Dr Greg Bahnsen - Proverbs: Proverbs 15:23; 16:21, 23-24 (True Religion: A Bridled Tongue) (Part 71)

Please turn with me in your Bibles this morning for our Old Testament reading to the Book of Proverbs. Chapter 15, our subject this morning, will actually take us many places in the Book of Proverbs. In fact, if we were to read all the passages having to do with the use of our tongues, the way we speak, the way we use our mouths, we'd probably spend the entire time for preaching today just reading verses from the Book of Proverbs. It's really chock full of them. I will restrict my reading, however, to selected verses in chapters 15 and 16 of the book of Proverbs having to do with a bridled tongue. Hear now God's word, Proverbs, the 15th chapter. Beginning at the first verse, we'll read verses one and two, and then verse four. Proverbs 15:1. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a grievous word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools poureth out folly. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit. In verses 23, 26 and 28, a man hath joy in the answer of his mouth, and a word in due season. How good is it? Evil devices are an abomination to Jehovah, but pleasing words are pure. The heart of the righteous studies to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Then in chapter 16, verses 21, 23 and 24, the wise in heart shall be called prudent, and the sweetness of the lips increases persuasiveness. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Thus far the reading of God's Word In James, the first chapter, verses 22 to 27, we have our New Testament reading dealing with pure religion. We have studied the book of James, the past few sermons having to do with this subject, and I'd like to read for you verses 22 to 27 by way of reminder and introduction to today's sermon. Hear God's Word, be doers of the word, and not hearers, only deluding your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, hear, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. For he beholds himself and goes away, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. But he that looks into the perfect law, the law of Liberty, and so continues, being not a hearer that forgets, but a doer that works, this man shall be blessed in his doing. If any man thinks himself to be religious while he bridleth not his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain, pure religion. And undefiled before our God and Father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. And thus far, God's Word. As I have already indicated, our last few sermons have talked about pure religion before God. That religious expression that God finds acceptable, not simply the religion that the world looks at and will praise and will say, oh, what a religious person, what a pious person. But that which really gets through to God, that which God honors. James in his first chapter is on the theme of being a doer of the Word and not simply a hearer. He's talking about vain religiosity, the way in which we come to church and we hear the Word. Then we walk out having a mirror held up to us and seeing ourselves spiritually and seeing how disheveled we are, and then walking away from church and doing nothing about it, hearing the Word but not being a doer of it. And so James then tells us something about that religion that is really acceptable in the eyes of God. And he says, if a man thinks himself to be religious, already he's warning us. You know, there are people who think that they are, but they aren't. If someone thinks that he's religious, then here's the test to find out if there's substance to that evaluation. And the first sermon in this series from the book of Proverbs I preached had to do with vain religiosity. We read in the Book of Proverbs to do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3. God is not pleased when we go through the outward motions of sacrifice and do all the religious things the world expects. But we don't have righteousness and justice characterizing our lives. And so James says, if a man thinks himself to be religious, he doesn't want to have a vain religiosity. Then he goes on to say, while he bridles not his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain, pure religion. And undefiled before our God and Father is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Let's make a list of the things James says are significant of which point to are indicative of true religiosity in the eyes of God. He says, first of all, we honor the widows. We visit them in their affliction. And so we spoke about widows and property rights a few weeks ago from Proverbs 15:25. Jehovah will establish the border of the widow, we said, and we must pay attention to the widows and care for their needs and protect their property rights, even as God himself does. James also tells us that the one who has a pure religion visits the fatherless and widows in their affliction. We spoke next from the Book of Proverbs about imitating the Father's tender mercies. Proverbs 14:31 says, he who has mercy on the needy honors his Maker. Because God shows mercy to the needy, we must imitate our Heavenly Father. We must also show mercy to those who are in need. We must take care of those who are poor. And as I said, the state doesn't know how to do it and the state isn't doing it. The church must pick up and follow in the example of Jesus, our Savior and our Heavenly Father as well. James also speaks of one whose religion is self deceived. And earlier in the book of Proverbs I preached to you about spiritual self delusion. