To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
It calls for speaking badly about no one, refusing to fight and quarrel, and instead being gentle and showing complete humility and meekness to every person. It stands together with submitting to authorities, obeying rulers, and being ready for every good work, as the mark of a true Christian who is eager for good works that are good and profitable for people. Such meekness is fitting because believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to varied lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy and hatred, until the kindness and love of God saved them not by their own righteous deeds but by mercy through the washing of new birth and renewing of the Holy Spirit given richly through Jesus Christ, by whose grace they are justified and made heirs of the hope of eternal life. It reaches even to the thoughts, requiring thinking the best of others, rejecting evil suggestions about them, and letting the Holy Spirit shape the heart so that holy thoughts rule the tongue. Toward those who err it requires impartial fairness without harshness or payback, forgiving as freely and repeatedly as Christ forgives, correcting without boasting or triumph but in a gentle and peaceable spirit. It also guards speech by refusing to listen to slander or repeat the faults of fellow believers to outsiders, dealing with a fault privately first, and answering provocation without retaliation but with tenderness, patience, and forbearance.
Words and Grounds
To speak evil of no one means slandering no one, refusing to quarrel or fight or brawl, but being gentle and showing all meekness and complete humility to all men and all people. Those who believe and teach the truth must be put in mind of this duty, for it marks the real Christian and those who would reach the highest Christian experience. It is acting in the spirit of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, and failure leaves wrongs uncancelled before God unless there is repentance, confession of errors, restitution where a brother was injured, reconciliation, and seeking the heavenly Advocate, because to wound a brother is to wound Christ in His saints.
The command stands together with being subject to principalities and powers, obeying magistrates, and being ready to every good work. Readiness to every good work is shown by this gentle speech and meekness, describing the real Christian as zealous of good works. Divine grace in the heart leads to living out faith in daily duties in this way, with trust in Christ for salvation supporting a life of good works that is good and profitable and beneficial to men. Those who have believed in God must therefore be careful to maintain such good works constantly, while avoiding foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law as unprofitable and vain.
The command reaches inward to thought, requiring thinking evil of no one but thinking the very best of men. Watching and praying against temptation includes refusing to entertain the evil thoughts about others that Satan presents to the mind and resisting his sophistry by not believing them. A wise heart molded by the Holy Spirit under a will sanctified to God is governed by sacred thoughts, and that training of the heart and control of the thoughts in cooperation with the Holy Spirit gives control of the tongue and of speech, so the tongue does not lead into difficulty but utters wise words.
Pure conversation allows no deceit and no harmful talk about any person, but only words that meet the Lord's requirements. It forbids believing hearsay about associates, making the worst appear in them, or calling evil good. It requires speech that preserves good qualities and destroys evil, for voice and tongue are given to be a blessing to others, though when put to wrong use in unwise speech they do much harm. A stimulated condition that loosens the tongue into careless talk breaks this command.
The reason for such meekness is remembrance that believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Then the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, saving not by works of righteousness done by them but according to mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost shed abundantly through Jesus Christ the Saviour. Being justified by grace they are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, and this faithful saying is to be affirmed constantly. The mercy and favor of God toward sinners is thus the example and ground for dealing fairly with the erring without partiality, harshness, or retaliation, and for forgiving as freely and repeatedly as Christ forgives.
This conduct belongs to putting off the old corrupt man with deceitful lusts, with lying, stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil-speaking and malice. In its place is putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness by being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgives. Those who enjoy the privileges of the banquet of truth while working unrighteousness show they have not eaten the flesh and drunk the blood of the Son of God.
Obedience to the Word that makes clean is the way to the highest Christian experience. These words are a call to life and liberty, freedom and happiness, giving work for all to do in cooperating with God to build up characters fit to unite with the royal family in the kingdom of God. That cooperation is lived out in daily duties through trust in Christ.
Living Out Meekness
Toward erring fellow believers the command requires fair treatment without partiality, harshness, or a spirit of retaliation, remembering the mercy God has shown to sinners and forgiving as freely and repeatedly as Christ forgives. It forbids favoring special friends while dealing harshly with those thought to have made mistakes, and it forbids sustaining and treating as special friends those who are more guilty and deserving of reproof and even severe rebuke for unchristlike conduct. Such meekness rests on remembering that believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, until the kindness and love of God appeared to save them not by works of righteousness done by them but according to mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost shed abundantly through Jesus Christ, so that being justified by grace they are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The mercy and favor of God toward sinners is the example of how to treat the erring.
