We live in a “modern” and highly civilized world today, yet our manners and our words have deteriorated almost to the point of no return. Everywhere we go, we hear all kinds of bad words and this epidemic has reached our women and our children.
The Bible condemns the use of bad words or words used in a bad way. All of us have been guilty of “sins of the tongue” at one time or another in our lives. These are some of the bad words that we must avoid at all costs:
- Lying (Proverbs 6:16, 17)
- Flattering or adulation (Psalm 5:9)
- Slander and False Testimony (Exodus 20:16)
- Gossip (Leviticus 19:16)
- Profanities (Romans 3:13, 14)
- Mockery and Verbal Attacks (Psalm 1:1)
- Negative Criticism or Judging (Matthew 7:1)
- Fostering Divisions (Jude 1:19)
- Taking God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7)
- Excessive and Idle Words (Ecclesiastes 5:2, 3; Matthew 12:36)
- Complaining (Numbers 14:27)
- Boasting or Pride (James 4:16)
There might be a few more “bad words” that I missed (please let me know), but these give us a complete picture of all the sins that are committed every day through the use of words. It is a shame that we humans have perverted this precious gift from God and used it for evil purposes.
We sin when we use these bad words, and we sin when we don’t use good words. We sin when we talk too much, and we sin when we remain silent in situations that demand a response in the name of the Lord. We even sin when we express our opinions, instead of speaking God’s Word.
There is only One Good WORD in the entire universe: The Word of God. The Bible is the only inspired Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) and as such, it is the only Word that is both Inerrant and Infallible. When God speaks, He always tells the truth with love and for our good.
This is the way we should speak:
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)
“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (Colossians 4:6)
“…speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Ephesians 4:15)
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)
- G.
