestions and impulsive ideas can unsettle the inexperienced and set harmful thoughts in motion, so Christians should keep the tongue bridled, speak only when there is real need, and ensure words reflect God's mind and truth.
Differences of opinion should be yielded unless a question of vital importance is involved, conversation must never include matters that create strife, and personal differences should be kept to oneself and told only to God. Even winning a point by argument does harm when it places a heavy burden on another that outweighs any advantage gained, because harsh words inflict wounds that are hard to heal and strife hurts the speaker's own soul and the souls of others. Neglecting personal refinement of speech allows self to take supremacy, dishonors the Spirit of God, and keeps some people from being reached by sermons and prayers. When sanctified by the Holy Spirit the talent of speech becomes a sacred trust and powerful gift for good, to persuade, pray, praise God, share thoughts of the Redeemer's love, sow truth in hearts, encourage the discouraged, show kindness, share Christ's love, comfort, bless and help win souls. Christians should use words to express gratitude for God's goodness, mercy and love in giving His Son and to offer pure praise that may convict unbelievers, for judicious use of speech greatly influences others for good and preserves peace, while cleansing the heart of everything that lessens influence for good brings love, true elevation and better Christian experience.
The tongue belongs to God and must be sanctified, and this work must begin in the heart, the source of affection, bringing it under His control. Suspicion, distrust, gossip and insinuations misuse the tongue and turn innocent words into occasions for evil, while frivolous joking hinders spiritual growth and grieves God's angels. Jesting, joking and reckless speech dishonor Christ and show the heart needs cleansing, so Christians must guard their words and reprove speech that dishonors Him, with Christ dwelling in the heart making words pure and uplifting. The tongue cannot be safely left unrestrained or given free action, for speech is a frequent source of sin and people must be careful both in what they say and in what they listen to. Thoughtless or excessive talk can weary and hurt others while reflective silence may better honor God, so speech should be chosen to encourage, bless and uplift rather than dishonor God, for words spoken without God's Spirit do mischief, confuse listeners, dishonor God and make speech untrustworthy.
The way people treat fellow church members shows how they would speak in heaven, and unless they change they are not fit to enter there. Controlling the tongue is necessary to be refined, purified, made white and tried, to be hid in the day of trouble and made fit society for angels and Jesus, since nothing but purity, honesty and holiness can enter the realms of peace. The sin of gossip, tattling, faultfinding and needless talk, including falsehood, exaggeration and distortion, must be overcome by speaking less and praying earnestly for grace to develop Christian character, or it will overcome the person and leave them unfit for heaven. Direct address among believers is needed, with extended preaching and plain reproof of individual wrongs of speech, since reacting to reproof with much talking, crying and finding fault only proves how much the reproof is needed.
Declaring no one perfect while giving way to questioning and finding fault with everything and with every man's teaching is an untamed evil that puts a person on the devil's ground as accuser, gives greatest evidence of the speaker's own imperfection, and calls for severe self-criticism instead of criticism, ceasing accusation and turning to Christ. Speech that complains, distorts others' words and stirs anger spreads envy, hatred and strife, set on fire of hell inflaming passion. Left free, the false tongue causes sadness and pain to souls who love God and are trying to do His will, piercing heart and brain and bruising souls trying to serve God, and those who use it freely become tools for Satan's devising with whom the Lord has a controversy, though Christ's grace is available every moment to guard and protect. Unadvised, faultfinding and accusing words against fellow believers injure minds and hearts, damage Christian confidence, express distrust of God, and can undo efforts to help another's spiritual life. Evil speech such as criticism, faultfinding and scandal causes contention, alienation, strife and discord in families and churches, and the tongue must be brought under God's control with speech honoring the Saviour, turning profane use to praise, restraining unkind discourteous words and speaking respectfully to others.
