Post by George on Mar 20, 2006 13:41:17 GMT -5
The Defilement of a Man (or Woman)
(Matthew 15:11) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
It is not the things that we take into our mouth that makes us unclean, foul or dirty. It is the things which proceed out of the mouth that cause this most undesirable of effects. I say most undesirable because the defilement that is caused by the things that proceed out of our mouth cause a great deal of pain to our brethren unnecessarily. Not only unnecessarily but most unacceptably and most damaging.
There are many instances in which we poke fun at or make jest of our brethren in the spirit of what we call joking or having fun. Some call it being playful. Unfortunately the things said in jest are often just as damaging, if not moreso, than the things said in seriousness of mind and deed. It is not uncommon among some to make a rather disparaging remark about someone else and then add to the damaging statement something to the effect of, “Oh I was just joking.” The damage is done when the words come out. Oftentimes the damage can be very lasting. There are times when the words cut so deeply they become a matter of trust. Trust, when broken, takes a long time to rebuild.
There is a saying, used very often among children, that “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never harm me.” If we recall the times of our childhood those words were often used to mask times of extreme pain and hurt. At times the pain caused by the uttering of untoward comments about our fellows can cause pain that is carried throughout life.
(Proverbs 4:23) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
We are told in this verse in Proverbs to keep, or attend to, our heart, which is actually speaking of the mind, with all watchfulness. In other words, guard it! Guard your heart. In this particular verse the term heart deals with the center of our being; that which controls us in our actions; the intellect if you will. Why? Because what comes out of the mouth is what is really in our heart. The word “issues” here actually means outgoings. What comes out of the mouth. Life refers to a living creature. The outgoings of a living creature are kept in the intellect; mind or heart and they come out of the mouth.
That is fairly frightening. What is in our intellect? Recall the words of the prophet Jeremiah:
(Jeremiah 17:9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The heart is deceitful above all things. That includes Satan! What we can cook up in our own minds can be more wicked than the things of the enemy himself! Have you ever noticed that in times of adversity we are never at a loss for words? We are never at a loss for words in those circumstances and the words that issue from the heart are not edifying words at all. They are usually quite damaging. When faced with adversity we can utter the worst of things toward others without even having to think of what we are going to say. It comes automatically.
(James 3:7) For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (James 3:8) But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:9) Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. (James 3:10) Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Keep the first phrase of James 3:8 at the back of your mind as we look at what James had to say in verse 10. We shall return to James 3:8a later on in this study.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing! What a terrible thing! The very same mouth we use to form words of praise to our God we use to curse our fellow man. The very same organ we use to be “good” Christians while at Church can produce pain and hurt in others as soon as we leave the protection of the Church. It seems that often we leave our Christianity at the altar instead of other things, which we could really benefit by leaving there.
I can recall a time a few years ago when I was feeling really good about myself because I had cleaned up my mouth. Two things were wrong with that assumption. First notice the use of the pronoun “I” in that sentence. I this, and I that. None of The Lord in it at all. The things that were not coming out of my mouth were still in my head and therefore an issue of my heart. One day while working in the garage I hit my finger quite hard with a hammer. The very first thing out of my mouth without even thinking about it was a bad word. You see, it was still in my heart. I had to immediately ask God to forgive me and then ask Him to help me purge those words from my intellect. No more I in the thing at all. Quite obviously “I” could not do it by myself. Recall the words of James 3:8a? The tongue can no man tame. Amen!
(Proverbs 23:7a) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
The word “heart” in this portion of Proverbs 23:7a also means yourselves. Is it not interesting that the Bible tells us that as we think ourselves so are we? The things we think up ourselves are what we are. Compare that with Isaiah 64:6:
(Isaiah 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
I believe the key word in that verse is “ours.” That serves to emphasize what we just read in Proverbs 23. The things we have in our own minds are as filthy rags to God. Those filthy rags will come out of our mouths sooner or later. They will defile us.
(Luke 6:45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Again we see reference to the fact the things in our hearts or intellects come out of our mouths. The abundance of the heart. In the verse above the word translated as “treasure” also means wealth. The word “abundance’ means surplus. What we have as surplus in our mind or intellect affects that which proceeds from the mouth. It is rather clear this is a very important subject because of the fact words, which signify things of great wealth are used to describe the situation.
If one takes the opinion that the wealth or surplus of what is in our minds is godly in nature we must take into account the words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 6:24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
It is impossible for good things to coexist in our intellect in the same time as the bad things. It is also important to remember that when speaking of the heart in most cases the Bible is actually speaking of what is between our ears. The Bible uses this term to address the issues of our mind and intellect. Only Jesus Christ can change the heart. Does that mean He is having some effect on the organ that pumps blood throughout our bodies? No. It means that only Jesus Christ can change what is in our intellect. We must begin to think in a different manner.
