Bible Studies

What Type Of Tongue Have You Today? Part 2

by Doug Laird 
07/16/26
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Because of the negativity that we have allowed to become a part of our thought processes, “…from the same mouth comes both blessings and cursing (James 3: 10a NASB2020).”

As long as we choose to allow the seeds of negativity that the tongues of others have sowed, to become a part of our thought processes, there will always be the potential for a crop of poisonous fruit to grow.

Advancing disciples will discern when it is the time to speak, and when it is the time to keep one’s big mouth shut (Eccl.3: 7b /Phil. 2: 14), for his own benefit and for the benefit of others.

When it is the time to speak, advancing disciples will, “…let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that…(Eph. 4: 29 NASB2020).”

In other words, if you don’t have something good or edifying to say, keep your mouth shut!

Just a few words, spoken or listened to, can change the course, for the better or the worse, of where one is presently headed, and or what his or her experience will be.

“ALL (suppressed) bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you (your soul structure), along with all malice (before it builds up and comes flying out of your mouth and into the hands of the devil). Eph. 4: 31 NASB2020 parentheses mine).”

As one spiritually matures, he or she WILL have an ever-increasing desire to share the content of his or her Biblically-edifiied soul structure with others. Not because we have become “holier than thou,” but because we know that others are where the one we face in the mirror once was.

We do not come into this world with a Christ-centered, Biblically-edified, soul structure. In fact, we come into this world with a fallen nature that is self-centered and actually hostile (Rom. 8: 7) towards God and the things of God.

Other than the concept of eternity that God places in every soul He creates, there is not ONE thing that you presently know about God or the things of God, that you didn’t have to learn from someone or something else!

To counterattack an advancing disciple’s forward progress and the good that it can produce in the lives of others, the devil, his Ep. 6: 12 forces of evil, and those who do his bidding , will do all that he and they can do, to draw out through our mouths any existing evil (bitterness, jealousy, etc.) in one’s soul structure. This, he hopes, will discredit our own witness for Christ, and diminish the positive impact that it might have on others.

The devil has had thousands of years of experience mastering the art of spiritual warfare, and knows what buttons to press, and when to press them, for maximum effect.

The only way that we can prevent these satanic schemes from succeeding, is to frequently conduct 2Cor. 13: 5 self-examinations, and remove evil attitudes and thinking from our soul structure BEFORE they become a tool in the hands of the devil.

The devil cannot draw out and make use of what isn’t there. One would be wise not to give the devil anything to work with that he can use to cause our own hurt.

The majority (Matt. 7: 13) of people, with the devil’s help, might not pay much attention to the edifying things you have to say. But what they won’t fail to note, is when our speech reveals areas of our own weaknesses that we need to address, or when we talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.

At the end of the day, advancing disciples will ask themselves, "What kind of tongue was I today? The spiritual life is NOT all about you! Was what had come out of my mouth used by God as a source of evangelization, edification, comfort, and inspiration for others, or was it used by the devil to achieve his destructive (1Pet. 5: 8) objectives in the lives of the ones with whom I communicated.

This is not to say that everything you have to say will be well-received.

After Jesus spoke in His hometown synagogue, the congregation, “…got up and drove Him out of the city, and brought Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, so that they could throw Him down from the cliff (Luke 4: 29 NASB2020).”

All advancing disciples will face Gal. 4: 16 scenarios.

“So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth (Gal. 4:16 NASB2020)?”

For an advancing disciple, it is better to be unjustly hated now, than later for others suffering in the Torments of Hades, or in Heaven without reward (1Cor. 3: 15), to be able to say, to or about you, that you knew where they were headed and did nothing to warn or edify them.

In closing, consider the words of Jesus, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned (Matt. 12: 37 NASB2020), as what comes out of your mouth reveals the contents of your soul (Matt. 12: 35).

End of Part 2

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