Question: "What does the Bible say about the power of words?"
Answer: Words are not simply sounds caused by air passing through our larynx. Words have real power. God spoke the world into being by the power of His words (Hebrews 11:3), and we are in His image in part because of the power we have with words. Words do more than convey information. The power of our words can actually destroy one’s spirit, even stir up hatred and violence. They not only exacerbate wounds but inflict them directly. Of all the creatures on this planet, only man has the ability to communicate through the spoken word. The power to use words is a unique and powerful gift from God.
Our words have the power to destroy and the power to build up (Proverbs 12:6). The writer of Proverb tells us, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). Are we using words to build up people or destroy them? Are they filled with hate or love, bitterness or blessing, complaining or compliments, lust or love, victory or defeat? Like tools they can be used to help us reach our goals or to send us spiraling into a deep depression.
Furthermore, our words not only have the power to bring us death or life in this world, but in the next as well. Jesus said, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36–37). Words are so important, that we are going to give an account of what we say when we stand before the Lord Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). In this passage, Paul is emphasizing the positive over the negative. The Greek word translated “unwholesome” means “rotten” or “foul.” It originally referred to rotten fruit and vegetables. Being like Christ means we don’t use foul, dirty language. For some reason, many people today think it is macho or liberating to use vulgar humor, dirty jokes, and foul language, but this kind of talk has no place in the life of a Christian. Paul continues: “. . . but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” This is reminiscent of his words to the Colossians: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6; see also Colossians 3:16).
There is a remarkable parallel between Ephesians 4:25, lying; Ephesians 4:28, stealing; and Ephesians 4:29, unwholesome talk. In each case Paul is urging us to be a blessing to those with whom we have daily contact. Paul is emphasizing that merely refraining from telling lies, stealing, or unwholesome speech is not enough. The truth is that Christianity is not a mere “don't” religion. As followers of Christ we should emulate the example of Jesus whose words were so filled with grace that the multitudes were amazed (Luke 4:22).
Jesus reminds us that the words we speak are actually the overflow of our hearts (Matthew 12:34–35). When one becomes a Christian, there is an expectancy that a change of speech follows because living for Christ makes a difference in one’s choice of words. The sinner’s mouth is “full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans 3:14); but when we turn our lives over to Christ, we gladly confess that “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9–10). As condemned sinners, our mouths are silenced before the throne of God (Romans 3:19), but, as believers, our mouths are opened to praise and glorify God (Romans 15:6).
Christians are those whose hearts have been changed by the power of God, a change reflected in our words. Remember, before we were saved, we lived in spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1-3). Paul describes those who are dead in sin: “Their throats are open graves” (Romans 3:13). Our words are full of blessing when the heart is full of blessing. So if we fill our hearts with the love of Christ, only truth and purity can come out of our mouths.
Peter tells us, “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Let the power of our words be used of God to manifest the power of our faith. Be prepared to give the reason for why we love the Lord—at any time, to anyone. Our words should demonstrate the power of God’s grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May God enable us to use our words as an instrument of His love and saving grace.
“The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.”
― Socrates
How words affect you
Have you ever wondered why words can hurt you so much? When someone says an offensive word that hurts you at a very deep level, it can feel like someone is stabbing you with a sword. Words can hurt you like this because they carry vibration and energy. The right vibration and energy can easily penetrate your body, harming you or healing you at the deepest level of your being.
When you speak words, you are casting your thoughts and vibrations into Earth’s magnetic field or magic field, which is the energy field that creates the reality of Earth. Once you know the real power of words, you will know that words can affect your energy, because it has the ability to direct and control energy to a certain point. Because of this, words do have magical properties!
Words carry immeasurable significance: The universe was created with a word; Jesus healed and cast out demons with a word; rulers have risen and fallen by their words; Christians have worshiped through words of song, confession, and preaching. Even in our technological age, politics, education, business, and relationships center on words.
"Words are powerful. As the Scriptures indicate, they can create and destroy, build and burn down, save and condemn. The triune God created and upholds us by his Word, redeems us by re-narrating our lives by his gospel, and directs us by his commands so that our words become more conformed to his Word. These many facets of verbal communication-both divine and human-are displayed in one rich and enriching jewel. Faith and practice are wonderfully integrated in this collection of godly wisdom."
—Michael Horton, J. G. Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California
"Given the contributors, I expected this book to be good, but it exceeds expectations. There's no weak link. Every chapter, including the introduction, brings a unique and vital perspective to a critical subject. It's impossible to overstate the power and eternal impact of our spoken and written words, for good or evil. With stylistic diversity but thematic unity, these men bring a rich, biblical, Christ-centered, interesting and immensely helpful perspective. I wholeheartedly recommend The Power of Words and the Wonder of God."
—Randy Alcorn, author of Heaven and If God is Good
God’s words decisively create, confront, convict, correct, and comfort. By his words he both interprets and instructs.
When God’s Son eventually enters into human history as the Godman, he lives by God’s Word (Luke 4:4), keeps God’s Word (John 8:55), and preaches God’s Word (Mark 2:2). The Father gave Jesus words, Jesus gave them to his followers, and his followers received them (John 17:8).
His words are eternal: unlike heaven and earth, Christ’s words will remain forever (Matt. 24:35). They have power: Jesus could cast out spirits with “a word” (Matt. 8:16); he merely had to “say the word” and someone could be healed (Matt. 8:8). Jesus’ words are “spirit and life,” “the words of eternal life” (John 6:63, 68). Jesus’ words dwell or abide in those who are united to Christ and abiding in him (John 8:31; John 15:7; Col. 3:16). Only those who hear and keep Jesus’ word receive blessing and eternal life (Luke 11:28; John 5:24; 8:47, 52).
Jesus warned that how one hears and responds to Jesus’ words reveals the ultimate dividing line within salvation history: on the day of judgment we will each give an account “for every careless word,” being either justified or condemned by our words (Matt. 12:36–37), for “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart” (Matt. 15:18).
Proverb Godly Words Ungodly Words
10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable. The mouth of the wicked [knows] what is perverse.
12:18 The tongue of the wise brings healing. Rash words are like sword thrusts.
13:1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction. A scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life. He who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
13:10 With those who take advice is wisdom. By insolence comes nothing but strife.
13:18 Whoever heeds reproof is honored. Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction.
14:3 The lips of the wise will preserve them. By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back.
14:25 A truthful witness saves lives. One who breathes out lies is deceitful.
15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath. A harsh word stirs up anger.
Bob Kauflin
Kauflin argues that Christians tend to fall into one of three categories when it comes to the relationship between music and words:
(1) music supersedes the word; (2) music undermines the word; (3) music serves the word. Arguing for this third paradigm, Kauflin suggests three implications: (1) Singing can help us remember words, which means that we should use melodies that are effective, sing words that God wants us to remember, and seek to memorize songs. (2) Singing can help us engage emotionally with words, which means that we need a broader emotional range in the songs we sing, and that singing them should be an emotional event. (3) Singing can help us use words to demonstrate and express our unity, which means singing songs that unite us instead of divide us, recognizing that musical creativity in the church has functional limits and that it is ultimately the gospel, not music, that unites us in Christ.
