October 28 – LD 43, Day 7: The Wonderful Restoration of the
Tongue’s Good Use
by Pastor Steven Key
Proverbs 16:23: “The
heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.”
The heavy wrath of God,
which must rest upon the abusive and lying tongue, was taken up by Jesus and
carried to the cross for all who believe. Having spoken His precious Word of
truth to us as His almighty power unto salvation, our Lord now fills us with a
love for Him and for one another. To us who had the name of our father the
devil, and who did not hesitate to give others bad names by our gossip and evil
speaking, the Lord has given the name of children of God — the very
opposite of who we are by nature!
This renewal of life is
just as much a part of belonging to Christ as is the forgiveness of sins and
justification. It is not possible to claim the work of Christ if our tongues
keep on lying, gossiping, slandering and rashly condemning. It is true — and,
oh, the sorrow it causes us — that we do not have perfection here, for we have
a continual struggle with the old man of sin in us. We do stumble. But if our
tongue is untamed and unbridled, quick to speak evil, how shall we sing with
sincerity of heart the words of Psa 19:14, “Let
the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy
sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer”?
Jesus Christ speaks and
works in us to tame the untamable and to break down the works of the devil.
What we are unable to do in our own strength is given to us by the power of
Christ, when we continually seek His grace and Holy Spirit. In Him is mercy and
truth. And as we read in Prov 16:6: “By mercy and
truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
So we shall love the truth, speak it uprightly and confess it. Seeking to
glorify God in all things, we shall defend and promote, as much as possible,
the honour and good character of our neighbour. This is the way of promoting the well-being of
the