Dr.JackL.Arnold EquippingPastorsInternational HowtoLivetheChristianLife CONTROLLINGTHETONGUE Proverbs6:16 19 AsBiblebelievingChristians,weknowthattheBibleteachesthatGodhates aswellasloves.hehatesevilactsandevilmenwhotrampleunderfootthesonof God.Upondeepcontemplation,wearegladthatGodhasaholyhatredtowardssin andsinnersbecausehisholiness,righteousnessandjusticewillonedaywipethis worldfreeofallsin.thengodwillbewithhispeopleandhispeoplewillbewith theirgod. However, as Bible believing Christians, we sometimes forget that God also hates a wicked tongue whether this evil tongue is in an unsaved or a saved person. TherearesixthingstheLORDhates,seventhataredetestabletohim: haughtyeyes,alyingtongue,handsthatshedinnocentblood,aheartthat deviseswickedschemes,feetthatarequicktorushintoevil,falsewitnesswho poursoutliesandamanwhostirsupdissensionamongbrothers. (Prov.6:16 19). TheLorddefinitelystatessevensinsthatHehatesandthreeofthesesins dealwiththemisuseofthetongue:lying,falsewitnessingandsowingdiscord. Ifsinscouldbeclassifiedbyhowgreattheywere,thesinofthemisuseofthe tonguewouldheadthelist.aneviltongueisjustasbadasadulteryormurder.yet thechristiansocietyputsitsapprovalupon gossipers andscornstheadulterer andmurderer.christiansshouldhateaneviltongueasmuchastheyhateadultery ormurder.whilegodhatesallsin,itmustberememberedthatthesinofthetongue hasgreatereffectsnegativelythanothersins.awickedtongueisadestructiveforce! EvilspeakingisaproblemthateveryChristianhastofacehonestly.What Christiancanclaimtotalvictoryoveravicioustongue?Notone,butthetragedyis thatmanychristiansdonotevenseethewickednessofevilspeakingortheyso rationalizetheireviltonguethattheypersuadethemselvesthatwhattheyaredoing isnotevil.coulditbethatmanychristiansdonothaveabiblicalviewpoint concerningwhatsinreallyis?coulditbethattheaveragechristian sscaleofvalues isbasedonwhatsocietyapprovesandnotwhatgodapprovesaccordingtothe Scriptures? Christiansareconstantlylookingforajoyousandprosperouslife,butoften failtoseethatitisrelatedtoobediencetogodasfoundinthebible.oneoftheways tohaveajoyousandprosperouslifeistocontrolthetongue. Whoeverwouldlove
lifeandseegooddaysmustkeephistonguefromevilandhislipsfromdeceitful speech. (1Pet.3:10).GodisnotgoingtoblessaChristianifhehasawicked,vicious andpervertedtongue! EXHORTATIONSABOUTTHETONGUE Themostconvictingforceagainstsin,namelythemisuseofthetongue,isthe WordofGoditself.TheBiblespeaksagainstthemisuseofthetonguebetterthanall theexcusesmencandreamup.eachchristianisresponsibletodogod swillin relationtothetongue. TofeartheLORDistohateevil;Ihateprideandarrogance,evil behaviorandperversespeech. (Prov.8:13). Hewhoconcealshishatredhaslyinglips,andwhoeverspreadsslander isafool.whenwordsaremany,sinisnotabsent,buthewhoholdshistongueis wise.thetongueoftherighteousischoicesilver,buttheheartofthewickedis oflittlevalue.thelipsoftherighteousnourishmany,butfoolsdieforlackof judgment (Prov.10:18 21). Themouthoftherighteousbringsforthwisdom,butaperversetongue willbecutout.thelipsoftherighteousknowwhatisfitting,butthemouthof thewickedonlywhatisperverse. (Prov.10:31 32). TheLORDdetestslyinglips,buthedelightsinmenwhoaretruthful. (Prov.12:22) Hewhoguardshislipsguardshislife,buthewhospeaksrashlywill cometoruin. (Prov.13:3). Hewhocoversoveranoffensepromoteslove,butwhoeverrepeatsthe matterseparatesclosefriends. (Prov.17:9).
Afool slipsbringhimstrife,andhismouthinvitesabeating.afool s mouthishisundoing,andhislipsareasnaretohissoul.thewordsofagossip arelikechoicemorsels;theygodowntoaman sinmostparts. (Prov.18:6 8). Letanotherpraiseyou,andnotyourownmouth;someoneelse,andnot yourownlips. (Prov.27:2). Hewhorebukesamanwillintheendgainmorefavorthanhewhohas aflatteringtongue. (Prov.28:23). TheBookofProverbstellsusoverandoveragainthatthetonguemustbe controlledorwecandestroyourselvesandothers.manyhavefallenbytheedgeofa swordorabulletbutnotsomanyashavefallenbythetongue. PRACTICALSUGGESTIONSFORCONTROLLINGTHETONGUE ControllingGossip.GossipisasinthatmostChristiansareguiltyofcommitting,and itshouldbestopped.gossipissinandgodhatesgossip. Ifyouhaveacomplaintagainstanotherbrother,godirectlytothatbrother andairyourfeelings. Brothers,ifsomeoneiscaughtinasin,youwhoarespiritual shouldrestorehimgently.butwatchyourself,oryoualsomaybetempted (Gal.6:1). Ifthesituationpermitsit,waitoneweekbeforeyougotothebrotheraboutthe thingthatisbotheringyou.ifyouareinprayeraboutthisthingforaweekmany timestheproblempassesaway. BecarefulnottogotosomeotherChristianaboutabrotherwhoisirritating you.sharingwithothersthefaultsofachristianismerelyaddingcoalstothefire andinonesensethisisgossip.becarefulnottopassoninformationtootherswhich youhavenotcheckedoutfirst.itiswrongtojudgeapersononsecond hand information.gossipandsecond handinformationisalwaystwistedandperverted. Allinformationthatisrumorshouldnotbetakenseriously,forthereisusuallyvery littletruthinit.christiansareveryguiltyoftalkingaboutotherpeopleconcerning theirtheology,methodsorpersonalitywithouteverconfrontingthatperson personally.thisisinformationbasedonrumor,whichisneverreliable.
