Hi Again, Mike,

I was reading Mat 12 and was brought up short by verses 36 and 37. I have often engaged in ‘smack talk’ and put downs with friends. It all seems innocent fun that we all enjoy, but after a little study on the matter, I’m wondering if God may consider it all ‘bad fruit’.

A little study led me to Eph. 5:4 which mentions “foolish talking” which, according to the Greek in Strong’s Concordance, is ‘silly talk’ or ‘buffoonery’. It is sandwiched between verses 3 and 5 which deal with fornication, uncleanness and idolatry – obvious bad things. Is this ‘harmless bantering’ to be included in the “vain words” of verse 6? If so, this will be a hard thing to change for me! ‘Snappy repartee’ and wit has been a mainstay of my personality for years. And after reading verses 7 and 8, I am suddenly ashamed. I have been glorifying myself with my wittiness rather than God. I am reading this whole chapter in a new light – “walk as children of light”…”walk circumspectly, not as fools” (ouch)…”redeeming the time”.

I have concentrated a lot of study on the latter part of this chapter in Ephesians in my role as a Christian wife, but I am now feeling like I have been putting ‘spots and wrinkles’ on the body of Christ by my ‘harmless’ silliness.  Am I going overboard by feeling chastened by these words?  I can already picture my friends saying “you’re no fun any more”, but Eph. 5:1-2 really are serious stuff.

Maybe I am just venting and have already answered my own questions.  Thanks for ‘listening’.

Your sister in Christ,
L____

Hi L____,

The first thing I want to do is to thank you for showing that you are “of a contrite spirit, and you fear and tremble at the word of God.”

Isa 66:2  For all those [ things] hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

“Fear and trembling at God’s Word” is not a contradiction to “coming boldly before the throne of grace,” rather it complements and explains how we come boldly before the throne of grace. We come with awe and gratitude and humility that God has seen fit to open our eyes to the hidden things of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, while blinding the minds of the multitudes who think that they understand His parables as a means of making His message clearer instead of hiding the mysteries of the kingdom.

The verses you reference in Eph 5 and many others throughout the New Testament, make it abundantly clear that a filthy, profane mouth is simply not to be tolerated by any who name the name of Christ.

Eph 5:4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

Like snowflakes, we are all different, and that is by God’s design. Your wit is a gift from God, and since it is a gift from Him, it should be used as best you can with the working of the holy spirit in you, to glorify your heavenly Father and His Son. No one in history had the wit and the ability to say the right thing at the right time as our Lord, and there is nothing like seeing and hearing words from a sharp mind that has put the things of the spirit first and foremost.

Pro 25:11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

I hope this helps you to see that a “fitly spoken word” is a word that will always in some way glorify your Lord, and that you can always remember that “as you have done it unto the least of these my brothers, you have done it unto me.”

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [ his] sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [ thee]? or thirsty, and gave [ thee] drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took [ thee] in? or naked, and clothed [ thee]?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [ it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Your wit can be used to build up the body of Christ or it can be used to belittle and tear it down. So thank God for the quickness of mind you have been given. Just be careful to remember to always treat your brothers and sisters as you want to be treated. Remember the message of the parable of the good Samaritan, and don’t forget that anyone you meet is actually Christ Himself.  Thus how you treat that least person is how you are treating our Lord, Himself. Christ never failed to call a spade a spade, but He never once belittled anyone, and He lived His entire life to be of service and build up and serve His fellowman and His creation.

God bless you as you seek to know His mind.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike