3

Pressing On
Toward The Goal

Watch What You Say and Do!

Spiritual Gifts

Are You Blessed?

Slain In The Spirit?

Mathew 12: 35-37 35. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. 37. For by your words you will be aquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

Watch What You Say and Do! As Christians we must follow codes of conduct given us by the Word of God. The world closely watch our every move and all that we say. We are representative of the Gospel of Christ and the way we behave, the words we use can be life or death to an unbeliever and/or a stumbling block to a believer. Consider what Christ tells us in Mathew 5: 13-16 13. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

I think these verses of Scripture sums it pretty clear the importance of Christian conduct in these eyes of all, be it believer or unbeliever. If I use words and phrases the the world uses, what sets me apart, where then am I sanctified? We as Christians have become to comfortable with the use of the word 'fool,' and the misuse of the word hell. Profanity in the church has become a laughing matter by the misuse of the word hell. When we begin to yell in the church to hell with this and that, this person and that person and the congregation laughs about it, what indeed have we become? Ignorence does not come to our defence because we are given instructions should we just open up our Bibles and hear what the Lord has to say.

Mathew 5: 22c But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
When we come to our brother and let him know he is acking foolish or have done a foolish thing etc., with mildness and for a good end, to convince others of thier vanity and folly, it is not sinful. But when it proceeds from anger and malice within, as to say 'you fool', it si the smoke of that fire which is kindled from hell. You fool, is a spiteful word, and comes from hatred; looking on someone not only as kavish and not to be honored, but as vile and not to be loved. The former speaks of a man without sense, this (in scripture language) speaks of a man without grace; the more the reproach touches his spiritual condition, the worse it is. Malicious slanders and censures are poison under the tongue, that kills secretly and slowly. It is an evidence of such an ill-will toward our neighbor as would strike at his life, if it were in your power. Christ tells them however light they made of this sin, they would certainly be reckoned for. Anyone who says, You fool!, you profane person, you child of hell, to which he condemns his brother has incurred a dreadful punishment.

I don't think there is much more that needs to be said on this topic, but lets conclude in the book of James 1: 19-20, 26-27, 19. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20. for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

26. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he decieves himself and his religion is worthless. 27. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: look after the orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by theworld.

3: 1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strickly. And finally... 9. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing, My brothers, this should not be.