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. We convince ourselves of the rightness of certain things, even though we're on the course to destruction. The Bible warns us about that kind of self deception. But then there are two other things here in this little passage from James that true religiosity is characterized by, and the one that I think is probably the toughest one to talk about, certainly the one I'm most guilty in preaching about because I'm supposed to live up to the things that I preach and I know that I don't. But James here speaks of the man who bridles not his tongue but deceives his heart. He also speaks of being unspotted from the world. And you might guess that we're going to be talking about that one of these days too. But this morning I'd like to talk about having a bridled tongue. Pure religion is seen not in carrying our Bibles. Pure religion is not seen in sitting in the pew, although God would have us do these things. Pure religion is not found in some kind of religious testimony that the people who really know you see through pure religion is seen when you bridle your Tongue. Proverbs contains a number of lessons about the use of our tongues. In fact, my guess is if you saw in the communique this week that I was going to preach on this subject, you might have said, what else is there to say? I mean, we've already had a number of sermons about the use of our tongue. Remember Proverbs 4, verse 24. I preached on controlling our mouths, and we had a moral checkup for our mouth. In fact, that's been put into pamphlet form. Now it's available at the back of our auditorium. This is a tough one, I'll tell you. It picks. Pick it up, it just sizzles. Not because it's, you know, written in such a fancy way, but because the contents just straight out of the Bible in terms of how we should use our tongues. And I. I cannot read this without feeling like I have to go to God and ask his forgiveness. We don't check our mouths. So you say, well, I mean, it's all in pamphlet form, Dr. Bonson. What else is there to say? Well, then there was another sermon. It's all over your mouth. I said, Proverbs 10:6. Violence is on our mouths. Sinfulness, the character of our heart comes out, and it's as though a child has been sneaking, you know, Oreo cooking. You can see the crumbs all over his mouth. The Bible says, the sinfulness of your heart is seen on your mouth, the way you speak and talk. Well, then that covered all of it, didn't it? No, we had another sermon. Don't foolishly talk too much. Proverbs 10:19. We talked about how we can use our tongues and just let them flap and flap and flap. The Bible says, you know, cut down the number of words, make them valuable. Don't be a gad about. Well, what else is there left to say? Well, I'm going to talk one more time about this because the book of Proverbs has so much to communicate to us. I'd like to speak this morning about bridling our tongues. And there's really two lessons that I'd like you to pick up on. So if you're going to tune out or fall asleep, get this down in your notes right now and then we'll talk to you later about falling asleep. One, Your being correct is not enough. According to the Bible, your being correct is not enough in what you say. If you are accurate in what you say, you have not lived up necessarily to the biblical requirements about the use of your tongue. It is not enough to be right. Secondly, I know that may sound a little strange. We will come back to it. The second lesson will be your being correct cannot be taken for granted. It is one of the pitfalls, spiritual pitfalls of the self. Important to not consider that they might not have seen things correctly. And when they talk without having done adequate research and understanding, they are misusing their mouths. And so, first of all, the book of Proverbs would add to our previous lessons about true religion and the proper use of our tongues. And we must remember that being correct is not enough. How do we see that? Well, just think about this image of a bridal tongue. A bridal tongue suggests a tongue that's held back, right? A tongue that is controlled, a tongue that is properly directed. You know, you can get a horse that has all kinds of power, you can get a horse that can just run like the wind, but you don't put a bridle and bit in the horse of that mouth and properly direct it. That kind of power and that kind of strength is going to be destructive. It's not going to accomplish anything. It is not enough that you have the power of the truth in your tongue. You must also use your tongue in a self controlled way. So in Proverbs 15:2 we read, the tongue of the wise utters knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools pours out folly. Actually, the Hebrew for utters knowledge aright is all one word. It means to do something well. And here it has to do with using your mouth. Well, wise people use their tongues and utter knowledge. Well, they don't simply utter knowledge, but they do it in a fine fashion. They know how to speak as well as what to speak. They give consideration to the way they communicate. The wise person is not someone who says, I must make sure that what I'm saying is true. He says, I must make sure that I speak the truth in a proper fashion. I speak it well. I think that's the biggest problem most of us have when it comes to thinking we live up to God's standards about the use of our mouths. We figure as long as we're saying the truth, it's okay no matter how we say it. And God says, you've got a long way to go to be religious if you think that you do have to speak the truth. And those who utter lies will be condemned by God, no doubt about that. But you see, you can also