No human power can tame the tongue, for it is a restless evil full of deadly poison that no person can control by human strength alone. Though even wild beasts can be tamed, the tongue remains untamed, a small member that boasts great things, like a fire that stains the whole body and sets the whole course of life ablaze with fire from hell. The same mouth blesses God and curses people made in His likeness, which ought not to happen, and full control of speech marks a mature person able to bridle the whole body. Its poison works through gossip, backbiting, faultfinding, retaliation, suspicion, and words that sow doubt, which take root from mind to mind, alienate brethren, wound souls, hinder God's work, and can destroy faith for time and eternity. Victory comes only through Christ by humbling the heart, conversion, and the control of the Holy Spirit, which transforms character, disciplines the mind and heart from which speech flows, and makes the tongue a savor of life unto life for persuading, blessing, comforting, and winning souls.
Words and Context
The tongue cannot be tamed by any human being through human power, for it is a restless and unruly evil filled with deadly poison. Even the wild beasts of the forest can be brought under control, yet no person by himself can bring the tongue under control. Victory over the desire to speak hasty, unchristlike words comes only through Christ, and when in His strength a person refuses to give voice to Satan's suggestions the plant of bitterness in the heart withers and dies so that the Holy Spirit can make the tongue a savor of life unto life.
The tongue is small yet boasts great things, acting as a fire and a world of wrongdoing and iniquity that stains the whole body and the whole life and sets the entire course of life ablaze with fire from hell. Its power is to harm, defile, and set destruction in motion, pouring out words of unbelief and darkness, doubts and questionings and much talk that surround the hearer almost continually. A person with too little moral power and strong tendencies to unbelief is in special danger from such talk, pitied by heavenly angels while surrounded with darkness, and if he allows his faith to be affected by it and seeks to compromise with embittered opposers to make life easier he will soon become all darkness and doubt and unbelief with no light or strength in the truth. Its evil is also done when a person who sees selfishness or unfair dealing feels strongly and talks about it, arousing dissatisfaction where none existed, manifesting offense by deportment from a spirit of retaliation, cherishing bitter feelings foreign to Christ's spirit, and indulging anger, resentment and all unkind tempers by speaking against those who displease and reciting the errors, failings and sins of neighbors to gratify hurtful desires.
The same mouth can bless God and curse people made in God's likeness, sending forth opposite kinds of speech, but this contradiction ought not to happen. Complete control of speech marks a mature person able to bridle the whole body, while the untamed tongue belongs to bitter envying and strife, to judging and censuring brethren, and to claiming spiritual knowledge while cherishing an unchristlike spirit. In contrast, wise conduct shows meekness, and the wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful, and free from partiality and hypocrisy, producing pure, peaceful, gentle, merciful words and actions rather than envy and strife. Speech and conduct are fruits that show whether a person belongs to Christ, just as a tree and a spring produce according to their nature, and only by the Lord's help can thoughts and words be brought into subjection to Christ so that believers put away unkind criticism and live together in Christian unity.
The chapter is to be read carefully because God's requirements are plain and forceful so that no one need mistake the way, yet understanding and obeying them requires the Holy Spirit and constant dependence on Christ's power. Its principles for what to do and what not to do in speech and conduct toward God and one another are the same principles God spoke from the pillar of cloud in Deuteronomy 4, requiring loving as brethren, doing no injustice, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy. They are sacred truth expressing the mind of the infinite God and the principles of His law, they never lose their force, every word is to be cherished, and they are to be preached and acted out in principle in all religious service, while departing from them in action misrepresents the character of God.
Deadly Harm of Tongue
The tongue holds power for great harm as well as for good, for its words can set nations against one another and kindle lasting conflict, war and bloodshed. The same gift can bring comfort, blessing and joy, and when it conveys God's words it can lead hearers to sorrow and repentance. Words that sow discord through selfishness and jealousy work against God and grieve the Holy Spirit, underscoring the responsibility to guard speech and to distinguish righteous speech from deceitful, harmful speech.
Cruel, hard, passionate words harm the souls of those who utter them and the souls of hearers, especially children, beating down God's workmanship like hailstones. They beat upon the heart through the ear to awaken the worst passions of the soul and tempt men and women to break God's commandments. Unjust, untrue words, especially from professed believers, pierce heart and brain and bruise souls trying to serve God, causing sadness and pain to those who love God and seek to do His will. Those who use the tongue freely in this way become tools for Satan's devising to hurt souls, and the Lord has a controversy with them.
