SINS OF THE TONGUE (II)
Blasphemy
Definition*: “impious or profane speaking: contempt or indignity offered to God.”
Scripture: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exod 20:7). “And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.” (Lev 24:16).
Examples: Disrespecting God’s name, speaking against God, denying His character (2 Kgs 19:20-22, Rev 13:5-6).
Perjury
Definition: “false swearing: the breaking of an oath: the crime committed by one who, when giving evidence on oath or affirmation as a witness in a court of justice, gives evidence which he knows to be false.”
Scripture: “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” (Lev 19:12). “And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.” (Jer 5:2). “Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, … for perjured persons” (1 Tim 1:9-10).
Examples: Swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in court and yet testifying untruthfully (Matt 26:59–61, Mark 14:56–59).
Heresies
Definition: “belief contrary to the authorised teaching of one’s natural religious community.”
Scripture: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” (2 Pet 2:1). “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (1 Cor 11:19).
Examples: Distorting Scripture, denying the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, teaching anything that undermines the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:4-10, Gal 1:6-9, 1 Tim 4:1-2, 2 Tim 2:16-18, 4:14-15).
Idle Words
Definition: Speech that is “baseless: useless: unimportant: unedifying.”
Scripture: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matt 12:36-37).
Examples: Talking without purpose, frivolous chatter (Matt 12:24, Job 2:9, 42:7, Judg 11:30-31, Acts 17:21).
Hypocrisy
Definition: “acting, playing a part, a feigning to be better than one is, or to be what one is not: concealment of true character or belief.”
Scripture: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt 15:8).
Examples: Pretending to be righteous while harbouring sin (Matt 23:13-36, John 12:4-6).
Seduction
Definition: Speech that seeks “to draw aside from party, belief, allegiance, service, duty, etc: to lead astray, to entice, to corrupt.”
Scripture: “With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.” (Prov 7:21).
Examples: Flirtation, manipulation (Judg 16:15-17, Ezek 13:8-10, 2 Tim 3:13, Rev 2:20).
Contentious Speech
Definition: Speech that is “quarrelsome, given to dispute.”
Scripture: “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.” (Prov 6:14). “A froward man soweth strife” (Prov 16:28). “A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.” (Prov 18:6). “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.” (Prov 29:22)
Examples: Picking fights, unnecessary debates (Matt 12:1-2, 15:1-3, Luke 20:1-2, Acts 23:6-9).
Gaslighting
Definition: “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion: the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage.” (Merriam-Webster).
Scripture: “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” (Prov 12:18). “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Prov 12:22). “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” (Phil 2:3-4).
Example: Saul offers David his daughter in marriage as a “reward” but actually intends for David to die in battle (1 Sam 18:17). Later, he denies ever wanting to harm David (1 Sam 19:6), even though he tries to kill him multiple times.
Charismatic Prophesying, Tongues
and Interpretation of Tongues
Definition: Presumptuous predictions and fortune telling, ecstatic or gibberish speech and its subjective and imaginative interpretation.
Scripture: “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deut 18:20-22). “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. … And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” (Acts 2:4, 7-8). “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Cor 13:8).
Examples: Predicting and setting dates for the second coming of Christ. Prophesying that evil is good and prophesying that there is no judgement when God already said judgement is coming (Ezek 13:9-10, Jer 23:14-22). Speaking nonsensically in “unknown” tongues or non-human languages that no one can understand, bringing about confusion (1 Cor 14). JK
*Definitions are taken from Chambers Dictionary unless otherwise stated.
