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Question: What exactly did Jesus mean when he said not to use idle words?

Answer:

"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Matthew 12:34-37).

Thank you for your question, and let me begin by giving you the Biblical definition of the word idle according to the Greek: Shunning the labour which one ought to perform; or words spoken leisurely. Therefore what Jesus was warning of in this particular passage of scripture was how often man can be careless with what he says, which could very well be offensive to others.

Also notice that man will give an account of these words in the day of judgment, signifying that God takes careful record of all of our words. Look at what Psalms 139:4 says: "For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether." God keeps accurate records!

Look at verse 35 above that speaks about the relation between our words and our heart. We speak what we have in our heart. Even though man may try to cover up his heart, it will eventually be exposed by his verbal communication. Just watch sometime a person who hits their thumb with the hammer, and notice what is said. If they are using profanity, then their language indicates that their heart is not right with God. There are many verses in the New Testament alone that deal with "corrupt communication." Ephesians 4:29 and Colossians 3:8 are just two examples.

In conclusion, a right relationship with God will produce right and careful words. Have you ever wondered why God gave us two ears and one mouth? Perhaps it's because He wanted us to listen twice as much as we speak.


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