Mouth Sins
 

by J. R. Bronger

“The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.” (Psalms 18:28)  Believe it or not the tongue is the most used muscle in the body. In a typical week the average person will speak enough words to fill a 500 page book. Often many of these words spoken would fall into the category of sin. “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless,” (James 1:26). The idea being expressed by James is that of controlling the tongue. “I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,” (Psalm 39:1). Christians must be very careful in how the tongue is used. If our language is out of control then we are hypocrites and our professed Christianity is useless. Sinning with the mouth (mouth sins) is not a trivial matter. Sins committed with the tongue are equal in destruction to sins committed through the lust of the flesh. Consider where Paul placed whisperers (gossipers) and backbiters (badmouthing) in Romans 1:28-32. He places these in the same class with homosexuality, adultery and even murder. It is disheartening to learn that some Christians fail to take seriously mouth sins. Some seem to feel that gossip, slander, and bad-mouthing are simply naughty little habits; nothing too serious. Gossip (the revealing of personal or sensational facts or rumors) has been condemned by God for thousands of years. Under the Law of Moses we read: “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people” (Leviticus 19:16). Also, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). The prophet Jeremiah pictures a gossiper as a two-faced back shooter (Jeremiah 9:8). Paul writes of some women who “. . . learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not” (1 Timothy 5:13). Gossip is idle talk revealing intimate details of another’s life. It wounds, it hurts, it destroys relationships and reputations, and gossip is sinful! It cannot be justified under the guise “well it’s the truth.” The very definition of gossip tells us that the tales we carry, even if true, is still gossip. Gossips are often like stalkers. They lurk in the shadows watching, listening so they can find out some scandalous bits of information and then tell it to as many as will listen. “An evildoer gives heed to false lips; a liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue” (Proverbs 17:4). Friends have become enemies, family relationships broken and churches have split because of gossiping tongues. “A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:28). The irony of all this is a Gossip will often appear to be a friend and flatter us in order to learn some piece of information to tell. “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” (Proverbs 20:19). However, gossip is not the only mouth sin that proves our lives are out of control and our Christianity is a fraud. Lying is another such sin! God says that a lying tongue is like a deadly weapon. “A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow” (Proverbs 25:18). Furthermore, God hates a “lying tongue” (Proverbs 6:17). Lying is sternly forbidden under the gospel of Christ. “Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25). And the New Testament is equally clear as to the final address of all liars. “. . . all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). Occasionally people behave as if they do not know what a lie is. A lie is asserting something known or believed to be untrue with the intent to deceive. But a lie is also an untrue statement that one may or may not believe to be true. Let’s see if we can clear this up. One might know he is telling a falsehood and that is a lie. But a lie also might be passing on some false information I might genuinely believe to be true. For example, I might have been told that “Ralph” is guilty of adultery. I might have confidence in the source who told me that Ralph was an adulterer. As a result I genuinely believe that Ralph committed adultery against his wife and I tell you: “I know for a fact Ralph committed adultery.” However, in truth Ralph did not commit adultery—I lied! This is why it becomes imperative that we have our “facts” right before proceeding. “. . . by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19). Also a lie would be giving misleading or incomplete information. Information that might in fact be true but not complete. For example I might have a car for sale and I don’t tell you about a mechanical problem I know it has. I withhold from you vital information under the mask of “buyer beware.” I lied! I led you to believe something that was false! Another mouth sin is filthy language. “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth” (Colossians 3:8). This kind of mouth sin can be subdivided into two groups, and both are equally sinful. One is profanity. Profanity is a form of the word profane, which means “to treat something sacred with abuse, irreverence or contempt.” It would be what we normally call taking the name of the Lord in vain. I will not be giving written illustrations of this but I think we understand how this might be done. Anytime we use the name of Jesus, or God or anything sacred in a way other than holy is profane. Another would be corrupt language (Ephesians 4:29). Corrupt speech is speech that is disrespectful or dishonoring. Telling someone he/she is fat, ugly, stupid or any other humiliating term. But it would also include speech that is vulgar, rude or offensive. This is usually done by referencing bodily functions, or what might be called “bathroom humor.” Mouth sins are serious because they actually reveal a deeper problem—a heart problem. Vulgar words reveal a vulgar heart; “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).     Other Articles Text, Context and Second Hand Coats Made to be Sin Hypocrites in the Church It Can't be Done The Widow's Mites A Mixed Up World Isolationism Why No Instruments of Music? Seven Faces of Failure A Matter of Choice The Problem With Creeds     For Past Auburn Beacons go to: www.aubeacon.com/Bulletins.htm   Anyone can join the mailing list for the Auburn Beacon! Send your request to: larryrouse@aubeacon.com