[Nov. 4th, 1860.]
The great truth here presented is that the words of men reveal their character and shall furnish the criterion by which that character is to be determined.
The word (argos), rendered idle, is properly, unfruitful, useless, and by implication, evil. Our Lord had said that a word spoken against him should be forgiven, but he that speaketh against the Holy Ghost should never be forgiven. What was spoken determined character and destiny. Because a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and an evil tree, evil fruit. So out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. For your words, therefore, ye shall be judged. The truth taught, therefore, is not the sin of frivolity. But, first, that the words of a man come from within, out of the heart. Secondly, for every evil word we shall have to render an account and shall be judged by them.
I. Worth reveal the character because they are determined by it. The relation between words and thoughts is such that it is doubtful whether we can think without the use of words. They are the measure of thought. No nation and no individual rises above the language which it or he uses. A rude people have a rude language, so far as its vocabulary is concerned. If of nations, so also of individuals.
Not only does language reflect thought, but it is much the vehicle of feeling and is determined by it.
Words of blasphemy or irreverence; words of malice, of satire, of contempt; words of pride and vain-glory; words of impurity; words of falsehood and treachery; words of folly and nonsense;—all these reveal what the man is. They determine his character. They are to the man what foliage, flowers, fragrance and fruit are to plants.
II. For these he shall give account. Men are not to have their destiny determined by their birth in this or that nation or church, as the Jews thought. They are not to be judged only for or by their acts or works. It is not only the drunkard, murderer or thief who is to be condemned, and not only the man who does what is right and benevolent who shall be justified; but words are as true an index of character, and therefore as proper a ground of judgment as outward acts. The Saviour doesn’t mean that words are the ground on which a man shall be justified, but they are evidence of his character. It is , out of thy words shalt thou be justified or condemned. “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee.” The words spoken were not the ground of judgment, but the evidence of guilt.
III. The vast importance of our words.
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Because they are determined by our character and therefore reveal it.
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Because they react on character and confirm it. Hence the importance of the use of words in prayer and praise.
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Because they are clothed with a mysterious power for good or evil on our fellow-men.
Men are represented as temples of the Holy Ghost, and of Christ. Every idle word we utter in their hearing tends to defile that temple whether they be words of error or words which excite evil thoughts and feeling.
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The greater part of our influence for good or evil is due to words. The apostle James said that if a man offend not in word, he is a perfect man. The tongue governs. The tongue is a world of iniquity. It defileth the whole body. It sets on fire the course of nature. It is set on fire of hell.
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The tongue is unruly. All holy men set a guard upon their lips, that they offend not with their tongue. We have two great duties to form.
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To destroy the principle of evil.
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To prevent the manifestation of evil.
We must make the tree good.
In spiritual things to prevent the manifestation of a principle tends to destroy it. He who never utters words of anger, destroys the disposition. He who will never speak falsehood destroys the disposition to deceive. So of malevolence, detraction, etc.
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