be condemned by God for speaking the truth uncharitably, unwisely, unseasonably, harshly. Proverbs 15:23. Therefore, the word of God tells us a man has joy in the answer of his mouth and a word in due season. How good is it? And if you know what that means in due season, you've got to agree with that. The person who speaks the truth but knows the right time to speak it, who knows how to measure what he is saying or she is saying, who knows the appropriate way to communicate it. Boy, that really is valuable, isn't it? I know we have people who don't speak the truth and they're a real pain. I want to suggest to you that people who speak the truth can be a pain too. A man has joy in the answer of his mouth if he knows how to speak and when to speak. Proverbs 25, 11 and 12 elaborate on that. A word spoken in due season is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. Maybe one of the best known literary passages from the Book of Proverbs. Unbelievers love to put these sorts of things on little books in stores and plates and that sort of thing. But it's a valuable lesson. A word my translation says fitly spoken. The Hebrew is a word spoken in due season. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and a setting of silver. That's supposed to communicate some kind of luxurious and beautiful, well crafted image to your mind. Someone who has got an ornamental apple of gold and set it in fine silver. And what the proverb says here is a man who knows how to speak in due season is like that. Boy, that person speaks beautifully, well crafted speech, something that we should value very much. A word spoken in due season is a word spoken at the right time and a word spoken with the right measure. I'll confess to you and I'll do it because it's true of me, but it'll make it easier if I say it, because my guess is you could say it too. So often when I have the truth, so often when my criticism of someone else is correct, so often I can let my indignation get far ahead of myself and not worry about communicating things in the proper way. Instead of thinking, how should I craft my word? When should this be spoken? How should it be spoken? I need to measure out my word so that the effect will be God glorifying you know, what we tend to do is become like volcanoes. Volcanoes don't produce apples of gold in settings of silver. You've seen what volcanoes produce. You know it's ugly and it's destructive and it's deadly. And so how do we speak? It's not enough to be correct. That's what I'm getting across. We must also speak in due season, with due measure. We must craft our words. We must study to speak correctly. Proverbs 15:28 puts it this way. The heart of the righteous studies to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Wicked people are like volcanoes. Boom. I just pour it out. But the heart of the righteous, he. She studies to answer, thinks about the way things should be put. And so our point here is that we must not only say what is right, we must say it in the right way. And what is the right way. There are two sub points here on Number one, I think the Book of Proverbs says we should be characterized by gracious speech. And secondly, we should be characterized by soft answers and a gentle tongue. First of all, our speech, if it is going to be correct in its manner and not just in its substance, our speech should be gracious speech. In Proverbs 11:16 we have this interesting at least I find an interesting way of putting that point. A gracious woman obtains honor. A violent man obtains riches. Here you have ruthlessness. And I guess maybe it's chauvinistic, huh? The Book of Proverbs says men tend to be ruthless, you know, they tend to be violent to get riches. But you know, what is really commended is a woman who is gracious in the way that she speaks. And I'm not just saying this for the sake of women. It's true of men, too. But my guess is you all know the difference between a woman who really knows how to speak graciously, humbly, courteously, and at the right time and in the right measure, and a woman who just yak, yak, yak, Men too. But you see, it's a gracious woman who obtains honor. Proverbs 22:11. He that loves pureness of heart for the grace of his lips, the king will be his friend. Actually, we could translate this. Whose speech is gracious for the grace of his lips, the king will be his friends. This verse calls for an equal partnership of integrity and charm. Not only pureness in what you say, the pureness of heart that is loved, but also the graciousness of the way you say it is commended here in this verse. Integrity on one hand, charm on the other. And to find someone in whose speech there is both integrity and charm without diminishing one another, without Saying, well, I need to be charming, so I can't really be fully true, or I have to be truthful. And so I guess I can't be charming. To find someone who has that delicate balance of both is a rare virtue indeed, but a very powerful one. For the graciousness of his lips, the king will be his friend. A way of saying, you'll really be persuasive if you learn to speak the truth in love, graciously, tenderly. Proverbs 24:26 tells us that we need to be forthright in what we say. Proverbs 24:26. He kisses the lips. Who gives a right answer. The one who gives that straightforward, correct answer. It's like a kiss upon the lips. It's not just a social kiss. This is something that seals real affection here. A proper forthrightness may seem costly to us, and most of us, I think, probably a little afraid to be forthright, to say the right thing, because we know we don't say it well, we don't say it properly. And the outcome