Battle for the Tongue

When you hear someone speaking negative, criticizing, condemning, or bad mouthing someone, how do you respond? The speaker may be confident that their words are absolutely true and that they are doing their righteous duty in exposing the evil of another. But whether or not they are speaking facts, it is still a sin to destroy respect for a person, undermine their reputation, and alienate others affections from them. !od condemns evil speaking, backbiting, reproach, slander"
#$ % &'(), who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? * +e that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. , He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.- ./s $0"$1,2 #$3 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. *4 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother5 thou slanderest thine own mother6s son.- ./s 04"$31*42 #* Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs5 like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. , Thou lovest evil more than good5 and lying rather than to speak righteousness. 7elah. 8 Thou lovest all devouring words, ' thou deceitful tongue. 0 !od shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. 7elah.- ./s 0*"*102 #* +ide me from the secret counsel of the wicked5 from the insurrection of the workers of ini9uity" , Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words" 8 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect" suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 0 They encourage themselves in an evil matter" they commune of laying snares privily5 they say, Who shall see them? : They search out ini9uities5 they accomplish a diligent search" both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. ; % But !od shall shoot at them with an arrow5 suddenly shall they be wounded. < 7o they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves" all that see them shall flee away.- ./s :8"*1<2 #, They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent5 adders6 poison is under their lips. 7elah. ... 3 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. $4 &et burning coals fall upon them" let them be cast into the fire5 into deep pits, that they rise not up again. $$ &et not an evil speaker be established in the earth" evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.- ./s $84",1$$2 #There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword" but the tongue of the wise is health.- ./r $*"$<2 #)eath and life are in the power of the tongue" and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.- ./r $<"*$2 #=f any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man6s religion is vain.- .>as $"*:2 #*< ?nd even as they did not like to retain !od in their knowledge, !od gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient5 *3 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness5 full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity5 whisperers, ,4 Backbiters, haters of !od, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ,$ Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful" ,* Who knowing the @udgment of !od, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.- .(o $"*<1,*2 #7peak not evil one of another, brethren. +e that speaketh evil of his brother, and @udgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and @udgeth the law" but if thou @udge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a @udge.- .>as 8"$$2 #$ % >udge not, that ye be not @udged. * Aor with what @udgment ye @udge, ye shall be @udged" and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. , ?nd why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother6s
Battle for the Tongue" Bombating Backbiters $ C *4$, Dew &ife Eission Banada

eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 8 'r how wilt thou say to thy brother, &et me pull out the mote out of thine eye5 and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 0 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye5 and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother6s eye.- .Et ;"$102

What shall we choose to speak?

#The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of @udgment.- ./s ,;",42 #?nd my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.- ./s ,0"*<2 #$* What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? $, Feep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. $8 )epart from evil, and do good5 seek peace, and pursue it.- ./s ,8"$*1 $82 #Ey tongue shall speak of thy word" for all thy commandments are righteousness.- ./s $$3"$;*2 #Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.- ./r *$"*,2 #7he openeth her mouth with wisdom5 and in her tongue is the law of kindness.- ./r ,$"*:2 #The &ord !') hath given me the tongue of the learned, that = should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary" he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.- .=sa 04"82

What shall we do or say in the presence of evil speaking, slander and reproach?
#Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will = cut off" him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not = suffer.- ./s $4$"02 #$0 +e that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly5 he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil5 $: +e shall dwell on high" his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks" bread shall be given him5 his waters shall be sure.- .=sa ,,"$01$:2 #,$ &et all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice" ,* ?nd be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as !od for Bhrist6s sake hath forgiven you.- .Gph 8",$1,*2 #The north wind driveth away rain" so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.- ./r *0"*,2 #Bast out the scorner, and contention shall go out5 yea, strife and reproach shall cease.- ./r **"$42 #$* Aor we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. $, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of !od, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. $8 7tand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness5 $0 ?nd your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace5 $: ?bove all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to 9uench all the fiery darts of the wicked. $; ?nd take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the 7pirit, which is the word of !od"- .Gph :"$*1$;2

Where do evil words come from?

#' generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.- .Et $*",82 #? good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good5 and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil" for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh..&u :"802

The thinking processes deep within the heart must be changed in order for the tongue to speak wisdom, righteousness, and kindness. What do you choose to think about other people?
Battle for the Tongue" Bombating Backbiters * C *4$, Dew &ife Eission Banada

/arables about the tongue

#* Aor in many things we offend all. =f any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. , Behold, we put bits in the horses6 mouths, that they may obey us5 and we turn about their whole body. 8 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 0 Gven so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindlethH : ?nd the tongue is a fire, a world of ini9uity" so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature5 and it is set on fire of hell. ; Aor every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind" < But the tongue can no man tame5 it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 3 Therewith bless we !od, even the Aather5 and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of !od. $4 'ut of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. Ey brethren, these things ought not so to be. $$ )oth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? $* Ban the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. $, % Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. $8 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. $0 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. $: Aor where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. $; But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. $< ?nd the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.- .>as ,"*1$<2

Our Father, I see that it is wrong for ____ to say _________ about ______. Please protect my mind from believing the evil words and ta ing these thoughts into my own heart. Please enable me to continue to show unconditional love and respect for _______ in spite of the evil I have heard. Please help me to stop my ears and cut off the slanderer. Please clothe me with the whole armour of !od and empower me to fight against this evil with the sword of the "pirit. #ash me thoroughly from their ini$uity and cleanse me from their sin. %eliver me from blood guiltiness, O !od, thou !od of my salvation& and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O 'ord, open thou my lips( and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

Battle for the Tongue" Bombating Backbiters

C *4$, Dew &ife Eission Banada