The old saying that we all know regarding the hurtful things that people say to one another, namely
"Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me."
Is one of those sayings that is quite untrue. The reason...Words are not just words, they are the expression of faith that every person has been given by God. As such, words are spiritual entities when released by being spoken and they affect the material and spiritual world around us. This is not something mystical, but is a practical application in our world. It is a part of how God created this universe.
Every person born into this world, whether they believe in God or not, has been created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26 - 27) This means that even though when Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and that image was corrupted in every person born since then till now, we still are image bearers of God. That means that we each have the characteristics of God as his image bearers. The calling of God for man to have "dominion" over the earth (Genesis 1: 26, 28) has never been revoked. God is the landowner and man is the delegated caretaker according to the Scriptures. So what, you might ask, does our words have to do with anything and where does this power come from?
In Proverbs 18:20-21 we read:
"From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits."
(ESV)
The fruit of the lips, the words we speak are shown to have the power of life and death and they are shown in this Scripture to affect both the natural order and spiritual.
In Matthew 12:33 - 37 we read:
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
(ESV)
What Jesus says here is pretty self-explanatory. What He says here is also extends what is said in Proverbs 18:20 - 21. In Scripture we see that the heart and the mouth are connected resulting in deeds.
So here is the order of events:
We should also note with all seriousness that the barometer of our inner world and true beliefs is always found by the idle or careless words that we speak, because God will judge us on those words according to Jesus. So they must be important. This is how we know what is in a person's heart.
I conclude this instalment with James 3:1 - 12, 4:11 - 12
"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits in the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
...Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbour?"
(ESV)
Final thought: from Scripture we see that everybody is subject to the effects of words and that words have real power to affect our lives, the lives of others and the world around us in general. Also, everybody has been granted a measure of faith by God. Whether they have been born again or not.
"Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me."
Is one of those sayings that is quite untrue. The reason...Words are not just words, they are the expression of faith that every person has been given by God. As such, words are spiritual entities when released by being spoken and they affect the material and spiritual world around us. This is not something mystical, but is a practical application in our world. It is a part of how God created this universe.
Every person born into this world, whether they believe in God or not, has been created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26 - 27) This means that even though when Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and that image was corrupted in every person born since then till now, we still are image bearers of God. That means that we each have the characteristics of God as his image bearers. The calling of God for man to have "dominion" over the earth (Genesis 1: 26, 28) has never been revoked. God is the landowner and man is the delegated caretaker according to the Scriptures. So what, you might ask, does our words have to do with anything and where does this power come from?
In Proverbs 18:20-21 we read:
"From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits."
(ESV)
The fruit of the lips, the words we speak are shown to have the power of life and death and they are shown in this Scripture to affect both the natural order and spiritual.
In Matthew 12:33 - 37 we read:
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
(ESV)
What Jesus says here is pretty self-explanatory. What He says here is also extends what is said in Proverbs 18:20 - 21. In Scripture we see that the heart and the mouth are connected resulting in deeds.
So here is the order of events:
- We have a thought. It is either an "original" thought in our own mind or we receive it from outside.
- If we meditate upon this thought it moves over time from our mind to our heart, where our treasure store resides.
- We then build a store of good or evil in our heart until there is an abundance of this thought which becomes belief. (Note: I will show later that it is with our heart that we believe, faith is a function of our inner core. In this context read spirit when heart is used.)
- From the abundance of our heart we then speak, for good or for evil.
- Once we have spoken we then move to actual deeds.
- Other people hear our words, read our writings and see our deeds, this then creates similar thoughts in their minds and step 1. takes hold for them and cycle repeats itself. Good or evil then spreads and multiplies to whole communities.
We should also note with all seriousness that the barometer of our inner world and true beliefs is always found by the idle or careless words that we speak, because God will judge us on those words according to Jesus. So they must be important. This is how we know what is in a person's heart.
I conclude this instalment with James 3:1 - 12, 4:11 - 12
"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits in the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
...Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbour?"
(ESV)
Final thought: from Scripture we see that everybody is subject to the effects of words and that words have real power to affect our lives, the lives of others and the world around us in general. Also, everybody has been granted a measure of faith by God. Whether they have been born again or not.
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