I keep seeing this phrase,
"Christian Chat" and as usual, some questions came to
mind. : )
Is chat considered to be
"Christian" just because there are some people who are called
"Christians" that show up and start chatting?
We know
that any conversation
that comes out of a Christian's mouth should be seasoned with the flavor of
Christ. Unfortunately, that is not what happens in most
"Christian" chat areas.
So.....
I looked up a
definition for the word chat:
chat (ch²t) intr.v. chat·ted, chat·ting,
chats.
1.
To converse in an easy, familiar manner; talk lightly and casually.
--chat n.
1.
An informal, light conversation. 2. Any of several birds known for their chattering call, as of the
genera Saxicola or Icteria. --phrasal verb.
chat up.
To engage (someone) in light, casual talk: "He would be . . . chatting
up folks from Kansas" (Vanity Fair). See CHATTER.]
Just to make it more
interesting, let's "
See CHATTER”:
chat·ter (ch²t"…r)
v.
chat·tered,
chat·ter·ing,
chat·ters.
--intr.
1.
To talk rapidly, incessantly, and on trivial subjects; jabber.
2.
To utter a rapid series of short, inarticulate, speechlike sounds: birds
chattering in the trees. 3. To click quickly and repeatedly: Our teeth chattered from the
cold.
4. To vibrate or rattle while in operation: A power drill will
chatter if the bit is loose. --tr. 1. To utter in a rapid,
usually thoughtless way: chattered a long reply.
So, with this definition in mind, (casual talk, or idle, trivial talk, usually thoughtless) I thought I might explore what "Christian chat" might be. You know I had to share, right? : )
My next question is this, what
does the bible say about the conversation of Believers?
I have looked at a little of
what the Word says.
I found one very important
requirement for the conversation of Believers.
That is that it should always be acceptable in His sight.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14)
David here is
making a conscious choice to be sure that the
words from his mouth acceptable in the sight of God. He is
also leaving us with the thought that there are some things that are not
acceptable in God’s sight.
Here's another
example from the scriptures of conversation that might be considered
suitable for believers:
...let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
(Hebrews 13:15)
This says "constantly and at all times". Could this mean
that there is no time that we should lay aside that thankful attitude that
causes us to give praise to the Lord? Even
if it's just on the inside, shouldn’t we always have an attitude of
thankfulness? If we are always
sincerely grateful on the inside, then what comes out will always bring Him
glory.
Now, what
might a “sacrifice of praise” sound like?
This verse
spoke of it as "the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and
confess and glorify the name of God".
How does it
sound when we "thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify”
His name?
Here's
a clue to get us started:
An instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; bow down your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will speak dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their sons, showing to the generations to come the praises of Jehovah, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done.
(Psalms 78:1-4)
This verse is
called an "instruction". Instruction means the writer is
trying to teach us something. What it is teaching us is something
about what happened when Asaph opened his mouth (had
conversation). He began to tell everybody what he has learned about
how wonderful God is!
A sacrifice of
praise could be telling others the wonderful things we know about the God we
serve.
Here's the
same verse from a more modern version:
An Asaph psalm. Listen, dear friends, to God's truth, bend your ears to what I tell you. I'm chewing on the morsel of a proverb; I'll let you in on the sweet old truths, Stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother's knee. We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation-- GOD's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done.
(Psalms 78:1-4 MSG)
This verse
gives us an outline of what is being said, who it is being said to, and a hint
of praise at the end.
Sometimes our
praises are directed to the Father. Here's
an example of what that might sound like. The verses of Psalms 145:4-7
speak to the Lord of how wonderful He is:
One
generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty
acts. I will speak of the glorious honor of Your majesty, and of Your
wonderful works. And men shall speak of the might of Your awesome
works; and I will declare Your greatness. They shall pour forth the memory of
Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness.
(Psalms
145:4-7)
Remember the instruction in Psalm 13:15 that
we "constantly and at all times offer to God a sacrifice of
praise. I have already heard the complaints that ask if it is really
practical to believe that we can talk like this at all times.
My question would be why do believers have a problem talking like this
all the time to each other? I would however ask why the Lord would think that this might
be necessary.
I found another clue:
Only
take heed to yourself and keep your soul carefully, lest you forget the things
which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days
of your life. But teach them to your sons, and your sons' sons.
(Deuteronomy
4:9)
It could be that He instructs us to speak like this “at all times”,
because He knows how easily we forget. How could we forget
what a wonderful God we serve if we speak of His greatness at all
times? Remembering could
definitely help to keep us in His will.
We are also repeatedly told to hand down the knowledge of how
great He is from generation to generation.
And
you shall carefully teach them to your sons, and shall talk of them when you
sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and
when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they
shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the
posts of your house, and on your gates.
(Deuteronomy
6:7-9)
Tell
your sons of it, and let your sons tell their sons, and their sons another
generation.