Its poison works through gossip, tattling, whispering, meddling, faultfinding and needless talk. Such talk includes falsehood, exaggeration and distortion, publishing evil that is known or merely suspected, and turning truth into falsehood to harm others. Jealousy, hatred and curiosity can drive this speech, and suspicion, distrust and insinuations turn even innocent words into occasions for evil.
It works through speaking against brothers and sisters, backbiting, murmuring, and spreading false or inaccurate reports. It sways those who do not know them, judges and accuses them from a limited human standpoint, misunderstanding self and others while led astray by imagination and feeling. Such use defiles the speaker, stains Christian character, divides brethren, serves Satan as accuser, and can undo efforts to help another's spiritual life. The spot left in character must be removed by reform and overcoming.
It works through retaliation and resentment, when one who sees selfishness or unfair dealing feels strongly and talks about it. That talk arouses dissatisfaction where none existed, manifests offense, cherishes bitter feelings and unkind tempers foreign to the spirit of Christ, and recites the errors, failings and sins of neighbors to gratify hurtful desires. This misuse is a greater sin than the selfishness that provoked it and comes from expecting too much from others.
Set on fire over trifling matters, it watches for evil, creates unjust suspicion, talks over grievances, catches at supposed evil and feeds upon it and rolls it as a sweet morsel. It presents every act of brethren in a distorted, perverted, bitter light with words full of bitterness. Its poison plants bitter, fibrous roots in the hearts of others that create suspicion, strengthen distrust, poison faith and defile souls. It alienates brother from brother, lays stumbling blocks before those whose hands hang down and whose knees are feeble, destroys their chance of recovery, and hinders the work God desires to be done. Those who so use the tongue become the enemy's best agents and allies of the accuser of the brethren day and night, while declaring no one perfect only gives greatest evidence of the speaker's own imperfection.
Words that sow doubt, unbelief, darkness and questioning can take root like seeds, spread from mind to mind through further speech, and later produce unbelief and apostasy when circumstances allow. Harsh, censorious, suspicious, discouraging and unadvised words can spiritually destroy struggling tempted people, make them stumble and fall, and contribute to their loss for time and eternity. One with too little moral power and strong tendencies to unbelief is in special danger when surrounded almost continually by words of unbelief, doubts, questionings and much talk, and if faith is affected and compromise is sought to make life easier, darkness, doubt and unbelief soon follow with no light or strength in the truth. Their harmful effects may persist even after the first speaker has overcome his own error and cannot be undone by later association or effort.
Persecuting tongues that attack one and then another with suspicions, envies, jealousies, censuring, backbiting and falsehood cultivate the worst traits of character and murder character. They can send others to death, love and choose an atmosphere of hell, and show the Satan side of character. To indulge this is to add influence to the cry, Crucify him, Crucify him, instead of practicing kindness and love by dwelling on good traits with a tender, pitiful, kind spirit and rejoicing in the truth rather than in iniquity.
Taming Only by God
No human power can tame the tongue, though even wild beasts can be tamed, and victory over the desire to speak hasty, unchristlike words comes only through Christ. When in His strength a person refuses to give voice to Satan's suggestions, the plant of bitterness in the heart withers and dies. Then the Holy Spirit can make the tongue a savor of life unto life, a source of life.
Overcoming requires humbling the proud heart before God and casting the self on Jesus Christ, living under the control of the Holy Spirit. God does the work when people come to Him with contrite hearts, humble supplication and believing faith and prayer. Then words become as seeds planted that bring forth fruit unto eternal life. With His help they must restrain speech, talk less and pray more, and govern and bridle the tongue. A household can guard against unkind or passionate words by agreeing that anyone who speaks them will make a small trespass offering.
Divine grace is the only hope for taming the tongue so that it obeys an enlightened conscience and holy affections. Without it Satan will keep the tongue active in his service if possible, for words exert a telling power. With it conversation becomes free from levity, pride and malice, deceit and impurity, and without guile before God, showing its works with meekness of wisdom instead of striving for pre-eminence.
