Spoken words are at the heart of everything consequential, whether good or evil. Creation itself began with the Almighty speaking! Similarly, when Satan approached Eve in the Garden of Eden, it was a single conversation that ushered sin in. While everyone knows the quintessential wedding vows, capped off with the simplest “I do,” salvation is confessed with our mouths, so too can destruction be born from what we say.
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18
In Matthew 5:22, Jesus shows how anger progresses. Even unspoken anger is not hidden from God—He knows why we are angry, and we are already in danger of judgment. But when words are spoken, the situation escalates. The insult “Raca,” meaning “empty-headed” or “worthless,” expresses contempt and demeans another person’s value. In Jesus’ day, the Sanhedrin would handle such insults, much like our courts do today. Now we face two judges: human courts and God Himself.
Calling someone a fool offends further, implying a moral judgment, and accusing someone of being corrupt or godless. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” In calling someone a fool, we assume a position of authority that belongs to God alone. Imagine a child barging into a courtroom to deliver their own verdict—it would be a mockery! Similarly, when we take God’s role as judge, the penalty is severe, because God does not share His gavel.
“The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is set on fire by hell.” James 3:6
Yet, through Christ’s grace, sins like these no longer spell our doom. His sacrifice removes our sins and gives us hope for a new day. We can learn new habits and become more like our savior, he’ll help us every step along the way.
Jonathan Duncan
EFCC Member