Faith Church Member Covenant: The Power of the Tongue

We have enjoyed looking into to the Faith Church Membership Covenant, and we hope you have as well! Let’s keep examining the different aspects of this covenant, and how it can apply to our lives today!

I also purpose to maintain family and private devotions; to train my children according to the Word of God; to seek the salvation of my relatives, friends, neighbors and acquaintances; to walk carefully and cautiously in the world; to be just in my dealings, faithful in my engagements, and exemplary in my conduct; to avoid all gossip, backbiting, and unrighteous anger; to abstain from all forms of activity that dishonor our Lord Jesus Christ, cause stumbling to a fellow believer, or hinder the winning of a soul to Christ; to be zealous in my efforts to advance the cause of Christ, and to give Him preeminence in all things.

The next aspect we will look at is the concept of avoiding “all gossip, backbiting, and unrighteous anger.”

The Bible is filled with words of warning and wisdom regarding our speech. James 3 is a great chapter to examine when talking about the power of the tongue, as it uses strong phrases such as, “The tongue also is 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 itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6). We can use our tongues for good, or for evil, and when we use them for evil, great destruction can occur.

Proverbs 16:28 tells us, “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” Titus 3:2 tells us “To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” In Proverbs, we are told some things the Lord absolutely hates, and wrong use of our tongues is listen more than once: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

At Vision of Hope, we often define gossip in this way: gossip is talking about a situation or a person to someone else, when the person you’re talking to is not a part of the problem or a part of the solution. That definition probably hits each of us right between the eyes, but wrong use of our tongues is a big deal to God, and so we should also take it very seriously.

We teach out ladies passages such as Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” We also help teach and direct them when conflict arises, so that during their time with us they can learn how to solve problems with others biblically and with love. Teaching biblical communication with the motivation of solving the problem and loving others like Christ is one thing we major on with each of our ladies, as that concept will surely impact their relationships with others for the rest of their lives.

Our tongues are powerful. Let’s purpose to use them in a way that is encouraging, loving, wise, and a reflection of our Savior!

 

Bethany Dunn
Bethany heard about Vision of Hope while attending Word of Life Bible Institute in Florida. When she began praying about what God wanted her to do after graduating, He kept bringing Vision of Hope to her mind. Knowing that there was an internship available, Bethany applied, was accepted, and began her internship with VOH in July, 2012. Since then she has been amazed at the opportunities God has given her to learn more about His Word and how it applies to everyday life. Bethany now serves on staff at Vision of Hope.