Taming the tongue means entire transformation of character through conversion, with Christ formed within as the hope of glory bringing forth fruits unto righteousness. It requires daily conversion, being crucified with Christ, drawing sap and nourishment from the True Vine to bear genuine fruit. Thoughts must turn to feed upon the Word of God, which cleanses from unjust suspicions, being swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. The heart must be purified and made fit for the Holy Spirit, cleansed as if touched with cleansing fire, as with hot coals of juniper. When Christ dwells in the heart, words can be pure and uplifting, drawing on what He imparts, while frivolous joking, jesting, joking hilarity and glee, and reckless speech hinder spiritual growth, grieve angels, dishonor Christ and show the heart needs cleansing. Cleansing the heart of everything that lessens influence for good and saving words to comfort and encourage and bless brings charity which is love, true elevation, and a better Christian experience.
In practice, when tempted to speak passionately, angrily or unjustly, a person should hold back words, keep silent, bridle the tongue, control careless speech, speak less, and pray earnestly before speaking. Strength sought in prayer gives victory over hasty and harmful speech, and heavenly angels will help resist the evil influence that would lead to dishonoring God and harming the soul. Words are recorded and must be faced unless washed away by Christ's blood, while sincere repentance is accepted.
The tongue is disciplined only by disciplining the mind, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Thoughts must be guarded and feelings controlled, so that speech is such that heaven can approve. This requires a solemn resolve to speak only words pleasing to God, refusing discouraging words, evil speaking, backbiting, and implanting seeds of doubt, and refusing to cherish or express unbelief. Through the help Christ gives, the tongue can be learned to be bridled, following His example, who though sorely tried on the point of hasty and angry speech never sinned with His lips but met sneers, taunts and ridicule with patient calmness, answering by singing psalms until His companions joined Him.
Speech and Character
Speech reveals character, just as a tree and a spring produce according to their own nature. Jealousy, suspicion, selfishness and other inward corruption shown in words dishonor God and hinder His work, while purity of heart and nobleness of character are revealed in pure, noble speech. The same mouth blessing God and cursing people made in God's likeness is a contradiction that ought not to occur, and wise conduct instead shows meekness, with the wisdom from above pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful and free from hypocrisy. Divine grace is the only hope for taming the tongue so that it obeys an enlightened conscience and holy affections, with conversation free from levity, pride, malice, deceit and impurity and without guile. Tamed speech is used to encourage one another, to express gratitude for God's goodness, mercy and love in giving His Son, and to offer pure praise that may convict unbelievers.
Speech and conduct are fruits showing whether a person belongs to Christ. Gossip and faultfinding stir up dissension and reveal evil character. An untamed tongue talks too much and does much mischief, becoming a world of wrongdoing that changes the course of life for self and others, stirs up strife, kindles fire, and delights in the evil fruit and conflagration that follow. It lacks peace, harmony, wisdom and true humbleness of mind, has no part in the truth, and even uses truth to raise opposition, arouse combativeness and make war, giving itself to sporting and joking and hilarity and glee which the Word of God does not sustain. Satan works to keep the tongue active in his service because words exert a telling power, striving for preeminence instead of showing works with meekness of wisdom. Taming means words become select and well chosen, used with wisdom, peace and humility rather than to provoke opposition, with Christ formed within as the hope of glory bringing forth fruits unto righteousness.
The tongue must be entirely controlled through self-education in carefulness of words and acts. Leaving speech unfettered is self-deception, and restraining and gauging words and actions is not hypocrisy. Control must be carefully considered, laid to heart and built into character, studied, taken to heart and put into daily practice. Such careful speech and conduct are necessary to live out the principles of the Ten Commandments in daily life and to stand without fault before the throne of God.
People are strongly influenced by their own words, which shape thoughts and actions and affect others. Unwise words and hasty decisions can lead into a wrong course and wound souls. Pride may keep a person from taking back words after wiser reflection, so their harmful results continue. When tempted to speak passionately, a person should hold back words and pray before speaking, and heavenly angels will help resist the evil influence that would dishonor God and harm the soul.
