Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the famous British preacher of the nineteenth century, was once invited to preach in London in a public auditorium called the Crystal Palace for a special service. The facility seated almost 24,000 people.
A day or two prior to the event, Spurgeon went to the Crystal Palace to decide where the pulpit should be placed and to test the acoustics. He thought he was alone in the large building. So, in his loud and thunderous voice, Spurgeon roared, "Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world!"
However, a lone workman, who knew nothing of what was going on, was also present. When the man heard the words, they impacted him as a message from heaven. He was convicted of his sin. After a time of spiritual struggle, he found peace as he committed himself to Jesus.
We should never underestimate the power of speech. Yet, we are bombarded daily with so many words that we often become numb. In slick commercials we are told what car to buy, what food to eat, what clothes to wear, what fertilizer to spread on the lawn, and what to do about any number of other matters.
The steady parade of words that daily marches by us tempts us to close our ears and refuse to listen at all. Such weariness with words prompted one minister to spend a week in a monastery.
The basic requirement was that he take a vow of silence. He was not permitted to talk at worship, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Instead, meditation was the only agenda. He was expected to commune with God and to listen to the still small voice. How would such a vow of silence affect you?
In spite of our difficulties with speech .... others and our own ... Paul urges the church to speak. In verse 25-32, no less than eleven imperatives occur, exhorting the church to practice an ethical Christian lifestyle. Included is the imperative to speak.
What then are we to say? And how should we say it?
First, we are to.....
Speak Truthfully
"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you..." (4:25).
The verb, "to speak" is an imperative, a command. It is not optional. To do anything else is direct disobedience to God.
It may seem strange and unnecessary to remind Christians to speak the truth.
But this is exactly what Paul does. We live in a day when even Christians sometimes handle truth recklessly. We withhold the truth, bend the truth, and color the truth for our self-interest. Truth struggles for its very soul today.
The concern for truth is the foundation of all human relationships, whether it be in the family, church, or corporation. Paul said we must "speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another" (4:25). When truth is disregarded, both the person and the group become dysfunctional. Problems will inevitably result.
Whenever a witness takes the stand in a courtroom, he or she is asked to place one hand on the Bible and swear: "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God."
Paul says the Christians lifestyle is one of telling the truth. Christians should tell the truth without taking an oath. We should do it because of who we are as believers. It is ironic that our country, which was founded on religious principles, must resort to such things as truth-in-lending laws in order to protect the consumer.
We obviously should not speak non-truths, lies. However, some people can look a person straight in the eye and still tell a lie.
Once Tony Campolo and his wife were traveling in another country. She had written a stack of postcards to friends and family back home. She went to the local post office to buy stamps. The man behind the counter told her they were out of the stamps she needed. He offered to take her cards and money, put stamps on the cards, and mail them for her later. Being a trustful person, she agreed.
Later, when she informed her husband what had happened, he cringed and told her she could kiss her money and her cards good-bye. She defended her decision because the man sounded so sincere. Guess how many postcards arrived at the homes of her friends and relatives? Likely the man trashed the cards and kept the money.
We should not speak half-truths, either. Half-truths are half-lies, aren't they?
Time Magazine reported that deception evidently has become a common practice for many in America. A study of resumes' in the job market revealed that twenty-two percent contained outright lies. Workers misrepresented their job responsibilities, lied about job terminations, and claimed false degrees. A nuclear power plant hired a man with a high school diploma as its safety engineer. A woman without a medical degree worked as a doctor at four New York City hospitals. A prominent brokerage firm hired as an attorney a man who had never passed the bar exam. A professor at George Washington University allegedly used false identities to join six other college faculties in four years.
What is truth? Truth is what corresponds with reality. It is the opposite of falsity, fiction, and fantasy.
A man sat in the doctor's office and described a chronic digestion problem.
The doctor questioned him, trying to identify the cause of his undue stress.
The man confessed, "I am married, but I am having an affair. The woman lives in a city some distance away from here. Twice a week I drive my old pickup down to see her. Since the pickup frequently breaks down, I am often late arriving home.
Consequently, I have to devise incredible stories to tell my wife. That puts me under a lot of stress."
The doctor told the man he needed to make a decision about his personal priorities if he was ever to become well. Later, the doctor bumped into the man and discovered he was over his digestion problem. The doctor congratulated him and inquired about the decision he had made. The man replied, "I bought a new pickup!"
This clearly is a case of fantasy. It obviously does not qualify as the truth. In reality, the man still denied his problem.
Speak Properly
Next, Paul says we are to...are to speak properly, appropriately. What does he mean? Paul's instructions about speaking properly refer to more than correct grammar. English teachers labor to teach students how to construct good sentences. I am sure I gave my teachers gray hair as I tested their patience repeatedly. But, when Paul refers to proper speech, he means more than good grammar. He is talking about the stewardship of words.