There are many, many instances in the Bible, which tell us about the things of the heart and the mouth. For the sake of time and space I will not bring them all into this study. We ought look at this point on how we can rid ourselves of this problem with the things we say.
In Galatians Five we see quite a list of the things of the flesh. Among them is hatred that means also hostility. We see variance that means quarreling and contention. Emulations that means malice, indignation and jealousy. We see wrath, which means also fierce passion. Strife is mentioned which means contentions, seditions which also means dissension and division, envyings, which also means jealousy and ill will.
If we pick up the study in Romans 1 we see unrighteousness, which is moral wrongfulness of character, act or life. We see also wickedness, which includes plots and malice. Envy is listed which also means ill will and jealousy. There is the word debate, which means quarrelling. We see also listed deceit which is self-explanatory, malignity which is bad character and mischievousness, whisperers which is exactly the same as gossipers and backbiters which means slanderers. My goodness, there are even more of these things listed.
We ought not be involved in any of them. If we are we need to immediately get ourselves right with God and then with the other person we have harmed no matter how difficult that task may be. Recall again the words of Jesus:
(Matthew 5:23) Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
(Matthew 5:24) Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
If there is anything we have done that causes strife and harm to another we are not even to approach the altar of God. We are commanded to get right with the other person and then return to the altar to offer our gifts. I believe these verses literally mean that if we have caused anyone hurt or harm Jesus doesn’t even want to talk to us. It is of the utmost importance to maintain short accounts with God and make certain we are right with our brethren before coming to the altar of God.
(Ephesians 4:29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
(Ephesians 4:30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(Ephesians 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
(Ephesians 4:32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Let NO corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. That is a command friends. We are charged to only speak that which is edifying. Edifying means building up. We cannot build up another if we are involved in any of the things shown above. We cannot issue blessings out of our mouths if there are contentions and things of that nature in our hearts. Recall very well the Bible tells us that what is in our hearts will come out of our mouths. Recall also without fail that the Bible tells us if there is any corrupt thing in our mind it will take precedence over the good. The good is supplied to us by the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God cannot work in us if we continue to harbor things of the nature of ill will in our hearts.
(Philippians 2:3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(Philippians 2:4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
We cannot esteem others better than ourselves if we are harboring darkness in our hearts. You cannot walk in the light if you are hugging the dark. It is impossible. A little darkness affects the whole of the mind. A little darkness causes a weakness that Satan will exploit to the point of us being incapable of functioning in the Will of God.
(1 Peter 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Seeking whom he may devour. He will devour us if we allow weakness to be exploited. Isaiah also spoke to this very thing and to the totality of the devouring by the enemy.
Isa 5:29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
My word what a scary passage of scripture this is! Notice that Isaiah says the lions (and there are many including Satan and his minions,) will lay hold of their prey (which is us,) and NONE shall deliver it. None shall deliver it.
The question is how can we avoid all of this? How can we avoid ill will, strife, contentions and the like? How do we keep from being devoured when we are weak? There are really two ways to do it.
One is through using God’s Holy Word. If you recall, in Luke, Chapter 4, during the temptation of Jesus, Jesus used the authority of the scriptures and preaching to defeat the enemy. Twice Jesus made reference to the fact, “It is written,” and once he said, “It is said,” meaning it is preached. This leads us to the fact that without knowledge and an ever-present conscious contact with God through the Holy Spirit we do not have the tools to avoid such things. We cannot eliminate the untoward things of our heats without the tools of the Bible.
Another is the importance of the Holy Spirit and us listening to Him rather than the voices in our heads, which are usually the voices of Satan and his fallen angels.
(Acts 1:8a) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
We have no power without the Holy Ghost. We can do not good thing without the Holy Ghost. Let us look at the word “power.”
G1411
δύναμις
dunamis
doo'-nam-is
From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
You see brethren, the things we need to stave off the things of our intellect, and the things we need to be able to rely on for proper direction in our life comes from the Holy Spirit of God. If we are to tame our mouths it can only be done with His assistance and not of anything we can do ourselves. If we attempt it of ourselves it will fail.
The Bible says that if any man (or woman) is of Christ he is a new creation. It tells us all things are created new and ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD! Is defiling ourselves by the things that come out of our mouth of God? Not by any means! The things that proceed from our mouths that cause damage to others, the things that defile us, are of the devil. We must diligently work to purge those things from our hearts. We must think of whether the things we say are within God’s will and therefore pleasing to him.
