Good Words & Bad Words Series

I. BAD WORDS

A. The source of bad words – Unfaithfulness (v. 1)

1. Faithful = trustworthy. As men become more ungodly, they become less trustworthy.

2. A godly man realises that what he says is important. It reflects his character. He wants his character to match his words (Pro 20:6).

B. Forms of bad words

1. Vanity (emptiness) – v. 2

a) Stupid Talk: Eph 5:4

b) Meaningless Talk: they do not mean what they say.

(1) This has become accepted in society.

(2) Many people promise to be in church.

(3) We promise with no intent:

(a) I’ll pray for you.

(b) To sales assistant – I’ll be back for that

2. Flattering

a) Def: “False praise. Commendation for the purpose of gaining favour, influence, or some other purpose.” (Pro 29:5, Dan 11:21)

(1) I’ve seen flattery used to split churches.

(2) Be careful not to be favourable to people just b/c they say nice things.

b) Many Scriptures denounce flattery: Ps 5:9, Pro 20:19, I Thess 2:5

c) Flattery is often used to tempt to immorality: Pro 2:16, 6:24, 7:5, 21

d) Flattery is not harmless: Pro 26:28

e) Legitimate praise is not flattery.

3. Double Heart

a) They have two hearts – depending on who they are with.

b) ILL. Man who agreed with everyone.

4. Proud things

a) Flattery is puffing up another. Proud things puff up yourself – Ps 17:10

b) We don’t need to be selling ourselves (Pro 27:2).

c) Nebuchad. “Is not this my Babylon that I have built?”

d) Goliath, “Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?”

C. Reasons for bad words

1. To prevail (v. 4a)

a) The motive by which we speak will determine its sincerity.

b) False teachers – 2 Pet 2:3, Jude 1:16

2. Lawlessness (v. 4b)

a) Christ taught accountability for our words (not merely actions as the Pharisees supposed).

b) This applies directly to the unsaved, but the application for the Christian.

II. GOOD WORDS

A. God’s Words stand in contrast to unfaithful men’s.

1. They are not vain.

2. They are not flattering.

3. There is no duplicity (say one thing, mean another).

B. They are Pure (v. 6)

1. There are no errors or mistakes (scientific or otherwise).

2. God, who charged men to record His words, did not allow purity to be compromised.

C. They are Preserved (v. 7)

1. Though some parts of Scripture are thousands of years old. God caused it to be preserved without error.

2. Proponents of modern versions claim that since the originals have been lost that we cannot claim to have a perfect Bible.

3. But through the Masoretic & Textus Receptus (text of KJV), God preserved His Word for us.

Good words & bad words. The more we read and meditate on His good words, the more our words adopt that character.