THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 32, SEPTEMBER 8, 2002

THE TONGUE –PART 1

             Why devote even one bulletin article to talking about The Tongue, much less more than one?  The reason for that is simple and can be understood from noticing at few passages of scripture.  In 1 Peter 3:10 , we find, “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”   James 1:26 , says, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”  James 3:5 & 6, tell us, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things, Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And 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.”

             When we think about it, sins of the tongue are probably the most common of all sins in all age groups.  The religion of many, who are good people otherwise, is made vain or useless because of the improper use of the tongue.  It truly is just a small part of the body, but it can cause a world of trouble and cause the one who fails to bridle it to be lost eternally.  How serious is it?  Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 – 37, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  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.”  

            What about God’s name?  Folks in general have decided to use God’s name and the name of the Lord Jesus in many ways that they should not be used.  God’s name is used as an expletive, as a profane exclamation.  It is used as a byword, in other words, when a person is happy they use God’s name.  When a person is sad, they use God’s name.  When they are angry, they use God’s name.  It they are disappointed,  they use God’s name.  When surprised, people will use God’s name.  If they are excited, they will use God’s name.  Just about any time and for any reason God’s name is used.  It is not right.  

            In Exodus 20:7, we find, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”  This prohibition specifically refers to the taking of an oath falsely and invoking God’s name as witness.  In the greater and larger sense, it implies a lack of reverence for God.  Jesus gave essentially the same prohibition in Matthew 5:33 – 37.    I like what The Pulpit Commentary has to say about the Third Commandment.  It says, “Primarily, the Third Commandment forbids perjury or false swearing; secondarily, it forbids all unnecessary oaths, all needless mention of the holy name of God, and all irreverence towards anything which is God’s – His name, house, day, book, laws, ministers.  Whatever in any sense belongs to God is sacred, and, if it has to be mentioned, should be mentioned reverently.”  

            The only proper time to use God’s name is when we are speaking to Him or about Him, and then only if it is done reverently.  To use God’s name in any other way is sin.  The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 111:9, “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name.”  

            I believe that Ecclesiastes 5:1 & 2, speaks to the attitude that is called for when using God’s name.  “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.”   

            What about vulgarity?  If something is vulgar, it is offensive to good taste, gross or obscene.  Vulgarity is an instance of coarseness of manners or language.  Vulgar, vile language is found in today’s magazines, novels, songs, movies, television shows, and even in some of the required reading for high school and college literature classes.  Vulgarity seems to be everywhere from the factory floor to the boardrooms; from elementary school to the White House.   

            What does God say about it?  In Ephesians 4:29, we read, “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.”  In Colossians 3:8, Paul wrote, “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”  

            How do I deal with vulgarity?  How do I remove it from my life and vocabulary if I have fallen into it?  When a person is vulgar, using profanity and telling dirty jokes, and generally being coarse in their speech, we have a picture of what that person is like on the inside.  What we say can demonstrate what we are.  Vulgarity doesn’t just come out – it is the result of what is in our heart.  If our hearts are filled with filthy things, that is what is going to come out.  So we must be careful about what we put into our hearts, we must be careful what we think about.  That was Paul’s very point in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

                                                Greg Litmer