of our being forthright has so rarely been positive and peaceful and constructive. But the Bible says, if you learn to speak right, your forthrightness will win gratitude. It will have its own special charm. It will be like a kiss upon the lips. A straight answer that can win affection. That leads to the second sub point. Not only must our speech be gracious, it must be characterized by being soft, a soft dancer and a gentle tongue. Proverbs 15:1, the first verse we read this morning says, a soft answer turns away wrath, but a grievous word stirs up anger. I don't know that one proverb alone is enough to work on for two or three years. I think of sanctification. Just take out two or three years and just work on that. Learning to give a soft answer in a tense situation, when someone comes and really lays into you, and instead of returning in kind so that what happens is that ups the ante. As I've said before, you answer angrily, and so that person answers angrily again. And then you answer even more angrily and more. You give a soft answer, you give a gentle reply, and that turns away anger. Anger provokes further anger. Look at Proverbs 16:32. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty. He that rules his spirit and he that takes the city. Those of you who are watching the basketball playoffs may respect some pretty mighty men out there on the court. But I'll tell you what, in God's sight, you learn to control your tongue. You Learn to control your anger, and you're better than the mighty. You've got far more skill, far more accomplishment than anything you see out there on the athletic field or on the basketball court when you've mastered your heart. So that anger and a spouting off at the mouth doesn't characterize you. A soft answer turns away wrath. See, there's an amazing power and persuasiveness and a patience and a soft answer. Proverbs 25:15 tells us that. By long forbearing is a ruler or a judge persuaded. And a soft tongue breaks the bone. A soft tongue breaks the bone. Someone comes at you and is given slanderous things about you, someone saying things which are untrue and unkind, and your tendency inside may be to get back at them, to retaliate. And so you have an angry word back. The Bible says it's the soft answer that breaks their bones. Though remember that it's a paradoxical psychology that the Bible gives us here the very point where it might seem most justified and appropriate to return in kind. Fire for fire, anger for anger, reviling for reviling. The Bible says no, give a soft answer. And so in your forbearance and in the ability to give a soft answer, it says what? You win the king's favor, you win the judge's favor. Patience, rather than being harsh, is what's powerful. Proverbs 15:4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness thereof is a breaking of the spirit. Now, I'm not exactly sure this morning whose spirit is being broken by this perverseness. And so I'm not going to say exegetically for sure, but I will tell you that the words are appropriate both ways, that the person who speaks in an inappropriate way breaks the spirit of the person to whom he speaks. And likewise the person who speaks in a perverse way breaks his own spirit. Speaking like that tends to tear everybody down, takes away peace, does not bring about reconciliation and healing, but rather destroys confidence. Proverbs 15:26. Evil devices are an abomination to Jehovah, but pleasing words are pure. Actually, that second line I think should better be translated. The words of the pure are pleasing to him, and so read it in that way. Evil devices are an abomination to Jehovah, but pure words are pleasing to him. God is pleased when we are going to speak in a way that is pure and undefiled. And Then finally, Proverbs 16, verses 21, 23 and 24 makes the point very explicitly that the well Instructed, the wise mouth is going to speak with sweetness. And so let's just see, holding up this mirror to ourselves, ladies and gentlemen, how we look when we remember that the wise in heart shall be called prudent. And the sweetness of the lips increases persuasiveness. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. So often there is a literal application of this in homes where there is a lot of vindictiveness and bitterness and words which are not at all kind, words which are not well measured, words which are not appropriate and pure. You'll find that people are often sick. It is in fact, destructive to the bones. And that sickness may come in the force of debilitation, the inability to deal with life's problems because you just don't feel the support and love of people around you. It may come in the form of ulcers. It may come in the form of any number of physical maladies. The Bible just speaks of one here when it talks about the bones, it heals the bones when you use sweet words. And so let's ask ourselves now, with respect to that first point this morning, how do we measure up when God tells us it's not enough to be correct, it's not enough to speak what is right. You must speak it rightly. It's the way in which we say things as well as what we say that God shall judge and hold us accountable for. Do we speak graciously? Do we give soft answers in wrathful situations? Are our tongues gentle with people? Now, that's a tough enough lesson. Maybe I should have just left it at that. That's enough to weigh you down today, isn't it? But the second lesson that we'd have from our reading this morning is that your. Your being correct cannot be taken for granted. Even if you are correct. There's more God wants from you. He wants you to speak in the right way. But, you know, we