(Joel
1:3)
Aren’t the
things that we have experienced that demonstrate God's goodness in our lives worth
sharing? Isn’t what we have
learned, about Who He is, through studying His Word and by His
Spirit, worth sharing with everybody, all the time?
That would be
a pleasing thing to offer as a sacrifice of praise. And who's
sons can say that they do not NEED to listen to the
wisdom of the scriptures?
Let
me add here that I don't restrict the word "sons" to just
meaning my own son. I tell every mother's son (and daughter) all I have
learned about the goodness of God!
Here is
another example of what the conversation of believers should cover:
O
simple ones, understand wisdom; and, fools, be of an understanding heart.
Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall
be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is
hateful to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
nothing twisted or perverse is in them. They are all plain to
him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
(Proverbs
8:5-9)
The Psalmist says in verse 6 that when his lips open, he will
speak of "right things". The Amplified Translation calls them
"excellent and princely things".
What is more right than injecting into a conversation between
believers, words that speak of the goodness of God and the works of our Lord
Jesus, our Excellent High Priest?!
Honestly, I have been in some of those so called
"Christian" chats places and most of the time there is a great
need for somebody to speak of some "right things" such as
those "right things" revealed to us in the words of
scripture and by our testimony of the goodness of God.
Notice that verse 5 of Proverbs 8 is addressed to the
"simple ones and fools". The Amplified Translation
clarifies that they are called "simple ones and
fools" because of their inability to understand. But this is
not because of any kind of learning disadvantage. It is
because of their "self-confidence". Meaning that they think they
know enough and have no need to learn anything else.
A side note: If we have problems with getting into His Word there may
be reason to check for a hearing problem...as the Pharisees in Jesus
day displayed:
Why do
you not know My speech? Because you cannot hear My Word.
(John
8:43)
I suggest that you read what Jesus had to say about those who cannot
hear His word. I won't take the
time to discuss that right now. I only want to relay the importance of
making sure you take the time necessary to read His word and listen to what
the Spirit says to His Church.
Don't ever think that you have had enough or that once you have
read a verse or a chapter or even a book of the bible, that you know all there
is to know about that verse, chapter or book of the bible. And don't
ever shun the teaching of those who you know have words of wisdom for
you especially when they have been through what you are going
through. They may have testimony you can learn from of how the Lord has
brought them out.
At
this point I feel the need to clarify something. I
am not talking about the wisdom of men but that wisdom that comes from
clinging to God as if your life depended on it! When you spend time that close to Someone, you kinda get to
know Him better. : )
For those of you who think that keeping praises on our
lips is just an Old Testament practice or that speaking in a manner
that gives praises to the Lord, "at all times", is out of
date, think again...
Paul talked about the Lord quite a bit...
And
passing through those parts, and exhorting them with much speech, he came into
Greece.
(Acts
20:2)
and Paul encouraged others to do so as well.
Not only in their talk, but also in the way they "walk"
this walk...
and
had given them much exhortation; to abide by the doctrines and
ordinances of the Gospel, and to walk worthy of it in their lives and
conversations; and this exhortation he was frequently giving, as often as he
had opportunity, improving his time much this way, and continued long at it:
and, having pursued it to a sufficient length,
Gill
He shared frequently and whenever he got the chance.
He spoke til the wee hours of the night...
And on
the first of the sabbaths, the disciples having been assembled to break bread,
being about to depart on the morrow, Paul reasoned to them. And he continued
his speech until midnight.
(Acts
20:7)
He continued even if his listeners called his
conversation insane...
And he
defending himself with these things, Festus said with a loud voice,
Paul, you rave! Your many letters turn you to insanity.
(Acts
26:24)
He kept on boldly speaking the truth...
But he
said, Not to insanity, most noble Festus, but I speak words of truth and
sanity. For the king understands about these things, to whom I speak, even
being bold of speech. For I am persuaded that not any of these things are
hidden from him, nothing. For the doing of this was not in a corner.
(Acts
26:25-26)
Whenever we are engaged in chatter, remember that Christ can enrich our speech...
that
in everything you are enriched by Him, in all speech and in all
knowledge;
(1 Corinthians 1:5)
Of what value is it to come to the table with words that only
reflect the wisdom of men? They are useless to us if we cannot declare Christ.
When we stop talking about Him, the bible warns us that we will begin to
forget about just Who He is. When we forget we lose that power that comes by the
Spirit that inspired those words we call the Holy Scriptures.
Paul did not come to the Corinthians in his own wisdom:
And I,
brothers, when I came to you, did not come with excellency of speech or of
wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know
anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you
in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching
was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the
Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not stand in the
wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
(1
Corinthians 2:1-5)
The reason being that he did not want the faith of his listeners to
"stand in the wisdom of men". He made himself to decrease so
that Christ in him could increase and his listeners faith would stand
"in the power of God"!