Correcting others and presenting truth must be done without a boasting or triumphant manner, but with a gentle, peaceable spirit, even toward those who disagree. Guarding speech includes refusing to listen to slander, stopping it when spoken in the presence, and keeping the faults of church members from unbelievers. A fault is to be addressed privately first, then with one or two others if needed, and brought to the church only as a last resort. Wrongfully accusing anyone or answering accusations with retaliatory words is forbidden, and instead provocation is to be refused, words spoken carefully, and life lived peaceably with all in tenderness, love, patience, longsuffering, and forbearance.
Answering unwisely loses a victory in overcoming selfishness and wrong tendencies, while patient restraint brings steady progress in overcoming them. Acting in the spirit of the meekness and gentleness of Christ would have led to an entirely different course toward an erring brother and an entirely different standing. Failure leaves wrongs uncancelled before God, where a person will be dealt with as he dealt with his brother unless he repents, confesses his errors, makes restitution where he injured his brother, is reconciled to him, and seeks the heavenly Advocate, because wounding a brother wounds Christ in the person of His saints.
The command calls for conversion in the hearts of leading men connected with the work in every line, so that the Spirit of Christ comes in and no selfishness, envy, or jealousy is seen. Those who have believed must be careful to maintain good works, which are good and profitable, while avoiding foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law, which are unprofitable and vain. In the home, training the heart and controlling the thoughts in cooperation with the Holy Spirit gives control of the tongue so it does not lead into difficulty but gives utterance to wise words. This brings quietness of mind, contentment, and peace, with joy in contemplating the riches of God's grace, provides the example children need in order to learn it, and is the foundation of all true happiness in the home and with brethren.
For Sabbathkeepers the command forbids excusing wrongs, equivocating over faults, or practicing deception that leaves others hard and bold in sin. It forbids reaching out for company with the world by talking, laughing, and acting like the careless world. It requires impressing the exceeding sinfulness of sin on the mind while maintaining gentle, meek conduct toward all so as not to be a reproach.
It calls for speaking badly about no one, refusing to fight and quarrel, and instead being gentle and showing complete humility and meekness to every person. It stands together with submitting to authorities, obeying rulers, and being ready for every good work, as the mark of a true Christian who is eager for good works that are good and profitable for people. Such meekness is fitting because believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to varied lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy and hatred, until the kindness and love of God saved them not by their own righteous deeds but by mercy through the washing of new birth and renewing of the Holy Spirit given richly through Jesus Christ, by whose grace they are justified and made heirs of the hope of eternal life. It reaches even to the thoughts, requiring thinking the best of others, rejecting evil suggestions about them, and letting the Holy Spirit shape the heart so that holy thoughts rule the tongue. Toward those who err it requires impartial fairness without harshness or payback, forgiving as freely and repeatedly as Christ forgives, correcting without boasting or triumph but in a gentle and peaceable spirit. It also guards speech by refusing to listen to slander or repeat the faults of fellow believers to outsiders, dealing with a fault privately first, and answering provocation without retaliation but with tenderness, patience, and forbearance.
Words and Grounds
To speak evil of no one means slandering no one, refusing to quarrel or fight or brawl, but being gentle and showing all meekness and complete humility to all men and all people. Those who believe and teach the truth must be put in mind of this duty, for it marks the real Christian and those who would reach the highest Christian experience. It is acting in the spirit of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, and failure leaves wrongs uncancelled before God unless there is repentance, confession of errors, restitution where a brother was injured, reconciliation, and seeking the heavenly Advocate, because to wound a brother is to wound Christ in His saints.
The command stands together with being subject to principalities and powers, obeying magistrates, and being ready to every good work. Readiness to every good work is shown by this gentle speech and meekness, describing the real Christian as zealous of good works. Divine grace in the heart leads to living out faith in daily duties in this way, with trust in Christ for salvation supporting a life of good works that is good and profitable and beneficial to men. Those who have believed in God must therefore be careful to maintain such good works constantly, while avoiding foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law as unprofitable and vain.