have problems even being correct. It is not enough to simply be correct. We must be correct and then say things properly. But our problem is that we think we're correct. And we often are not. To put it very simply, the book of Proverbs says, don't be hasty in your opinions. And if you're not to be hasty in your opinions, don't be hasty in your words. Don't jump to conclusions. And this is something that I've been concerned about in one sense, academically. Because philosophy is supposed to train people to analyze things and to make sure you have good argumentation and cogency and coherence when you draw conclusions. But it's not just an academic matter. I've been concerned with this because from a pastoral standpoint, repeatedly I see this. I see people who even draw the right conclusions for the wrong reasons and they jump right to it. It's not pleasing to God, this jumping to conclusions, not studying before we answer, not putting some substance and research and understanding into our words. Be careful of your opinions. Proverbs 18:2. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may reveal itself. I bet you know people like that. If you stop and think about it, I bet you see that person in the mirror just about every day. The fool doesn't really delight in understanding. The fool doesn't want to be measured out in his convictions. The fool is not really interested in doing research and being correct. What's the fool want? He just wants to let his heart be known. He just wants to bladder forth his own opinion. It's not enough to go on and on and on and say, yeah, but I think this is true. How often in pastoral counseling have I had to say that to people and they say, well, I saw it that way. And I say, it's not enough that you saw it that way. It's not enough that this is what you thought was true. It must be true, and for that you're held accountable. You said, well, it seemed that way to me. Well, did you check into things? Did you cross examine? Did you get confirmation? Did you put things in the best possible light? No, but it just seemed to me the fool wants to pour forth all that's in his heart. The wise man is interested in understanding. So don't be quick to reveal your heart's thinking before you're sure that you have a proper understanding of that about what you speak. Don't be quick to share your opinion. I have to say that again. Don't be quick to share your opinion. We have this idea that, you know, somehow if ideas just get filtered through our little mental contraption up here, and we're sure enough of it, boom, we can say it. Don't be quick to say what you think. Fools do that. Proverbs 18:17 says, it isn't hard to make an opinion look plausible until you're cross examined. Proverbs 18:17. He that pleads his cause first seems just, but his neighbor comes and searches him out. Ouch. You know, we can get into these Talking matches, you know, and just have all this kind of verbal rapport with one another. Things that seem so plausible. Then someone enters into picture and starts asking questions and searches us out and betrays the fact that we don't know what we're talking about. See, don't think that because you can make things sound plausible that they're true. Just about anything can be made sound plausible. In fact, in the history of human opinion, it's incredible the sorts of things that people have taken to be plausible. Get a good talker around, but let someone come and cross examine him, then we'll see what he really knows. That's true of our individual interpersonal affairs too. Don't be quick to say things because you know someone who has thought it through. Someone who knows better than you may come along and cross examine you. It'd be best if you cross examined your opinions first. You thought a little more reflectively and discerningly and perhaps negatively about your conclusions. Proverbs 21:28 tells us, the one whose speech endures is the one who will speak accurately. Proverbs 21:28. A false witness shall perish, but the man that hears shall speak so as to endure. I like that. What the proverb says here is, the man who first listens is worth listening to. The man who doesn't just go to his own opinion. The man who doesn't cross examine what he's thinking. The man who doesn't bother about research and confirmation and considering that he may be wrong, the man who listens then his speech will endure. Your first aim should be to know and understand the truth, not to be grinding some axe. And so often, especially when we get into situations that call for counsel and response to the way we talk, you know, the fact of the matter is we're ax grinders, aren't we? Put the axes away. Be concerned with the truth. And if you are, you will be slow to speak and quick to listen. So James tells us as well. And then perhaps the most important proverb on this subject this morning, Proverbs 18:13 warns us not to speak until we've done research, until we really have been prepared to say what we're going to say. He that gives an answer before he hears, it's folly and shame unto him. The man who says, look, I know there's a reason why I'm right. The most important thing is that I'm right. I'll find the reason one of these days, but I know that I'm right. The man who speaks before he hears before he's reasoned this out before he's cross examined, before he's verified, before he's done his research before it's been confirmed. The man who speaks before he hears is a fool, and it's shameful folly at that. So don't form a negative evaluation of someone or something and spread criticism until you've heard what the other side has to say about it. Derek Kidner in his fine commentary