Guarding the Door of Your Lips

Overcoming the Homefront Battles — Part 2 of 2

If James 3 diagnoses the problem with our tongues, Ephesians 4 gives us the prescription. Paul lays it out in three movements: a warning, a reason, and clear instruction.

The Warning

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind … who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” — Ephesians 4:17, 19

Paul is blunt: don’t let your speech run on autopilot the way it did before Christ got hold of your life.

The Reason

“But ye have not so learned Christ … that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man … and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” — Ephesians 4:20, 22, 24

You have a new identity now. Your words should increasingly reflect that new identity, not the old one.

The Instruction

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour… Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” — Ephesians 4:25, 29

Four Guardrails for Your Words

Scripture gives us practical protections for the tongue, and they’re worth memorizing.

“Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” — Psalm 141:3

Guarding what comes out makes a huge difference.

“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” — Matthew 12:34

Thinking before we speak — checking what’s actually in the heart behind the words — makes a huge difference.

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” — Proverbs 15:1

“He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.” — Proverbs 17:27

Knowing what to say — and when to simply say less — makes a huge difference.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” — Psalm 19:14

Honoring the Lord with our words makes a huge difference.

Your Personal Take-Home

• Honestly evaluate and identify the content of your verbal communication.
• Make choices to eliminate the negative and elevate the positive.
• Infuse Scripture into every area of your daily life.
• Ask other godly people to hold you accountable.

None of this happens through willpower alone. It happens the same way real change always happens for a believer — by staying close to Christ and letting Him retrain the way we think, and therefore the way we speak.

We’ve spent two posts on the words we say out loud. But there’s a whole other layer of communication most of us never think to examine — everything we communicate before we ever open our mouths. That’s where we’re headed next. Access the next blog now!

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