By
Beth Johnson
"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. Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world
(James 1:26-27).
Pure
Religion requires bridling the tongue as well as helping the needy.
We see in the verse above that "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 1:26).
There
should be no time our speech is not controlled with grace and salt.
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man" (Col 4:6). This
kind of speech will not necessarily please the world, but God is pleased
with such speech.
Our
speech should never include anything that would be a shame to Christ.
"…Sound
speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be
ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you" (Titus 2:8).
It
takes a heavy bridle to stop speech that the world loves.
"Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks" (Eph 5:4).
The
speech we have should be building in the heart of those who hear.
"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"
(Eph 4:29).
We
should never scorn or blaspheme any man. "…To
speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness
unto all men" (Titus 3:2).
We
should never speak so as to damage any brother. "Speak
not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and
judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if
thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge" (James
4:11).
We
are instructed to lay these things aside. "Wherefore
laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and all evil speakings" (1 Pet 2:1).
The
fear of the Lord refrains (bridles) the tongue so that it speaks no evil.
"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" (1 Pet 3:10).
The
Lord knows how to punish chiefly the ones who speak evil of dignities.
"But
chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and
despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid
to speak evil of dignities: Whereas angels, which are greater in power and
might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these,
as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the
things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own
corruption" (2 Pet 2:10-12).
Twice
the Lord reminds us to bridle our tongues when it comes to his officials.
"Likewise
also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak
evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending
with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against
him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these
speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know
naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves (Jude
1:8-10).
Without
a doubt we need to consider the admonition of Solomon when he says, "Death
and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the
fruit thereof" (Pro 18:21).