Ifyouhaveheardgossipaboutapersonandyouwonderifitistrue,gotothe personinvolvedandaskhimaboutit.neversayanythingbehindaperson sback thatyouwouldnotsaytohisface. Ifsomeoneisgossipingtoyouaboutsomeoneelse,thenicestthingyoucan doforthatpersonwhoisgossipingistosay, I msorrywhatyouaretellingmeis gossipandiwouldrathernottalkaboutit.iamresponsibletogodandsoareyouas achristianforeveryidlewordwespeakorgiveearto! Ifapersonisanhabitualgossiperwithnodesiretocontrolthetongue,theright thingtodoistoavoidthisperson. Agossipbetraysaconfidence;soavoidamanwho talkstoomuch. (Prov.20:19). Beverycarefulnottoturnprayermeetingsandsharingtimesintogossip sessions. PrayforsisterGertrude.Youknowshehasfallenintodeepsinandis guiltyofthisandthatandsoon.poorsistergertrude! IsometimesthinkChristians getsomekindofinwardthrillinsharingorhearingaboutthesinsofotherpeople. Howsad!Andwhathavewedonetothereputationofthatperson? Sometimeswehavetospeakaboutapersonifweareaskedtomakeanevaluationorgiveareferenceonthatperson.Thereisagreatdifferencebetween volunteeringinformationaboutsomeonewhenyouhavenotbeenaskedandbeing askedtoevaluateaperson.however,evenwhenyoumustevaluateapersonora situation,youshouldtrytobeobjective,fairandhonestanddonotexaggerate.tell onlythosethingsyouknowforsureandneverevaluateapersononrumor. Keepyourwordssoftandsweet;youneverknowwhenyoumayhavetoeat them! ControllingtheTongue.Christianscancontrolthetonguebecausetheyhavethe poweroftheholyspiritworkinginthem.byfaithandobedience,thetruebeliever cantrainhistonguetorefrainfromevilandtospeakgood.butthechristianhasto workatthisallthedaysthathelives,forsinsofthetonguearealwaysathreattoa believer sfellowshipwithchrist. MemorizeScripturesoastobringeverythoughtintocaptivitytoChrist.The tongueonlymovesatthecommandofthemind.themindfilledwithchristandthe Biblewillnotallowthetonguetospeakevillyofanother. PraythatGodwillteachyoutocontrolthetongueandmakeyousensitiveto theconvictingworkoftheholyspiritinyourlife.onlygodcanconvictyouofanevil tongue. Beforeyousaysomethingevilaboutanotherperson,considerthedamage thatmightbedonetothatperson.youmightbeguiltyofruininganotherperson s reputationandthatwouldbeonyourconsciencefortherestofyourlife.
Biteyourtongueifyouaretemptedtosaysomethingthatiswrong.Awise manbiteshistongueuntilitbleedswheneverheisstirred. Trytorememberthatpeoplewhogossiparebasicallyinsecurepeoplewho mayhavesomeseriouspsychologicalproblems.theyareinsecurebecausetheydo nothaveenoughpositivethingsfillingtheirminds;therefore,theirmindsarefilled withnegativethingsandtheyarecriticalpeoplewhothriveontheevilsideoflife. Besureyouaregettingtheproperamountofphysicalrest.Weoftensay thingswedonotmeanwhenwearetired.moreharshthingsaresaidbetweena husbandandwifewhenoneorbotharephysicallywornout.parentsaremuch moreill temperedwiththeirchildrenwhentheyaretired. AsaChristian,learntobeobedienttoGod scommandsconcerningthe tongue. Donotletanyunwholesometalkcomeoutofyourmouths,butonly whatishelpfulforbuildingothersupaccordingtotheirneeds,thatitmay benefitthosewholisten. (Eph.4:29). Butamongyoutheremustnotbeevenahintofsexualimmorality,or ofanykindofimpurity,orofgreed,becausetheseareimproperforgod sholy people.norshouldtherebeobscenity,foolishtalkorcoarsejoking,whichare outofplace,butratherthanksgiving.forofthisyoucanbesure:noimmoral, impureorgreedyperson suchamanisanidolater hasanyinheritancein thekingdomofchristandofgod. (Eph.5:3 5). Trainyourtonguetosaygoodthingsordonotsayanythingatall. Letyour conversationbealwaysfullofgrace,seasonedwithsalt,sothatyoumayknowhowto answereveryone. (Col.4:6). Donotfightbackwhenanotherpersonsayssomethingevilaboutyou.Two wrongsnevermakearight.thelordwilltakecareofthegossiper.youmustlearn torestbackinthepromiseofgodwhosaid, Vengeanceismine,Iwillrepay, says thelord.