As a priest and a servant of God, I contemplate deeply upon our human interactions, particularly our words which I liken to strings interwoven into the complex web of our relationships. Thus, my thoughts often return to the teachings of Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:31, where he warns us against “evil speaking” (NKJV).
Paul cautions us against destructive speech, reminding us we are molded in the image of God who embodies true righteousness and holiness (verse 24, ESV), and that we are “members of one another” (verse 25, ESV). Hence, it is our responsibility to uplift each other with conscious words that befit each circumstance, imparting grace to listeners (verse 29, ESV).
To appreciate the gravity of “evil speaking”, we need to understand its origin, a Greek word “blasphemia”, a fusion of “blapto” meaning to injure and “pheme” denoting a saying. This powerful term encapsulates words capable of wounding, defaming, or slandering. Unpacking it further, Ephesians 4:31 aligns evil speaking to traits such as bitterness, wrath, anger, and clamor, underlying a divisive and hostile heart driven by the twin demons of pride and self-centeredness. Evil speaking, then, becomes an expression of such a heart, spouting words that undermine reputations, proliferate untruths and decay unity within our community.
According to Proverbs 18:21, “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (ESV). This principle teaches us the immense power that our words wield; they can either build or destroy, heal or harm. Evil speech surpasses mere slander, infiltrating into more covert forms like gossip, backbiting, and unjust criticism. Apostle James cautions believers against partaking in such behaviors as it only nurtures an environment of distrust and disunity among us (James 4:11). We must strive instead to foster Christian fellowship under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Adorned in Christ, we are reminded to shed our old selves and sinful tendencies and adopt a new outlook, evolving in the image of Christ. As Colossians 3:9-10 ESV instructs, “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Renouncing evil speaking means embracing a life marked by grace, love, and edification (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:32).
Addressing evil speaking is more than a grammatical endeavor; it permeates our daily interactions impacting our lives significantly. As followers of Christ, we are His ambassadors, bearing His name and upholding His reputation in this world (2 Corinthians 5:20). Therefore, our speech, whether within the sanctuary of the church or the rest of the world, should exemplify our redeemed lives.
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