My Big Mouth
Corrupting Speech

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. —Ephesians 4:29

1. Reject Corrupting Talk

The Bible speaks of a few types of corrupting speech:

a. Insults. Speaking to someone as if they were not created in the image of God.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. —Ephesians 4:31-32

b. Slander. Speaking falsehood about one person to another person.

The Bible mentions slander on several accounts.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. —Ephesians 4:31-32

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. —1 Peter 2:1

The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. —Proverbs 10:18

c. Gossip. Spreading information about one person that was not meant to be shared.

2. Seek to Build Up.
a. House building. “oikos” is the Greed word for house.

b. Fitting.

3. With Grace.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. —Romans 5:6

The gospel message is always intended to grow us into the likeness of Jesus, but it may also be difficult for us to hear. It is edifying. And it is timely.