In Christ,
George
(Matthew 15:11) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
It is not the things that we take into our mouth that makes us unclean, foul or dirty. It is the things which proceed out of the mouth that cause this most undesirable of effects. I say most undesirable because the defilement that is caused by the things that proceed out of our mouth cause a great deal of pain to our brethren unnecessarily. Not only unnecessarily but most unacceptably and most damaging.
There are many instances in which we poke fun at or make jest of our brethren in the spirit of what we call joking or having fun. Some call it being playful. Unfortunately the things said in jest are often just as damaging, if not moreso, than the things said in seriousness of mind and deed. It is not uncommon among some to make a rather disparaging remark about someone else and then add to the damaging statement something to the effect of, “Oh I was just joking.” The damage is done when the words come out. Oftentimes the damage can be very lasting. There are times when the words cut so deeply they become a matter of trust. Trust, when broken, takes a long time to rebuild.
There is a saying, used very often among children, that “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never harm me.” If we recall the times of our childhood those words were often used to mask times of extreme pain and hurt. At times the pain caused by the uttering of untoward comments about our fellows can cause pain that is carried throughout life.
(Proverbs 4:23) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
We are told in this verse in Proverbs to keep, or attend to, our heart, which is actually speaking of the mind, with all watchfulness. In other words, guard it! Guard your heart. In this particular verse the term heart deals with the center of our being; that which controls us in our actions; the intellect if you will. Why? Because what comes out of the mouth is what is really in our heart. The word “issues” here actually means outgoings. What comes out of the mouth. Life refers to a living creature. The outgoings of a living creature are kept in the intellect; mind or heart and they come out of the mouth.
That is fairly frightening. What is in our intellect? Recall the words of the prophet Jeremiah:
(Jeremiah 17:9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The heart is deceitful above all things. That includes Satan! What we can cook up in our own minds can be more wicked than the things of the enemy himself! Have you ever noticed that in times of adversity we are never at a loss for words? We are never at a loss for words in those circumstances and the words that issue from the heart are not edifying words at all. They are usually quite damaging. When faced with adversity we can utter the worst of things toward others without even having to think of what we are going to say. It comes automatically.
(James 3:7) For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (James 3:8) But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:9) Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. (James 3:10) Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Keep the first phrase of James 3:8 at the back of your mind as we look at what James had to say in verse 10. We shall return to James 3:8a later on in this study.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing! What a terrible thing! The very same mouth we use to form words of praise to our God we use to curse our fellow man. The very same organ we use to be “good” Christians while at Church can produce pain and hurt in others as soon as we leave the protection of the Church. It seems that often we leave our Christianity at the altar instead of other things, which we could really benefit by leaving there.
I can recall a time a few years ago when I was feeling really good about myself because I had cleaned up my mouth. Two things were wrong with that assumption. First notice the use of the pronoun “I” in that sentence. I this, and I that. None of The Lord in it at all. The things that were not coming out of my mouth were still in my head and therefore an issue of my heart. One day while working in the garage I hit my finger quite hard with a hammer. The very first thing out of my mouth without even thinking about it was a bad word. You see, it was still in my heart. I had to immediately ask God to forgive me and then ask Him to help me purge those words from my intellect. No more I in the thing at all. Quite obviously “I” could not do it by myself. Recall the words of James 3:8a? The tongue can no man tame. Amen!
(Proverbs 23:7a) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
The word “heart” in this portion of Proverbs 23:7a also means yourselves. Is it not interesting that the Bible tells us that as we think ourselves so are we? The things we think up ourselves are what we are. Compare that with Isaiah 64:6:
(Isaiah 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
I believe the key word in that verse is “ours.” That serves to emphasize what we just read in Proverbs 23. The things we have in our own minds are as filthy rags to God. Those filthy rags will come out of our mouths sooner or later. They will defile us.
(Luke 6:45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Again we see reference to the fact the things in our hearts or intellects come out of our mouths. The abundance of the heart. In the verse above the word translated as “treasure” also means wealth. The word “abundance’ means surplus. What we have as surplus in our mind or intellect affects that which proceeds from the mouth. It is rather clear this is a very important subject because of the fact words, which signify things of great wealth are used to describe the situation.
If one takes the opinion that the wealth or surplus of what is in our minds is godly in nature we must take into account the words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 6:24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
It is impossible for good things to coexist in our intellect in the same time as the bad things. It is also important to remember that when speaking of the heart in most cases the Bible is actually speaking of what is between our ears. The Bible uses this term to address the issues of our mind and intellect. Only Jesus Christ can change the heart. Does that mean He is having some effect on the organ that pumps blood throughout our bodies? No. It means that only Jesus Christ can change what is in our intellect. We must begin to think in a different manner.
