Our Speech - Keep It Truthful and Keep It Beneficial

Written by Ed Allen
Sunday, 26 July 2009 09:00

Sermons - Our Spiritual DNA

Sermon Passage: Ephesians 4:22-25, 29-30

²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ...

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Choose

Choose your thoughts
and shape your words.

Choose your words
and shape your actions.

Choose your actions
and shape your habits.

Choose your habits
and shape your character.

Choose your character
and shape your destiny.

Source unknown

Discarding Old Patterns

The destructive downward sin-spiral:

• Hardening of your heart
• Ignorance
• Futile thinking
• Darkened understanding
• Lose hope and a sense of God’s Presence
• Insensitivity
• We lose restraint and ultimately become enslaved

When our thoughts are based on God’s work in us, our speech will be truthful and helpful.

Speak Truth

The liabilities of lying

• Lying damages our relationship with God!
  • Proverbs 12:22 “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
• Lying leads to ruin.
  • Proverbs 21:6 “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
• Lying creates kinship with the devil.
  • John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
• The supposed benefits of lying are temporary!

The benefits of telling the truth.

• Truth fosters freedom.
• Truthful words matter and they last!
• Truth is a prerequisite to worship.

How do we tell the truth?

“Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor...”

Why do we tell the truth?

“...for we are all members of one body.”

Speak for the Benefit of Others

• Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
• Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

“according to their needs”

This Week: Before you speak this week, ask yourself if what you are saying is truthful and helpful.