Volume  2    Issue   47    September 29th, 2002

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

Christians must always remember that they are supposed to be an example, a shining light, to the lost and dying world (Matthew 5:14-16).  Satan is not only working on the faithful Christian to make them sin, he is working on the worldly people to keep them lost.  Surely, we as Christians would not want to help Satan accomplish his goal.  We need to be mindful that as Christians we sometimes are the only image of the church that an alien sinner will ever get to know.  Not only does a Christian need to be concerned how they speak around non-Christians, but they must also consider how they can cast a stumbling block before their own brethren (Romans 14:13).  Not only is there the factor of example which should weigh heavily on the mind of a Christian, there is also the fact that God disapproves of “filthy communication”.

God gives us the things that he wants us to do.  Sometime he clarifies by even telling us some things we must not do.  (Colossians 3:8) “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”  When God tells us to put off something we can be assured that if we do not we will pay an eternal price for disobedience.  (Ephesians 4:29) “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.”  Notice that the Lord did not approve of a little corrupt communication, he approves of NONE.

The tongue can bring forth much evil, therefore we must restrain from allowing our mouths to make us sin (James 3:8ff).  Our tongues should be used to glorify God (Romans 15:6).  We should use our mouths to teach the lost and confess Christ (Matthew 28:19 and Matthew 10:32-33).  We should never use our mouths in a way that would bring shame upon ourselves, our Lord, or the body of Christ.  We should speak what we think, and we should think about spiritually pure things.  Our language must be a demonstration of our faith and our faithfulness.  Our language reveals our hearts.

What a person says reveals where their heart is.  That is what God teaches us through His inspired word.  What one says reveals where their heart is.  Notice the following passages:

Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
Matthew 15:18 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”
Our language is formed from our hearts.  We say what we feel and what we think.  If a Christian’s language is always corrupt that reveals how their heart is.

A Christian that has a heart problem, that overflows into what comes out of their mouth, needs to visit God in prayer and change [repent] their hearts and language (I John 1:9 and Luke 13:3).  We should be using our mouths to teach the word of God and speak things which are pure, gentle, and edifying to those who hear us.  Our hearts should be full of faith and obedience, not corruption and hatred.  I knew a man who would frequently use the Lord’s name when upset and thus use it in vain.  This man did not respect that the Lord’s name is holy (Psalms 111:9).  He soon recognized that he was doing what Exodus 20:7 so plainly condemned.  He realized that he did not have the proper respect for the name of God, and that he needed to study more so that he could speak as the oracles of God (I Peter 4:11).  That man was me, and I had things I needed to change.  Do you?

Quick Notes

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Steve Burgoon, Joan Croyle, and Goldie Buterbaugh (Carol’s mom).

Friday Night Bible Studies:
Friday night studies at the Yeager’s home beginning Oct. 11th at 7:30 PM.