Like the Apostle Paul, we have the choice as
to whether to speak of the hidden things of God when we
"chat" with other Christians (those who are
made "perfect" by believing in Christ and
Him crucified)...
But,
we speak wisdom among those who are perfect; yet not the
wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nothing.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which God has hidden,
predetermining it before the world for our glory;
(1
Corinthians 2:6-7)
Our Conversation will always "come to nothing" when we
speak only with the "wisdom of this world".
Remember what the Old Testament said about giving reminders?
Here's a similar instruction from the New Testament:
Therefore
I beseech you, be imitators of me. For this cause I have sent Timothy to you,
who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall
remind you of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere
in every church.
(1
Corinthians 4:16-17)
Remember what the Old Testament said about how often to give each
other these reminders of the things we can thankfully praise the Lord
for? Well, in the following passage,
the New Testament agrees that it should be "at all times"!:
Speak
out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise
with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to
the Lord, At all times and for everything giving
thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
(Ephesians
5:19 - 20)
When we lose touch with the reality of who our God is, we are more
likely to stumble and eventually we will fall. Also, of great concern is
the possibility that we may become puffed up...
As to
my not coming to you now, some are puffed up. But I will come to you shortly,
if the Lord wills. And I will not know the speech of those who are puffed up,
but the power.
(1
Corinthians 4:18-19)
Here's some commentary on what was happening when Paul wrote these
words to the Corinthians:
1Co
4:18 - Now some are puffed up,.... Some
with their gifts, learning, and eloquence, and with the high station they were
in, in the church; believing they should continue therein undisturbed,
thinking them selves safe and secure through the absence of the apostle, and
which they flattered themselves would always be the case:
Gill
I'll bet you can think of some like those described as "puffed
up". (There's that hearing problem again!) They are NOT
listening to what they are hearing from the Word of God. Puffed up
speaks of pride which will always stand in the way of the Spirit of God when
He is trying to get through to His servants.
These particular believers have been placed into positions of
authority. They are like the ones nowadays who find a false security in the
fact that it looks as if the Lord is not coming back at this very moment, so
they imagine that they are safe in their "high stations".
Have you ever seen an entire congregation of puffed up
"saints". If the Spirit of God is in you, the mere sight of it
will make you want to hurl!
Lets look at more of what our speech should be...
Then
since we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. And we are not like
Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could
not steadfastly look to the end of the thing being done away. (But their
thoughts were blinded; for until the present the same veil remains on the
reading of the old covenant, not taken away.) But this veil has been done away
in Christ. But until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is on their heart.
But whenever it turns to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
(2
Corinthians 3:12-16)
It should be as plain or as clear as possible. If our goal is
getting our listeners to gain an understanding of what is being said in
His Word, we might be used to assist our Brothers and Sisters in
being released from what keeps them from "hearing" the word.
This passage says that as they turn their hearts to the Lord, the veil shall
be taken away!
Lord let the veil on their hearts be taken away as they turn to you
when given the reminders of what is said in your Word! AMEN!?
And, for those who believe the Word should always give us a
"warm and fuzzy" feeling, read what Paul says here about the effect
of his letter on the Corinthians:
For
even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret; if indeed I did regret;
for I see that that letter grieved you for an hour. Now I rejoice, not that
you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved
according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us. For the
grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but
the grief of the world works out death.
(2
Corinthians 7:8-10)
The grief that leads to Godly sorrow and repentance is only
temporary. If our brothers and sisters are "grieved to
repentance" we should rejoice that they have been restored to their
heavenly Father.
But remember, there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. This is not a license to cause harm for the fun of it.
Now let's take a look at what our speech should NOT include...
But
now also put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
shameful speech out of your mouth.
(Colossians
3:8)
We are instructed no to bring this to any conversation, let alone
with other believers.
Rather than engaging in “idle chatter”, we need to use the time
we have wisely:
Making
the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the
days are evil.
Therefore
do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly
grasping what the will of the Lord is.
And do
not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and
stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit. [Prov. 23:20.]
(Ephesians
5:15-18)
We need to always seek to share with the grace that God has
shared with us when we speak:
Let
your speech be always with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that
you may know how you ought to answer each one.
(Colossians
4:6)
And as we choose our words, we need to always remember that
there will be an accounting for even the "casual, idle, or
trivial" words you speak:
But I
tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle
(inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. For by your words you will be
justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and
sentenced.
(Matthew
12:36-37)
So what would you like to “chat” about?
My practice is that if I can't lift the conversation
off of the floor (where it usually is in Chat areas), I simply find
another place to hang out and leave the dead to bury the dead. : )
In His Service,
Peggy
Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in
your hearts and minds] and
dwell in you in [all its]
richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and
intelligence and wisdom [in
spiritual things, and as you sing]
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your
hearts. And whatever you do [no
matter what it is] in word
or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.
(Colossians 3:16-17)
8-11-04