Sins Of The Tongue - Publications - Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries / Grace Bible Church

download PDF

Sins Of The Tongue

first page prev. page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

next page last page

3 The Consequences of Verbal Sins

There are many verbal sins for which God will discipline us. These include gossip, slander, maligning, judging, dishonest or distorted complaints against another person. These sins bring on the three categories of triple compound discipline:

1. Divine discipline for the mental attitudes that motivate sins of the tongue.

2. Divine discipline for the verbal sin itself.

3. Divine discipline for the sins that which you accuse others of. Under this category, the believer mentions certain sins, real or imagined, and assigns them to another.

These sins that are named have discipline attached to them. If the accused believer is guilty, his discipline is removed, and it is transferred to the one who maligns. If the accused is innocent, and the sins are imagined then the victim gets blessed, but only as long as the matter was placed in the Lord’s hands. Therefore, the victim does not receive the penalties, but the accuser does. This is the perfect justice of God and His way of reminding us to mind our own business, and live our own lives as unto the Lord. Remember, the Royal Priesthood demands the privacy to let others live life as unto the Lord; the believer has no right to destroy this freedom. Verbal sins contradict the principle of live and let live. No one gets away with anything; the offending believer is sure to receive discipline for the sin that he attributes to another.

Therefore, the discipline for the sins spoken in slander is transferred by God from the victim to the slanderer. The victim that is judged by another for his sins escapes discipline, which is then transferred to the accuser. The pattern and punishment for the sins of the tongue is found in Psa 52. Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long. Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent [human body], and uproot you from the land of the living” (Psa 52:1-5). When you commit sins of the tongue it will only backfire; it can never make you prosper. Believers are protected from the sins of the tongue, especially those that teach God’s Word:

“From six troubles He will deliver you, even in seven evil will not touch you. In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither will you be afraid of violence when it comes.” (JOB 5:19-21)

“No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. (ISA 54:17)

There is great blessing in avoiding the sins of the tongue (PSA 34:12-13), therefore it is important for the believer to recognize the sins of the tongue, and then separate from them.

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. (ROM 16:17-18)

Those who persist in the sins of the tongue on a continual basis are headed for apostasy and destruction. There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction itself; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Hold them guilty, O God; by their own devices let them fall! (PSA 5:9-10a).

first page prev. page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

next page last page