Paul stated, "Let no evil talk come out of your mouths ..." (4:29). The verb, "come," is in the imperative mode, meaning it is a command. "Evil talk" refers to all kinds of unacceptable speech. The word translated "evil" here is the Greek word that means decayed or rotten. It refers to something that is corrupt and no longer fit for use. It is worn out, of poor quality, worthless. Such prohibited speech may include such things as profanity. While researching this word, one author said, that a steady diet of vulgar language, for one thing, reflects a limited education. Now you know why I have started to work on my Doctor of Ministry degree. I'm really just trying to get ahead of my cussing.
Another aspect is indiscreet language. Actually Paul's point is to discourage indiscreet language, or language that is unwise and even contemptuous of other people. While such language may not be as blatant as profanity, it is just as offensive, perhaps even more so.
In one of His teachings, Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a net that is thrown into the sea. It catches every kind of fish. When the net is full, the fishermen pull it ashore. Then they sit down and sort out the fish, placing the good ones in a basket and throwing out the bad ones (Matt. 13:47-48). The word used to describe the bad fish is the identical word Paul used, which means unfit and of poor quality. Obviously, the fish were biologically normal. They simply were not desirable for food.
Some words are wrong because they show contempt for other people. In the O.J. Simpson murder trial, defense attorney F. Lee Bailey intensively questioned Detective Mark Fuhrman for several days. The defense sought to prove that the detective was a racist and that he had planted the "bloody glove" on O.J. Simpson's property. Repeatedly, Bailey asked Fuhrman whether he had every repeated the "N" word. Each time Fuhrman denied having used the word within a certain time frame.
That word is not a desirable word for describing a race of people. There are other words that have similar effects on other people. Certainly Christians should avoid those words that indicate discrimination and contempt for fellow human beings.
In thinking of being good stewards of our words, there are some words that are endearing and enduring words. Some words will never change; they have lasting value. The word "sin" will never become obsolete, because it describes the human condition. Whether it be sin against yourself, God, or your neighbor, sin is a pressing reality that we confront daily.
"Jesus" is another treasured term. Jesus' teachings still constitute a body of truth that surpasses the best of thinkers. His model of servanthood and his sacrificial death on the cross reflected total commitment to the Father's will.
"Salvation" is another endearing and enduring word. Jesus came to rescue us from sin and death, to place our feet on solid ground, to give us a new song, and to empower us to live life to the fullest.
"Church" is an enduring word. It speaks of Christ's body on earth committed to the tasks that He initiated during His earthly ministry. As believers in Christ, we form the church, whose mission is to proclaim to humanity God's gracious message of reconciliation.
Lots of good words are available for our use. If we used those more, the profane and indiscreet words that sometimes dominate our conversation would not have a chance.
Finally, we are to.....
Speak Gracefully
Instead of using indiscreet words, Paul exhorted the church to use only "good" or useful words, words that build up. The Greek word that is used here means to build up the house, referring to the church (4:29). What a powerful thought!
Paul denounced insensitive and inflammatory speech. Such speech creates conflict in the church. Before insensitive language impacts the church, it first brings sorrow to the Holy Spirit. Paul commands the church (again it is in the imperative form) "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit..." Every time you take someone to task, every time you are belligerent or intolerant of other people, every time you seek force your will and your way on other people, you are guilty of grieving the Holy Spirit and it not only impacts your witness, it impacts the effectiveness of the church. Paul listed six results of the misuse of words ...
bitterness, wrath, anger, wailing in distress (or angry shouting), slander and malice (4:31).
Employing another imperative, Paul urges (4:31), that "All of these be removed!"
Such behavior does not build up the body of Christ. Rather, it is destructive to the body. No church can stand very long in such critical climate.
Then Paul encourages the positive use of words. He commanded: "Be [note the imperative verb] Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another..." (4:32). The model for such Christian conduct is God who in Christ has forgiven us (4:32).
Think About This
In the movie Quiz Show, two contestants competed for big bucks on a television game show called "Twenty One." Each contestant was placed inside an isolation booth and asked difficult questions. As long as he or she successfully answered the questions, the earnings rose from week to week.
The movie, based on an actual event, featured Charles Van Doren, a young literature professor from Columbia University. He came from a line of distinguished educators. He earned only $89 per week and struggled to meet his family's financial needs. He was intrigued by the program that promised a lucrative reward both to him and his family. So he consented to be a contestant on the show.
Soon America became infatuated with the gentle smile and brain power of the clean-cut professor.No question was too difficult for him. He answered them all, week after week after week. Education in America received a boost from the show.
Young and old alike began reading more. Excitement for literature filled the air. Finally, after fourteen weeks, and more than $125,000 in prize money, Van Doren failed to answer a question correctly. The nation was shocked. But the real shocker came later, when the professor was questioned by an investigative sub-committee of the US Senate. He confessed that the game show was rigged. He knew in advance both the questions and the answers. In his words, "I lied about what I did know, and I lied about what I did not know. I have disgraced myself. I am sorry." By speaking untruthfully, he brought shame to himself, his family, and his profession. He lost his job. And he disappointed countless television viewers.
Speaking truthfully, speaking gracefully ... the opportunities for helping others are so great when we do and so potentially tragic when we don't.
Christians should always strive to speak the truth and to speak it gracefully.
