1 “No Unwholesome Word” Ephesians 4:29-5:4. 2 3 Romans 6:1-4 “ What shall we say then? Are we...

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“No Unwholesome Word”

Ephesians 4:29-5:4

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Romans 6:1-4

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may

increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? …”

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Romans 6:1-4

“… 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His

death? …”

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Romans 6:1-4

“… 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of

life.”

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• Not only has God made a change in us…–washing our sins away (Acts 22:16)

• God expects a change in us

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Romans 6:15ff

“Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!”

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• The aspect of our lives he focused on most was our words

• James further explains the importance of controlling our tongues (3:4-12).

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James 3:4-12

“Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong

winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the

pilot desires. …”

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James 3:4-12

“… 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set

aflame by such a small fire! …”

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James 3:4-12

“… 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which

defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire

by hell. …”

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James 3:4-12

“… 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by

the human race. …”

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James 3:4-12

“… 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly

poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

…”

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James 3:4-12

“… 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren,

these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same

opening both fresh and bitter water? …”

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James 3:4-12

“… 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?

Nor can salt water produce fresh.”

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Examine Ephesians 4:25-32

• Bear in mind, these verses apply:–Here & at home

–School & at work

–With our friends

–Our family

–Our neighbors

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not

sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, …”

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“… 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must

labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have

something to share with one who has need. …”

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“… 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only

such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so

that it will give grace to those who hear. …”

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“… 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along

with all malice. …”

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“… 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as

God in Christ also has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as

beloved children; …”

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“… 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even

be named among you, as is proper among saints; …”

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Ephesians 4:25-5:4

“… 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which

are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”

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Ephesians 4:29

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth…”

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Unwholesome

• “sapros” – Greek – used to describe a rotten and putrid piece of fruit.–The terms “unwholesome” and

“corrupt” accurately portray Paul’s message.

–Matthew 12:33-37

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Matthew 12:33-37

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34

"You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the

heart. …”

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Matthew 12:33-37

“… 35 "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the

evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 "But I tell you that every

careless word that people speak, …”

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Matthew 12:33-37

“… they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your

words you will be condemned." ”

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Unwholesome

• Understand, clearly, the issue of language is one of Christian purity and we must be pure–1 John 3:3

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1 John 3:3

“And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is

pure.”

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Ephesians 4:31

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away

from you, along with all malice.”

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Ephesians 4:31

• Paul uses six terms in this verse to describe unwholesome speech.–These terms revolve around the

issue of biting and devouring one another• Galatians 5:15

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Galatians 5:15

“But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not

consumed by one another.”

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Bitterness

• Refers to biting sarcasm that cuts at someone

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Wrath and Anger

• Wrath refers to a passionate, emotional response that boils up quickly and then quickly subsides.

• Anger has the idea of a natural disposition.

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Clamor

• The idea of a useless cry–Illustrated by the cries of the mob

shouting against Christianity in Acts 19:32

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Slander & Malice

• They are speech designed to harm someone–Either behind their back – Slander

–Or to their face – Malice

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Ephesians 4:25

• “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, …”–We are not to lie

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Ephesians 5:4

“and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are

not fitting,…”

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Filthiness

• Obscenity must not be spoken.–I believe we all would agree that

many words heard and allowed on TV are “unwholesome” and “filthy”.

–But even some that is allowed on TV should not be spoken by a Christian.

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Euphemism

• the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.

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Do you use any of these?

• For Heaven’s Sake• For Cryin’ out loud• What the hey/heck• Jeez• Good Heavens• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit

• Darn• Drat• Heck• Sam Hill• Crikey• Sheesh• Shoot• Sugar• Crap

• Frickin’• Sugar foot• S-o-b• Son of a gun• Suck• Holy Cow• By Jove• Man

Do you know what they mean?

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• For Heaven’s Sake• For Cryin’ out loud• What the hey/heck• Jeez• Good Heavens• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Cryin’ out loud• What the hey/heck• Jeez• Good Heavens• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the hey/heck• Jeez• Good Heavens• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jeez• Good Heavens• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good Heavens• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good God• O my goodness• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good God• O my God• Dog gone• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good God• O my God• God d***• Gosh darn• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good God• O my God• God d***• God d***• Daggumit




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• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good God• O my God• God d***• God d***• God d*** it




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• D***• Drat• Heck• Sam Hill• Crikey• Sheesh• Shoot• Sugar• Crap


Do you know what they mean?• For Christ’s Sake• For Christ’s Sake• What the he**• Jesus• Good God• O my God• God d***• God d***• God d*** it