Words are recorded and must be faced unless washed away by Christ's blood, while sincere repentance is accepted. People will answer to God for careless speech, including harsh, dishonest and exaggerated words that wound. Giving way to temper, passion, and thoughtless, hard, spiteful, angry and bitter words is sin that grieves angels and drives them from the household. Such daily exhibitions of uncontrolled speech leave a fearful spotted record against Christian character for the judgment. Only the grace of God and firm reliance on Christ's blood can efface the spots and give a clean record. Controlling the tongue is necessary to be refined, purified, made white and tried, to be hidden in the day of trouble, and to be made fit society for angels and Jesus, since nothing but purity, honesty and holiness can enter the realms of peace. Speech must therefore be treated as a sacred trust and used for good: to encourage the discouraged, show kindness, share Christ's love, and help win souls.
Eternal life depends not on words or profession but on earnest works, so the heart must be kept with all diligence while looking to Jesus as Author and Finisher of faith. Taming the tongue requires watching over it with decided, diligent, earnest effort. It means watching for opportunities to do good as Jesus did, preaching Christ and bringing His heavenly graces into life and thought. It means being truthful, staying ever under the discipline of the Word of God, being saved in God's appointed way by leaning on His counsel and uniting in His works, keeping a penitent and sensitive heart, and building a well-built character after the divine pattern.
Faithful Use in Daily Life
In the home evil thinking and evil speaking must be put away as leaven that produces contention, alienation and strife, for every harsh and passionate word grieves Jesus and hurts the heart of both speaker and hearer. Angry, trifling, thoughtless, hard, spiteful and bitter words have no place in the Christian home because nothing of that character finds place in the home above, and without restraint people become enslaved to evil and bring discord and harm to their families. Giving way to temper, passion and impatient, fretful speech destroys family peace, health and happiness and endangers eternal life, while restraint through God's word with strength from an indwelling Saviour makes right speech possible and brings peace and growth in grace. Such daily exhibitions grieve God's angels and drive them from the household, and leave a spotted record against Christian character for the judgment.
Parents must spend time each day in private prayer asking for wisdom, lest self-importance take possession of them and they give the talent of speech into the control of the enemy. In the home circle generous, gracious, Christlike words are of more value than any earthly treasure, while criticism, faultfinding, scandal and unkind words make trouble and discord. Children closely follow the example adults set in words and actions, and the way parents speak teaches children how to speak. A household can guard against unkind or passionate words by agreeing that anyone who speaks them will make a small trespass offering, and when tempted to speak cross words prayer for grace to resist must be offered.
In the church speech must represent Christ by building one another up in the most holy faith and helping one another day by day to grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ, and in that work the door is closed to the enemy. Ministers especially must keep under Christ's orders to build up and not tear down, speaking only words under the Holy Spirit that soften and subdue and heal mind, spirit and soul rather than aggravate and discourage fellow workers. The untamed tongue appears in envy, evil thinking and evil speaking, watching others, evil surmising, finding fault, striving for supremacy, running others down to build self up, and magnifying small mistakes. Such speaking sows seeds that grow into a harvest of evils, hinders God from working with workers, closes mission fields, separates close friends, drives the Lord's joy from the church, and leaves a root of bitterness and rubbish of disunion that corrodes, defiles many and turns the lame out of the way.
Wrong use of the tongue causing distraction and wickedness must be confessed, pride conquered, the soul humbled, and reconciliation sought at once by going directly to the injured one so old wounds are healed by grace, for vindicating a harsh course never improves character. The remedy is to humble the heart before God and confess the sins of the tongue. An unbridled tongue that visits and talks, speaks evil, sows doubt and infidelity, and leaves disagreeable and untruthful impressions plants irritation, evil-surmising, murmuring, faultfinding and disaffection, breaks up unity, defiles the church, counterworks the minister and dishonors God's name, and must be kept as with a bridle. Those disaffected who will not harmonize after faithful labor and the steps required by Christ must be separated and suspended, with sympathizers who choose the wrong side after patient instruction, or must either keep the tongue as with a bridle or find some other place to worship, for their influence for evil cannot have the sanction of the church or God's approval.
