“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:
1) Fill Your Speech With Grace (Josh Coles)
2) My Attitude Toward God’s Word (Bryan Gibson)
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Fill Your Speech With Grace
Josh Coles
Have you ever been on the receiving end of grace? Here’s a good definition for the word grace: “the acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain” (Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old/New Testament Words).
So, again, have you ever been on the receiving end of grace? If so, how did it make you feel or how did it change you? Wasn’t your heart immediately filled with thanksgiving, joy, and even humility? As a result, didn’t you respond by expressing that thankfulness, joy, and humility? Grace affects not only our actions, but our speech as well. So if you’ve been on the receiving end of grace, then your speech should be different afterwards –it should be filled with grace. Well, all Christians have been on the receiving end of God’s grace and He expects for us to speak gracious words. But how is this done?
Giving Grace to Those Who Hear
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear (Eph. 4:29, ESV).
Before we study Ephesians 4:29, let’s set up the context so we understand more fully what’s going on. In 4:17-23, it’s taught that once we become a Christian our lives should be radically different, so Paul discusses what this radical change should look like and in 4:29 he focuses on our speech.
First, “let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths….” This “talk” is rotten (i.e., in the sense of rotten fruit), worthless, unwholesome, or putrid. These words destroy and tear down quickly (James 3:5-6). This type of speech is the complete opposite of gracious; for no kindness, favor, or mercy would be included in it. How many times we say something only to realize the damage we did afterwards. Words are powerful. If used incorrectly and ungraciously they can do a lifetime of damage. So, as Christians who are attempting to fill their speech with grace, we don’t allow any corrupting talk to come out of our mouths.
Secondly, “… but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion.” You could use the word “edification” here as it means “to build up.” In order to be gracious with your words, you need to stop using worthless, harmful words and replace them with words that “only” help and encourage. You need to use words that make a person better once he hears them; however, this takes skill, wisdom, effort, and even courage to accomplish. Think of it in this sense: if you were constructing a building from the ground up, you would need to build it piece by piece and scrutinize which pieces to use in order to make sure it will be strong for years. In the same vein, when it comes to our words, we need to scrutinize which ones we’ll use in order to be as effective as possible in helping others grow and become better. This scrutiny is what Paul meant when he said, “… as fits the occasion.” Please note that this type of encouragement goes beyond just normal chit-chat. So, as Christians who are attempting to fill their speech with grace, we need to replace “corrupting words” with words that “build up.”
Giving Grace to Unbelievers
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Col. 4:3-6, NIV).
In Colossians 4:3-6, it seems the command to “give grace to those who hear” becomes much more target specific, with the emphasis placed on giving grace to unbelievers. By Paul requesting prayers from the Colossians for opportunities to speak with unbelievers, we learn that these occasions are incredibly valuable; thus, they should always be taken seriously and not dealt with haphazardly.
Paul begins by instructing that their speech be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Well, we already know what it means to fill our speech with grace, but what does he mean to “season with salt”? Let’s consider the uses for salt: it preserves, purifies, cleans, and enhances. Salt preserves, purifies, and enhances; therefore, our speech should preserve, purify, and enhance those around us and the conversations we’re involved in. Meaning, our speech should clean up the conversations at work, school, parties, etc. Yet, there is salt that will clean and purify a wound, but it may not be a pleasant process due to stinging. Likewise, there may be speech we use that will sting. Nevertheless, it’s still gracious speech because it’s building up. Sometimes we need to hear those tough words in order to grow and become better. For example, Jesus used tough words, especially with the Pharisees, but they were gracious because they were said in order to build them up.
This passage also clearly teaches that we must speak in this way so we’ll know how to respond to unbelievers and take advantage of these opportunities. Along these same lines, the Holy Spirit said, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Pet. 3:15, NIV). You see, these opportunities may be limited and what is said may affect the unbeliever for years to come – whether positively (grace) or negatively (corruption). So we cannot approach these situations thoughtlessly. In these delicate situations, too many believers confuse boldness with condescension, rudeness, and hostility. These characteristics are corrupting and certainly no grace, gentleness, or respect is involved with them. Now please don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying we shouldn’t staunchly defend the gospel, but this passage, among others (2 Tim. 2:24-26), states we must do so with grace-filled speech. Some believers may have good intentions, but a lack of preparation caused them to miss the moment and cause harm in the process. So play these situations out in your mind and plan what you’ll say so you can impart grace and not corruption.
Well, the verdict is in: we need to fill our speech with grace and this is the only appropriate reaction in light of the grace God has extended to us. As Christians, we are testimony to the power of God’s grace and if we don’t allow it to fully transform us, then the world will learn that God’s grace is insufficient and inadequate— which is blasphemy. Therefore, please examine your speech and pray for God’s help to cultivate gracious speech instead of corrupting speech.
God’s tremendous grace should transform us to the point we use speech that ONLY builds up and refrain from speech that corrupts— especially when it comes to our conversations with unbelievers.
—– Via Truth Magazine, Volume 58, Number 5, May 2014
https://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume58/2014_05_May_Truth_Magazine.pdf?fb
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My Attitude Toward God’s Word
Bryan Gibson
Psalms 119 is a long tribute to God’s word. 176 verses, and all but two (122, 132) use some term to describe God’s word (testimonies, law, judgments, statutes, precepts, etc.). This ought to be a good place, then, to see exactly what my attitude toward God’s word should be.
I should regard it as the truth. “All Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right” (128). “Your law is truth” (142). “All Your commandments are truth” (151). “The entirety of Your word is truth” (160). See also 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
I should be in awe of it. “Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word” (161). One “who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2)–that’s exactly what God wants me to be.
I should delight in it. “I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (16).
I should love it. “My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love” (48). “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (97). “I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!” (127).
I should hate anything contrary to it. “All Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way” (128). “Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way” (104).
— Via Plain Words from God’s Word, October 30, 2023
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Jeremiah 15:16
“Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts” (NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).
2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. Congregational Song Service: 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Classes
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)