Wholesome Edification

Wholesome Edification

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29

I have to admit I am guilty as charged – along with a large majority of the Christian population – of unedifying, even unwholesome speech. Never have I been so aware of the truth of the verses James 3:5-10 “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.  For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;  from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”

Listen to the speech in popular ‘soap operas’. I don’t know about you but I find them negative almost to the point of suicidal, and full of unwholesome and unedifying speech as well. The language is frequently deplorable. I personally find it the same with the vast majority of modern ‘comedy’. If it is not liberally sprinkled with foul language, most people don’t even give it a second glance. No wonder we haven’t watched TV in 6 months.

With the tongue we gossip, slander, curse, and abuse others. With that same tongue God calls us to wholesome and edifying speech. Yet still, out of the mouth, the heart speaks !! And the heart is most deceitful above all things !!! How can we speak wholesome and edifying things from a mouth and tongue that is controlled by a deceitful heart? Only by placing our tongue under the Blood and control of our Lord Jesus Christ. Only God can heal our heart and our tongue. Only He can bring about the transformation so necessary to us producing wholesome and edifying speech. If you need help with this, then I urge you to find a copy of Derek Prince’s little book, “Does your tongue need healing”

As part of our dying to self, we all need to place our tongue “under arrest” so as to take captive every word and thought before we give them to the world. Our tongue can do so much good but it can also do so much harm. It can praise and it can condemn. It can lift up and it can put down. If Christians controlled their tongue better, then Jesus would be lifted so very much higher and, just perhaps, the world would take much more notice of Him.

Its a thought for you to take with you as you go about your life today – is what I say damaging or benefitting the Lord’s Kingdom cause?