The command reaches inward to thought, requiring thinking evil of no one but thinking the very best of men. Watching and praying against temptation includes refusing to entertain the evil thoughts about others that Satan presents to the mind and resisting his sophistry by not believing them. A wise heart molded by the Holy Spirit under a will sanctified to God is governed by sacred thoughts, and that training of the heart and control of the thoughts in cooperation with the Holy Spirit gives control of the tongue and of speech, so the tongue does not lead into difficulty but utters wise words.
Pure conversation allows no deceit and no harmful talk about any person, but only words that meet the Lord's requirements. It forbids believing hearsay about associates, making the worst appear in them, or calling evil good. It requires speech that preserves good qualities and destroys evil, for voice and tongue are given to be a blessing to others, though when put to wrong use in unwise speech they do much harm. A stimulated condition that loosens the tongue into careless talk breaks this command.
The reason for such meekness is remembrance that believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Then the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, saving not by works of righteousness done by them but according to mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost shed abundantly through Jesus Christ the Saviour. Being justified by grace they are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, and this faithful saying is to be affirmed constantly. The mercy and favor of God toward sinners is thus the example and ground for dealing fairly with the erring without partiality, harshness, or retaliation, and for forgiving as freely and repeatedly as Christ forgives.
This conduct belongs to putting off the old corrupt man with deceitful lusts, with lying, stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil-speaking and malice. In its place is putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness by being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgives. Those who enjoy the privileges of the banquet of truth while working unrighteousness show they have not eaten the flesh and drunk the blood of the Son of God.
Obedience to the Word that makes clean is the way to the highest Christian experience. These words are a call to life and liberty, freedom and happiness, giving work for all to do in cooperating with God to build up characters fit to unite with the royal family in the kingdom of God. That cooperation is lived out in daily duties through trust in Christ.
Living Out Meekness
Toward erring fellow believers the command requires fair treatment without partiality, harshness, or a spirit of retaliation, remembering the mercy God has shown to sinners and forgiving as freely and repeatedly as Christ forgives. It forbids favoring special friends while dealing harshly with those thought to have made mistakes, and it forbids sustaining and treating as special friends those who are more guilty and deserving of reproof and even severe rebuke for unchristlike conduct. Such meekness rests on remembering that believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, until the kindness and love of God appeared to save them not by works of righteousness done by them but according to mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost shed abundantly through Jesus Christ, so that being justified by grace they are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The mercy and favor of God toward sinners is the example of how to treat the erring.
Correcting others and presenting truth must be done without a boasting or triumphant manner, but with a gentle, peaceable spirit, even toward those who disagree. Guarding speech includes refusing to listen to slander, stopping it when spoken in the presence, and keeping the faults of church members from unbelievers. A fault is to be addressed privately first, then with one or two others if needed, and brought to the church only as a last resort. Wrongfully accusing anyone or answering accusations with retaliatory words is forbidden, and instead provocation is to be refused, words spoken carefully, and life lived peaceably with all in tenderness, love, patience, longsuffering, and forbearance.
Answering unwisely loses a victory in overcoming selfishness and wrong tendencies, while patient restraint brings steady progress in overcoming them. Acting in the spirit of the meekness and gentleness of Christ would have led to an entirely different course toward an erring brother and an entirely different standing. Failure leaves wrongs uncancelled before God, where a person will be dealt with as he dealt with his brother unless he repents, confesses his errors, makes restitution where he injured his brother, is reconciled to him, and seeks the heavenly Advocate, because wounding a brother wounds Christ in the person of His saints.
The command calls for conversion in the hearts of leading men connected with the work in every line, so that the Spirit of Christ comes in and no selfishness, envy, or jealousy is seen. Those who have believed must be careful to maintain good works, which are good and profitable, while avoiding foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law, which are unprofitable and vain. In the home, training the heart and controlling the thoughts in cooperation with the Holy Spirit gives control of the tongue so it does not lead into difficulty but gives utterance to wise words. This brings quietness of mind, contentment, and peace, with joy in contemplating the riches of God's grace, provides the example children need in order to learn it, and is the foundation of all true happiness in the home and with brethren.
For Sabbathkeepers the command forbids excusing wrongs, equivocating over faults, or practicing deception that leaves others hard and bold in sin. It forbids reaching out for company with the world by talking, laughing, and acting like the careless world. It requires impressing the exceeding sinfulness of sin on the mind while maintaining gentle, meek conduct toward all so as not to be a reproach.