The one who gives himself up to faultfinding neglects his own precious soul, and those who see that unchristlike work and allow it to go on unrebuked are themselves accountable before God for injury to their brethren. Those who visit from house to house must not use words that encourage weakness, alienation and strife or sow seeds of doubt that unsettle the little faith many members have, but words that diffuse faith and piety and encourage faith and hope. Believers must guard, discipline and bridle the tongue, refusing discouraging words, evil speaking, backbiting, implanting seeds of doubt, and cherishing or expressing unbelief, with solemn resolve to speak only words pleasing to God. Unconsidered words, especially when repeated or taken out of context, can leave false impressions and injure others, and in the workplace careless suggestions and impulsive ideas can unsettle the inexperienced and set harmful thoughts in motion, so Christians should keep the tongue bridled, speak only when there is real need, and ensure words reflect God's mind and truth.
Differences of opinion should be yielded unless a question of vital importance is involved, conversation must never include matters that create strife, and personal differences should be kept to oneself and told only to God. Even winning a point by argument does harm when it places a heavy burden on another that outweighs any advantage gained, because harsh words inflict wounds that are hard to heal and strife hurts the speaker's own soul and the souls of others. Neglecting personal refinement of speech allows self to take supremacy, dishonors the Spirit of God, and keeps some people from being reached by sermons and prayers. When sanctified by the Holy Spirit the talent of speech becomes a sacred trust and powerful gift for good, to persuade, pray, praise God, share thoughts of the Redeemer's love, sow truth in hearts, encourage the discouraged, show kindness, share Christ's love, comfort, bless and help win souls. Christians should use words to express gratitude for God's goodness, mercy and love in giving His Son and to offer pure praise that may convict unbelievers, for judicious use of speech greatly influences others for good and preserves peace, while cleansing the heart of everything that lessens influence for good brings love, true elevation and better Christian experience.
The tongue belongs to God and must be sanctified, and this work must begin in the heart, the source of affection, bringing it under His control. Suspicion, distrust, gossip and insinuations misuse the tongue and turn innocent words into occasions for evil, while frivolous joking hinders spiritual growth and grieves God's angels. Jesting, joking and reckless speech dishonor Christ and show the heart needs cleansing, so Christians must guard their words and reprove speech that dishonors Him, with Christ dwelling in the heart making words pure and uplifting. The tongue cannot be safely left unrestrained or given free action, for speech is a frequent source of sin and people must be careful both in what they say and in what they listen to. Thoughtless or excessive talk can weary and hurt others while reflective silence may better honor God, so speech should be chosen to encourage, bless and uplift rather than dishonor God, for words spoken without God's Spirit do mischief, confuse listeners, dishonor God and make speech untrustworthy.
The way people treat fellow church members shows how they would speak in heaven, and unless they change they are not fit to enter there. Controlling the tongue is necessary to be refined, purified, made white and tried, to be hid in the day of trouble and made fit society for angels and Jesus, since nothing but purity, honesty and holiness can enter the realms of peace. The sin of gossip, tattling, faultfinding and needless talk, including falsehood, exaggeration and distortion, must be overcome by speaking less and praying earnestly for grace to develop Christian character, or it will overcome the person and leave them unfit for heaven. Direct address among believers is needed, with extended preaching and plain reproof of individual wrongs of speech, since reacting to reproof with much talking, crying and finding fault only proves how much the reproof is needed.
Declaring no one perfect while giving way to questioning and finding fault with everything and with every man's teaching is an untamed evil that puts a person on the devil's ground as accuser, gives greatest evidence of the speaker's own imperfection, and calls for severe self-criticism instead of criticism, ceasing accusation and turning to Christ. Speech that complains, distorts others' words and stirs anger spreads envy, hatred and strife, set on fire of hell inflaming passion. Left free, the false tongue causes sadness and pain to souls who love God and are trying to do His will, piercing heart and brain and bruising souls trying to serve God, and those who use it freely become tools for Satan's devising with whom the Lord has a controversy, though Christ's grace is available every moment to guard and protect. Unadvised, faultfinding and accusing words against fellow believers injure minds and hearts, damage Christian confidence, express distrust of God, and can undo efforts to help another's spiritual life. Evil speech such as criticism, faultfinding and scandal causes contention, alienation, strife and discord in families and churches, and the tongue must be brought under God's control with speech honoring the Saviour, turning profane use to praise, restraining unkind discourteous words and speaking respectfully to others.