Question 1

Do my words really matter?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 23:23“But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.”Joshua 9:18-20The Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. But the leaders replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them. This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath.”When we say we will do something, people should be able to trust that we will do it. Otherwise, we cannot be counted on and make a poor example what followers of Jesus should be like. The real test of this will come when it costs us to keep our word.Psalm 15:1-3Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.Our words matter to God; only those whose motives are pure and who lovingly speak truth can enter his presence.James 1:26If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.Our words show what kind of people we really are. We cannot live a double standard of speaking one way in church and another way on the job or in the community.Proverbs 11:11Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.Proverbs 15:1A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.Words of blessing and words of anger are both powerful. We can greatly help or hinder those around us by what we say.Proverbs 17:9Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.Our words make a real difference in our relationships.Matthew 12:36-37“And I [Jesus] tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”The words we speak during our lives can condemn or justify us on Judgment Day. We should make it a habit to pray that God will help us guard our mouth from all forms of verbal sin and help us speak words that bring comfort, peace, truth, and encouragement to others.

Question 2

What kinds of words should I speak?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 6:4-7“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”We should talk about God’s word on a continual basis, beginning with our family at home. It may be helpful to take turns sharing thoughts and reflections about God’s word.Genesis 50:21“No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he [Joseph] reassured them [his brothers] by speaking kindly to them.We should speak kind words to one another, even to those who have wronged us.Job 16:5“If it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief.”Ephesians 4:29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.We should use words that build others up. This will usually require that we observe and listen carefully before we speak.Proverbs 15:4Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.Proverbs 25:15Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones.We should speak to one another with persistent gentleness. Genuine persuasion is seldom sudden, but occurs when truthful words are shared over time.1 Peter 3:9Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.We must learn to use our words to bless one another, even when others have used words to injure us. We should retaliate by speaking and delivering good into the lives of others.Zechariah 8:16Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.Ephesians 4:14-15Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.We must learn to speak truthfully, in a way that promotes justice, peace, and unity.Psalm 50:23“Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.”Romans 15:6Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.We should speak words of thanks and praise to God.Proverbs 25:11Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.When the time is right, giving good advice can be a great blessing to others.2 Thessalonians 1:3Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.Following the apostle Paul’s example, we should compliment others with words of gratitude.Colossians 3:17Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.Remember that as followers of Jesus, both our words and actions represent him to others.

Question 3

What kinds of words should I avoid speaking?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 5:11“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.”We should not swear using God’s name or bring disrespect to God’s name in any way.Exodus 22:28“You must not dishonor God or curse any of your rulers.”We must never curse God or anyone else in leadership over us.Ecclesiastes 10:20Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said.We should never make fun of those in positions of leadership over us.Psalm 34:12-13Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!We must avoid saying anything that is deceptive or false.Proverbs 18:8Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.We must avoid spreading gossip or slander about other people.Proverbs 29:11Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.We must avoid speaking in the heat of anger. We will usually regret it later, if we do.Ephesians 4:31Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.Colossians 3:9Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.We must recognize and resist emotions and attitudes that lead to hurtful words.James 4:11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.We must avoid criticizing other people.