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• D***• God rot it• Heck• Sam Hill• Crikey• Sheesh• Shoot• Sugar• Crap



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• D***• God rot it• He**• Sam Hill• Crikey• Sheesh• Shoot• Sugar• Crap



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• D***• God rot it• He**• He**• Crikey• Sheesh• Shoot• Sugar• Crap



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• D***• God rot it• He**• He**• Christ• Sheesh• Shoot• Sugar• Crap



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• Frickin’• Sugar foot• S-o-b• Son of a gun• Suck• Holy Cow• By God• Man


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• Frickin’• Sugar foot• S-o-b• Son of a gun• Suck• Holy Cow• By God• D***


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Silly Talking

• Foolish talking–By this, Paul means we are not to

speak as fools do.

–This brings to mind what the Psalmist said in Psalms 14:1

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Psalms 14:1

“The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."”

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Silly Talking

• Foolish talking–This kind of speech is godless,

irreverent speech.

–We must not speak anything that is disrespectful toward God.

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Coarse Jesting

• Paul does not limit all jest

• The term here refers to ribaldry–That is vulgar, indecent and abusive

humor.

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Ephesians 4:29

“…but only such a word as is good for edification”

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What is wholesome?

• We must speak those things good for edification–To edify means to build up

• We are not a demolition crew, but rather remodelers.

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The need of the moment

• We must first be able to listen and accurately assess what problems exist and what needs are there.

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• Too often, we don’t listen long enough when others speak to know what is appropriate.

• We must take time to listen to others and to know others.

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• I must consider the one to whom I am speaking.–While the hearer has responsibility

to strive to understand me

–I have a great responsibility to speak in a way to be easily understood from their perceptions.

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Give grace to those who hear

• Our words should provide delight, joy and pleasure.–Grace demonstrates that the person

may not deserve this type of speech

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Give grace to those who hear

• Keep in mind, the delight, joy and pleasure may not be immediate.–Sometimes, edifying words are

painful in the moment.

–But when followed they produce joy.• Hebrews 12:11

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Hebrews 12:11

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to

those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of

righteousness.”

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Areas of wholesome speech

• Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

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• Paul claims we are to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving.–In Colossians 3:12, he points out we

should also speak with “humility, gentleness and patience”

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• Paul claims we are to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving.–Keep in mind, this letter was written

for the greater purpose of producing unity between Jews and Gentiles.

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• Paul claims we are to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving.–This is the kind of speech we must

have if we will promote unity here.

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Ephesians 4:15

“but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who

is the head, even Christ,”

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Ephesians 4:25

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one

another.”

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“Speak the truth”

• We must not lie.–Our yes must mean yes and our no

mean no.–We do not have to ensure our

speech with great oaths–When we speak, our brethren must

know they can trust us.

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• This also speaks to those difficult times in which we must truthfully expose error in others–Ephesians 5:11-13

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Ephesians 5:11-13

“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful

even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. …”

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Ephesians 5:11-13

“… 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for

everything that becomes visible is light.”

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• We must truthfully expose error in others–But doing so must be governed by

love.

–We are not speaking this truth to them in order to demonstrate our greatness or our perfection.

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Ephesians 6:19-20

“and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of

my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, …”

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Ephesians 6:19-20

“… 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

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Proclaim the Gospel

• To our brethren or to the lost.–Again, it must be governed by love.

–But Paul demonstrates it must be with boldness

–Speaking in love does not mean speaking timidly.

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Ephesians 6:19

“and pray on my behalf,”

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• Instead of speaking words that harm others

• We should speak words that lift others up and the greatest place we can do that is in prayer.

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• We must speak in prayer on behalf of others

• And we need to speak in prayer with others

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Matthew 12:33-37

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

…”

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Matthew 12:33-37

“… 34 "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good?

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. …”

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Matthew 12:33-37

“… 35 "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the

evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. …”

92

Matthew 12:33-37

“… 36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give

an accounting for it in the day of judgment. …”

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Matthew 12:33-37

“… 37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be

condemned."”

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Matthew 13:47-50

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 48 and when it was

filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they

threw away. …”

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Matthew 13:47-50

“… 49 "So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the

righteous, …”

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Matthew 13:47-50

“… 50 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will

be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

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In the end, Jesus will send forth His angels to separate from the

kingdom those who have not lived in purity but continued in or returned

to corruption.

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Based upon your speech …

at home, at school, at work …

If that judgment were to take place right now …

Where would you be?

1 “No Unwholesome Word” Ephesians 4:29-5:4. 2 3 Romans 6:1-4 “ What shall we say then? Are we...

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