There are many, many instances in the Bible, which tell us about the things of the heart and the mouth. For the sake of time and space I will not bring them all into this study. We ought look at this point on how we can rid ourselves of this problem with the things we say.
In Galatians Five we see quite a list of the things of the flesh. Among them is hatred that means also hostility. We see variance that means quarreling and contention. Emulations that means malice, indignation and jealousy. We see wrath, which means also fierce passion. Strife is mentioned which means contentions, seditions which also means dissension and division, envyings, which also means jealousy and ill will.
If we pick up the study in Romans 1 we see unrighteousness, which is moral wrongfulness of character, act or life. We see also wickedness, which includes plots and malice. Envy is listed which also means ill will and jealousy. There is the word debate, which means quarrelling. We see also listed deceit which is self-explanatory, malignity which is bad character and mischievousness, whisperers which is exactly the same as gossipers and backbiters which means slanderers. My goodness, there are even more of these things listed.
We ought not be involved in any of them. If we are we need to immediately get ourselves right with God and then with the other person we have harmed no matter how difficult that task may be. Recall again the words of Jesus:
(Matthew 5:23) Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
(Matthew 5:24) Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
If there is anything we have done that causes strife and harm to another we are not even to approach the altar of God. We are commanded to get right with the other person and then return to the altar to offer our gifts. I believe these verses literally mean that if we have caused anyone hurt or harm Jesus doesn’t even want to talk to us. It is of the utmost importance to maintain short accounts with God and make certain we are right with our brethren before coming to the altar of God.
(Ephesians 4:29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
(Ephesians 4:30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(Ephesians 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
(Ephesians 4:32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Let NO corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. That is a command friends. We are charged to only speak that which is edifying. Edifying means building up. We cannot build up another if we are involved in any of the things shown above. We cannot issue blessings out of our mouths if there are contentions and things of that nature in our hearts. Recall very well the Bible tells us that what is in our hearts will come out of our mouths. Recall also without fail that the Bible tells us if there is any corrupt thing in our mind it will take precedence over the good. The good is supplied to us by the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God cannot work in us if we continue to harbor things of the nature of ill will in our hearts.
(Philippians 2:3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(Philippians 2:4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
We cannot esteem others better than ourselves if we are harboring darkness in our hearts. You cannot walk in the light if you are hugging the dark. It is impossible. A little darkness affects the whole of the mind. A little darkness causes a weakness that Satan will exploit to the point of us being incapable of functioning in the Will of God.
(1 Peter 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Seeking whom he may devour. He will devour us if we allow weakness to be exploited. Isaiah also spoke to this very thing and to the totality of the devouring by the enemy.
Isa 5:29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
My word what a scary passage of scripture this is! Notice that Isaiah says the lions (and there are many including Satan and his minions,) will lay hold of their prey (which is us,) and NONE shall deliver it. None shall deliver it.
The question is how can we avoid all of this? How can we avoid ill will, strife, contentions and the like? How do we keep from being devoured when we are weak? There are really two ways to do it.
One is through using God’s Holy Word. If you recall, in Luke, Chapter 4, during the temptation of Jesus, Jesus used the authority of the scriptures and preaching to defeat the enemy. Twice Jesus made reference to the fact, “It is written,” and once he said, “It is said,” meaning it is preached. This leads us to the fact that without knowledge and an ever-present conscious contact with God through the Holy Spirit we do not have the tools to avoid such things. We cannot eliminate the untoward things of our heats without the tools of the Bible.
Another is the importance of the Holy Spirit and us listening to Him rather than the voices in our heads, which are usually the voices of Satan and his fallen angels.
(Acts 1:8a) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
We have no power without the Holy Ghost. We can do not good thing without the Holy Ghost. Let us look at the word “power.”
G1411
δύναμις
dunamis
doo'-nam-is
From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
You see brethren, the things we need to stave off the things of our intellect, and the things we need to be able to rely on for proper direction in our life comes from the Holy Spirit of God. If we are to tame our mouths it can only be done with His assistance and not of anything we can do ourselves. If we attempt it of ourselves it will fail.
The Bible says that if any man (or woman) is of Christ he is a new creation. It tells us all things are created new and ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD! Is defiling ourselves by the things that come out of our mouth of God? Not by any means! The things that proceed from our mouths that cause damage to others, the things that defile us, are of the devil. We must diligently work to purge those things from our hearts. We must think of whether the things we say are within God’s will and therefore pleasing to him.
In Christ,
George