stonegatestandard.com

Have you ever noticed how often the Scriptures address the issue of speech? There are many warnings in the Bible about such things. For example, David once said, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit” (Psalm 34:13 ESV). Passages like this not only indicate how important it is for us to watch what we say; the sheer number of them that address the subject also tell us something about the magnitude of the problem.

In the Lord’s eyes, this is a serious matter. And yet I’m not sure God’s people always treat it as one, even though we should. As one commentator put it, “The ability to control his tongue is a matter of great significance for the believer. It is a test of Christian character, the proof of maturity and self-control” (D. Edmond Hiebert, James, Moody, 1992, p. 188). He was commenting on the statement made by James, that “if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body” (James 3:2 ESV).

Our speech is an indicator of who we are. When there are problems in this area, they are symptoms of an even greater problem. The real problem has to do with the heart. The tongue by itself is a neutral instrument—it is neither inherently good nor inherently evil. It is directed by the heart. Jesus said to those who accused him of casting out demons by the ruler of the demons, “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” (Matthew 12:34–35 ESV).

One of the ways we, as Christians, are called upon to live above the standards of the world is by telling the truth. “Honesty is the best policy” makes for a nice campaign slogan, but how many people really believe it? The Lord does. In fact, honesty is not only the best policy, it is the only policy as far as the Lord is concerned. When we became Christians, we committed ourselves to telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, with God as our help.

What about at work? Honesty is the only policy despite the fact that some employers may want their employees to “stretch the truth” in order to benefit the company in some way. Many people are willing to do that in order to make a few extra dollars, but the wise man said that “a poor man is better than a liar” (Proverbs 19:22 ESV). These words are as true today as they were when they were penned almost three thousand years ago.

What about in our dealings with one another? Again, honesty is the only policy. Do Christians ever need to be reminded that it’s necessary to be honest with one another? Apparently, Paul believed they do. “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices” (Colossians 3:9). Paul said that to Christians.

Honesty is the only policy, period. Why? Because the apostle John said that “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation 21:8 NIV). When John said that all liars will be condemned, he was talking not only about those whose lies are big and black, but also those whose lies are little and white. He was talking about people who tell half-truths as well, because half-truths are still whole lies.

When Abraham traveled down to Egypt, he said to his wife Sarah, “Say you are my sister” (Genesis 12:13 ESV). Technically, that was true (Genesis 20:12), but Abraham’s intent was to deceive. He wasn’t primarily concerned about revealing the fact that they shared the same father; he was concerned with concealing the fact that they were husband and wife. It was deceptive, and that fact is implied in Pharaoh’s response: “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” (Genesis 12:18–19 ESV).

We need to recognize that there is often more involved in what we communicate than just the words we use. We have to take into consideration not only the motive with which we say things, but also the motive for leaving things unsaid. Are we trying to reveal or conceal? There was a sense in which Abraham told the truth; the deceit was found in what he left unsaid. We can be guilty of the same thing.

All through the Scriptures, we are confronted with the fact that God’s people should strive for complete honesty as they communicate with other people. We cannot live lives that show the influence of the father of lies while at the same time claiming to be disciples of one who spoke the truth (John 8:44–45).