It would seem that the conduct of the lip has come under some confusion among at least some of the critics of WoF. There are those that will question us regarding what would seem to be flippant and faithless negative confessions and contrast that to the requirement of faith for that which is positive. I think the heart of the issue has been completely overlooked in this question. Because of one thing, we do another and by a method. So, what is because, and what is another, and what is method?
The Because:
Luke 10:27
27 So he answered and said, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
The Result:
John 8:29
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.
The Method:
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind and because of that I seek to please Him in every way with every word and deed and all because I believe that He is faith. In case you don't know, faith is belief. The Greek word pistis means belief. Confident belief. Of course, the Websters has faith as belief too. I have confident belief that God is and I seek Him, and finding Him, I love Him with all my heart, soul, strength and mind. Because of this, He has blessed me with the promise of the Spirit. And with the Spirit within so the abundance of my heart speaks.
Luke 6:45
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
So, what does the abundance of our heart, the Spirit inspire to say?
The Word, prayer and supplication:
Ephesians 6:17-18
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
Praise and thanks:
Hebrews 13:15
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
God speaking thru us:
1 Corinthians 14:21
21 In the law it is written:
With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,
says the Lord.
Words of Testimony:
Luke 21:13-15
13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
Words of faith and authority:
Matthew 21:21
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.
According to the fruit of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Our conduct in all of what we say is by way of the Spirit, and always to be in the Name of Yeshua:
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
This includes flippant figures of speech:
Ephesians 4:29
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
The abundance of the heart for the believer flows to salvation:
Romans 10:8-10
8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Yeshua takes speech very seriously even idle words such as flippant figures of speech:
Matthew 12:36-37
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
...because what comes out of the mouth is what defiles a man:
Matthew 15:11
11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
...and because life and death and health are in the tongue:
Proverbs 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 12:18-19
18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19 The truthful lip shall be established forever,
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Knowing all this, let's examine some of these flippant figures of speech, said without the apparent force of faith, but still words passing our lips nonetheless, cleaned up a little for sake of decency:
It just kills me that...
I'm laughing my butt off...
You're killing me...
I'm going to die laughing...
She's going to kill you...
Murder me...
I'm sick of this...
That makes me sick...
Break a leg...
This will kill you...
She's going to excrete bricks...
That's to die for...
Gag me with a spoon...
You're so dead when you get home...
She's talking me to death...
If you don't stop, I'm going to kill you...
I'm dying for that...
I'm want that so bad, I could die...
You are just going to die...
That's funny as hell...
I'll see you in hell...
I'm getting old... (often said by 20 year olds and up but even by teens)
I feel like I could die...
That scared me to death...
You're giving me a heart attack...
...and there are surely many more. Notice the consistent motif? Death, sickness, hell, bad things. I've listened to these from people all around and it's always something bad and never anything good.
First off meant or not is it the truth? Are you really dying? Are you really getting sick? Are you really passing bricks? Is Hell really funny?
Secondly since all we do and say should be in the name of Yeshua the Christ, is any of that edifying? Uplifting? Blessing? Promoting holiness, love, health, peace and life?
Thirdly is that the nature that Christ has given us? Is that the abundance of our heart?
Let's forget possible ramifications in giving permission and authority to a defeated foe or speaking illness and death to us for a moment this is something that should be as instinctive to us as avoiding culturally accepted foul language for this is also foul language! Where is the grace in that? Where is the blessing? Where is the sanctification? How does it glorify Christ? How does it express what He's given us?
And finally, if these really are just flippant figures of speech, why do some people defend saying them even to arguing over it, as if these are valuable to them, needful for them?
In Christ, if figures of speech are used, then let them be blessing rather than cursing. Not out of fear from hell-fire and judgment as some critics say but out of Love, who by the Spirit resides richly within all who are in Christ and walk by faith and not by sight, who walk in the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18-21
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
The Because:
Luke 10:27
27 So he answered and said, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
The Result:
John 8:29
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.
The Method:
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind and because of that I seek to please Him in every way with every word and deed and all because I believe that He is faith. In case you don't know, faith is belief. The Greek word pistis means belief. Confident belief. Of course, the Websters has faith as belief too. I have confident belief that God is and I seek Him, and finding Him, I love Him with all my heart, soul, strength and mind. Because of this, He has blessed me with the promise of the Spirit. And with the Spirit within so the abundance of my heart speaks.
Luke 6:45
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
So, what does the abundance of our heart, the Spirit inspire to say?
The Word, prayer and supplication:
Ephesians 6:17-18
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
Praise and thanks:
Hebrews 13:15
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
God speaking thru us:
1 Corinthians 14:21
21 In the law it is written:
With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,
says the Lord.
Words of Testimony:
Luke 21:13-15
13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
Words of faith and authority:
Matthew 21:21
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.
According to the fruit of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Our conduct in all of what we say is by way of the Spirit, and always to be in the Name of Yeshua:
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
This includes flippant figures of speech:
Ephesians 4:29
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
The abundance of the heart for the believer flows to salvation:
Romans 10:8-10
8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Yeshua takes speech very seriously even idle words such as flippant figures of speech:
Matthew 12:36-37
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
...because what comes out of the mouth is what defiles a man:
Matthew 15:11
11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
...and because life and death and health are in the tongue:
Proverbs 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 12:18-19
18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19 The truthful lip shall be established forever,
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Knowing all this, let's examine some of these flippant figures of speech, said without the apparent force of faith, but still words passing our lips nonetheless, cleaned up a little for sake of decency:
It just kills me that...
I'm laughing my butt off...
You're killing me...
I'm going to die laughing...
She's going to kill you...
Murder me...
I'm sick of this...
That makes me sick...
Break a leg...
This will kill you...
She's going to excrete bricks...
That's to die for...
Gag me with a spoon...
You're so dead when you get home...
She's talking me to death...
If you don't stop, I'm going to kill you...
I'm dying for that...
I'm want that so bad, I could die...
You are just going to die...
That's funny as hell...
I'll see you in hell...
I'm getting old... (often said by 20 year olds and up but even by teens)
I feel like I could die...
That scared me to death...
You're giving me a heart attack...
...and there are surely many more. Notice the consistent motif? Death, sickness, hell, bad things. I've listened to these from people all around and it's always something bad and never anything good.
First off meant or not is it the truth? Are you really dying? Are you really getting sick? Are you really passing bricks? Is Hell really funny?
Secondly since all we do and say should be in the name of Yeshua the Christ, is any of that edifying? Uplifting? Blessing? Promoting holiness, love, health, peace and life?
Thirdly is that the nature that Christ has given us? Is that the abundance of our heart?
Let's forget possible ramifications in giving permission and authority to a defeated foe or speaking illness and death to us for a moment this is something that should be as instinctive to us as avoiding culturally accepted foul language for this is also foul language! Where is the grace in that? Where is the blessing? Where is the sanctification? How does it glorify Christ? How does it express what He's given us?
And finally, if these really are just flippant figures of speech, why do some people defend saying them even to arguing over it, as if these are valuable to them, needful for them?
In Christ, if figures of speech are used, then let them be blessing rather than cursing. Not out of fear from hell-fire and judgment as some critics say but out of Love, who by the Spirit resides richly within all who are in Christ and walk by faith and not by sight, who walk in the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18-21
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