in the Book of Proverbs has a line that is worth worth quoting. I don't often do this, but this I think you want in your notes. In fact maybe a good thing to put up on our wall that we see every day. Jumping to conclusions is the special snare of the self important. Jumping to conclusions is the special snare of the self important. Those that you see about you when you see it in yourself. Jumping to conclusions, just remember was a lack of humility enabled you to do that. The self important will never stop to say, now I might be wrong. I'd better hear what the other side is. I better cross examine. I better verify and confirm. Jumping to conclusions, the special snare of those who think we don't need to ask first. We don't need to make sure our facts are straight before we draw evaluations of people. The man who gives an answer before he hears it's folly and shame to him. And so Proverbs 29:20, the conclusion of the matter today. Proverbs 29:20. See a man that's hasty in his words, there's more hope for a fool than for him. Well, that's interesting because you see, in the Book of Proverbs, fools are at the bottom of the ladder. They're at the bottom rung of the ladder, right? There isn't anything lower than a fool according to the Book of Proverbs. Oh yes there is. There's just one step worse than a fool, and that's a person who is hasty with his words. There's more hope for a fool than a man who will not bridle his tongue. And so, in conclusion, if our religiosity would not be a vain religiosity, if the religion we show to the world, the piety that people see in us, is going to be something of substance, then first of all, let us do more than have that outward show of religion. Secondly, let us make sure that we are concerned for the widow and for their property rights and the defenseless. Thirdly, let us show a graciousness to the poor that reflects the graciousness God has shown to Us. And then fourthly, boy, this is the perfecting of holiness, isn't it? Let us bridle our tongues. Let's remember to hold back and restrain what we say by not taking it for granted that what we say must be correct, there must be a reason for for why we are right. And secondly, by not thinking that being correct is enough to make our speaking pleasing to God. When we have done our research, when we have cross examined ourselves, and when we do have the truth, we still have a way to go because we need to learn to speak the truth charitably, gently and purely. Who above all knows how to do these things? Who makes sure of his facts and is never wrong in his evaluations and conclusions? Who sees through us and knows the quality of our hearts? Who sees even in the dark so that nothing is missed by him? Well of course, it's God himself. God knows us. He knows everything about us. We never have to say to God, well now maybe you spoke before you thought, maybe you should have done more research. We never have to say to God, well there's a possibility you could be wrong. His words beyond challenge because he knows everything. And you know what's amazing? The one who knows everything about us is the one who speaks most gently to us. Doesn't it just break your heart that Jesus speaks tenderly and softly to you? He says, come unto me if you're weighed down heavy laden, I'll give you rest for your souls. Jesus speaks to the outcast of society and offers them acceptance. Jesus speaks to the depressed and offers them happiness in life. Jesus speaks to the guilty and utters pardon to their hearts. You know, if we've been treated in this way, the God who knows the truth and yet speaks gently and graciously to us, then how much more should we learn to make sure we have the truth and speak graciously to others? Pray we come to you Lord, with our hearts filled with two very important things. One, a feeling of guilt. And our mouths condemn us because we have been so hasty in our opinions so often we've been guilty that we haven't had the truth and to be honest, haven't cared to have the truth. We just wanted to speak our minds and we ask you to forgive us for this. We are terribly guilty. We have not spoken graciously and gently even when we've had the truth. We have not been concerned to speak in due season and with due measure. To have well crafted and studied words we've just spouted off and in so doing shown ourselves to be impure in your sight. And we've given a real challenge to the genuineness of our religious profession because our mouths are just running away from us. And so, Lord, the first thing we would ask you this morning is to forgive us. We're a sinful people. We have bad mouths. We're bad people. And yet we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts that though you knew that even before we said it and even before we confessed it, you in the Holy Scriptures have spoken gently and graciously to us. Now we thank you for that. That you do not beat us down, that you do not rub it in, but you simply say, to the humble and contrite of heart, you are acceptable. How we thank you for the blood of Jesus Christ shed in our behalf. How we thank you that our Lord Jesus Christ, when he was reviled, closed his mouth and took it upon himself to die for us who revile. So often we thank you for the love you show us and pray that that love might take hold of us, might take hold of our tongues and direct us to live in the image of our God and our Savior. To die for us who revile. So often we thank you for the love you show us and pray that that love might take hold of us, might take hold of our tongues and direct us to live in the image of our God and our Savior Jesus Christ. For it's in his name we pray. Amen.