DCLM Search The Scripture 19 June 2022 | Lesson 24 || Warning Against Evil Speaking
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ADULT STS LESSON 24 – WARNING AGAINST EVIL SPEAKING
MEMORY VERSE: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall
give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy works thou shalt be justified, and by
thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matt 12:36,37).
TEXTS: Matt 12;22-50; Luke 11:14-36
Adult DCLM Search The Scripture 19 June 2022 | Lesson 24
Christ’s earthly ministry drew multitudes of sinful, sick and oppressed folks who were saved, healed and delivered. As it were, these miracles of mercy always drew the anger of the Jewish religious of His day. The Pharisees envy and hatred made them unwilling to receive the divine blessings or acknowledge His ministry as divine. Rather, they deliberately and maliciously spoke evil of Jesus and the Holy Ghost who empowered His ministry.
Not satisfied with that alone, they also sought signs of divine approval from the Lord for the work He was doing. Jesus then drew the attention of His hearers to the danger of the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Ghost as well as hypocritical sign-seeking. The study therefore, warns all to refrain from speaking evil to avoid committing the unpardonable sin and prescribes the attitude God expects of all.
1. DANGER INHERENT IN SPEAKING EVIL
Matt 12:22-37; Lk 11:14-23; Heb 6:4; 10:26; 1 Pet 3:10; Num 12:1-10; 1 Sam 25:4-11,38;
2 Kings 7:1,2,16-20; Jude 15
On one of the occasions when the Lord Jesus preached in the synagogue, people bought to Him a man that was possessed with a blind and dumb spirit; and immediately, the Lord healed him. While the people wondered at the demonstration of such power, the Pharisees were unwilling to
acknowledge such divine manifestation; rather, they attributed the healing to Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Why did the Pharisees resort to this blasphemy?
i. They were envious of the power of Jesus. Their own religion was in outward form only, hence
could not attract divine power and approval such as manifested in the ministry of our Lord,
Jesus Christ. The bible warns against “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof…” (2 Tim 3:5).
ii. They were gripped with the mortal fear of losing their fellowship among the Jews, their prestige and leadership position in Israel to Jesus (Jhn 11:48). Believers are to beware of positionseeking in the church. Some engage in character assassination in order to unseat others from privileged position so they can take their place.
- Adult DCLM Search The Scripture 19 June 2022 | Lesson 24
iii. They were equally afraid of losing the perks and privileges attached to their office. We are not
to serve the Lord for pecuniary purposes, but be contented with what the Lord has given us.
We must yield ourselves totally to serve the Lord who has promised: “I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee” (Heb 13:5).
The lord refuted the allegation of using the power of the devil by making them understand that if He were from the devil, He would not be destroying his works, and that it was actually the power of the Holy Spirit that was at work in His ministry. He therefore, warned that blasphemy of the Holy Ghost would not be forgiven “…neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matt 12:32).
Blasphemy refers to speaking evil of, insulting or cursing God. In the Old Testament, it was
punishable by death (Lev 24:14-16). Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven: eternal damnation awaits culprits. why is this so? The Holy Spirit is the One who enlightens the mind of the people so that they can come to God. When people deliberately close their minds to the influence of the Holy Spirit or attribute to Him the power of demons, how can such receive
illumination that they can be saved? For blasphemy of the Holy Spirit to occur, it must be
deliberate contemptible action.
The Pharisees, in their sober moments, knew that they Jesus came from God and that the power He exercised was from Him. Nicodemus, the Pharisee that came to Jesus privately to ask Him question said, “we (Pharisees) know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God with him” (Jhn 3:2).
So, it was a deliberate act on their part to attribute the power of God to demons. As believers, we are warned against evil speaking. Speech or ability to speak is a faculty given by God. The Lord created the tongue to be used for good and not for evil. Everyone can decide to use it for good or for evil (Pro 18:21).
The unregenerate speak evil because that is their nature. Jesus taught that, “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bringeth forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
- Adult DCLM Search The Scripture 19 June 2022 | Lesson 24
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; 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” (Lk 6:43-45). But we should know that “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matt 12:36,37).
It should be sobering to think God listens to all that men speak and records all idle words. All useless or unprofitable words, dirty jokes, slander, blasphemy, curses, railing, hard and vulgar speeches and other unprofitable words will be requited God. The consequences of evil speaking are dire. Just like the fornicator will be judged for misusing the body, the slanderer, flatterer, backbiter, deceiver, imprecator or one who abuses will face the judgment of God for misusing the tongue. “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles” (Pro 21:23).
