The Power of the Tongue

God's Word is amazing how it provides keys to unlock deeper understanding of God and His ways.  The more you read of the Bible, the more you realise it is one book written by a single Author:  God!  There were many men used by God to pen the scriptures, but clearly He inspired all of them.  An example I have been pondering recently is found in the book of Proverbs which relates to what Jesus says in Matthew.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  I don't know about you, but "good" fruit and "bad" fruit has always had a level of subjectivity attached to it for me.  A clear connection made in this passage by Jesus is the inside of a person is what matters.  Someone might appear to be a sheep who in reality has the nature and appetite of a wolf.  Just like we know what kind of tree by what sort of fruit it bears, there will be outward evidence provided.  Yet we know that it is possible to be like the Pharisees, have an clean exterior of good works, but still remain dead in sins.  So what sort of fruit is this passage talking about?  Passages in Proverbs tell us one of the primary ways is through the fruit of our lips:  our words!

On Friday nights, we have been studying through the book of Proverbs and the fruit of the lips has been a recurring theme of late. Proverbs 13:2 says, "A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence."  Proverbs 18:20-21 also states, "A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth, from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. ²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."  God has given everyone the choice of what we will put into our mouths as food, and He has also given us the ability to choose what we will say and believe.  Jesus says the words we say are an indicator of what we believe, of what is in our hearts.

After Jesus was accused of being demon possessed by religious leaders, He spoke in Matthew 12:33-37:  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Jesus makes a clear connection between the words the religious leaders said and what was is their hearts.  The words of the religious leaders revealed their unbelief.  Their mouths condemned them.  Jesus came to earth in fulfillment of scripture, only doing and saying the will of the Father, and yet they spoke against Him out of envy.  No matter how much "good" these naysayers did, they were condemned by the words of their mouths because "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  This connects with Romans 10:9-10 as well when it says, "...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

As I read these verses, it was a "light bulb" moment that dovetails perfectly when Jesus speaks of final judgment.  There will be many numbered among the goats who do miracles in Christ's name but do not know Him, and He does not know them.  Matthew 7:22-23 says, "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' ²³ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"  This was always hard for me to reconcile.  How could it be that someone could do something good like casting out a demon, credit Christ for it, and still be rejected by God?  Jesus says, "By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  No amount of good works can save a man when his heart is unregenerate or apostate.  Death and life truly are in the power of the tongue, for the fruit of our lips reveal what is concealed in our hearts.

"By their fruits you will know them."  It is important we all examine ourselves, for we will all stand before Christ.  Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in my life as He empowers me in faith?  Are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control descriptive of how I respond to trials and difficulties?  What sort of words come of out my mouth?  Are they words that glorify Christ and magnify the Word of God, or am I full of pride, cursing, and bitterness?  Do my actions follow the example of Christ?  Lately the LORD has been impressing upon me the importance of my words and to carefully weigh the words pastors and teachers use.  I also need to examine the words I use.  We should not approach doctrines or teachings subjectively, for God has given us His Word as a guide, a Spirit-level of truth.  Our ears should test words, even as our mouths prove the quality of food.  We can objectively know good fruit from bad fruit through discernment given through the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God.

As I write this, I am so grateful for grace.  Is there any among us who has always said what is right?  Certainly not, for in our flesh no good thing dwells.  Let us not be harsh in judgment of others, yet we must be discerning.  It is not wise to buy food laced with poison, nor is it good to receive a mix of truth and error.  I want to remain steadfast standing on the foundation of Christ, and be faithful to His Word.  Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."  Jesus alone has the words of life, and those who love life feed on them!