Miriam got into trouble through backsliding: she became leprous. A lord on whose hand the king leaned lost his life through unguarded speech (2 Kings 7:,1,2,16-20).
What then is the way out? The sinner should seek regeneration and be saved. Also, believers need to be sanctified. The sanctified heart will not utter corrupting or evil words because the thoughts are pure. Another antidote to evil speaking is mediating on the word of God. The Bible makes us to understand that the word of God is pure (Pro 30:5).
Besides, we need to pray that God should help us sieve the thoughts or ideas that come to mind before speaking them out. In the natural, raw materials are processed before they become useful; useless and unwanted parts are thrown away.
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The same goes for thoughts that come to our minds; they must be processed using the filter of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Only a fool utters all that come into his mind (Pro 29:11). The Scripture us to “be swift to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19). The right prayer to this regard is, “set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps 141:3).
It is also important to ask some rhetorical questions before uttering anything: Will this glorify God? Will it minister grace to the hearers? Will it edify the individual? Can I say it if the Lord were physically present? Is what I want to say true or of good report (Phil 4:8)? Silence is golden if the answers to these questions are negative. Everyone who has spoken evil must repent and make necessary restitution. There must also be a firm resolve to refrain and resist every temptation to speak evil.
2. DENUNCIATION OF SIGN-SEEKING: Matt 12:38-45, Lk 11:29-32, Deu 13:1-11, Mrk 13:22,23
The Pharisees sought proof or sign that Jesus came from God by saying, “Master, we would see a
sign from thee” (Matt 12:38). Jesus rebuked their unbelief. Describing them as an evil and adulterous generation, He told them that no other sign would be appropriate than that of Jonah
was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights, He would also be buried and resurrect on the third day.
Christ’s resurrection is the greatest sign God has shown to humanity about His love and power to save, heal and deliver. The Bible warns against sign-seeking as that can lead to deception. There are agents of the devil who show signs to deceive and “seduce, if it were possible, even the elect” (Rev 13:11-14; Mrk 13:22). The word of God is superior to signs; it abides forever. Truly, God performs miracles so that people can believe (Jhn 4:48). He however does not want us to hinge our faith on signs but on his word, which is “a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19).
We should know that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is an incontrovertible proof of His Sonship. It affirms the fact that it is He whom God has chosen to judge the dead and the living at His appearing and His kingdom (Acts 17:31, 2 Tim 4:1). It is an assurance to the believer that they too will resurrect to die no more. It is the bedrock of the Christian faith. To show that the Pharisees were never serious about believing Christ, when He resurrected on the third day, they gave money to soldiers guarding His tomb to lie that it was His disciples that came to steal Him (Matt 28:11-13).
Adult DCLM Search The Scripture 19 June 2022 | Lesson 24
Many religions today deny the resurrection of Christ. All believers must affirm the truth, “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3,4). This is the only truth that saves.
3. DIVINE APPROVAL FOR THE OBEDIENT Matt 12:46-50; Lk 11:24-28,33-36; Mrk 3:31-35; Matt 7:21-27
“While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without,
desiring to speak with him,” Someone in the audience called Jesus’ attention to the fact that His
mother and brothers were outside seeking to have audience with Him. He asked rhetorically, “Who is my mother? And who are my brethren?” he stretched forth His hand and declared, “My
mother and the brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it” (Lk 8:21). What
the Lord says here underscores the fact that Kingdom relationship is unlike filial relationships.
One retains his status as a child of his natural parents whether he obeys them or not. This is not so in the kingdom of God. Conversion, hearing and obeying God’s word make us His children.
When the children of Israel “…rejected his statues, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast
them out of his sight” (2 Kings 17:15,20).
People who are unwilling to hear and obey the word of God deceive themselves by claiming that they are God’s children. The Lord denounces people who “…draweth nigh unto me with the mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matt 15:8). Many profess to love God but deny Him in their lifestyles at home, school, marketplace and office. It is when we do the will of God in all situations and circumstances that we are regarded as the children of God and serve as lights that lead others in darkness of sin to Christ.
- Adult DCLM Search The Scripture 19 June 2022 | Lesson 24
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW:
1. Why did the Pharisees speak evil of Christ and what can believers learn from that?
2. Highlight the danger of evil speaking.
3. What is the unpardonable sin in the Scripture?
4. What are the antidotes against evil speaking?
5. What is the danger in seeking signs instead of believing the word of God?
6. Who are those God regard as His children and why?
7. How can we guard against evil speaking?
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