| Home Page | Grace Baptist Church View related sermons Click here |
TEXT: James 1:26
SUBJECT: Baxter on the Tongue #2
Tonight, with the Lord's blessing, we'll continue our study of Richard Baxter on the Tongue. Baxter was a Puritan pastor and author. When it comes to practical living for Christ, no one is better than he.
Last time, we took up his "General Directions for Governing the Tongue". He offered fifteen rules for doing that, of which we studied the first five. How do you control your speech? Baxter says:
1.Remember that what you say matters.
2.Remember what your words are for.
3.Know what the sins of the tongue are.
4.Seek purity of heart.
5.Seek knowledge and wisdom.
Over the last week, have you done these things? Have they even occurred to you? If not, please remember, it is not "the hearers (or preachers) of the Law that are just before God, but the doers of the Law".
Don't just listen to God. Obey Him.
Tonight, I hope, we'll finish the general directions. Let's start with Number Six.
LEARN TO BE SILENT UNTIL YOU HAVE LEARNED HOW TO SPEAK.
"Let not your tongues run before your mind. [It is better] to speak too little than too much. You have two ears and one tongue: hear twice and speak once. We repent more of speaking than of being silent. Either be silent or say something that is better than silence".
Silence is a good thing. Don't interrupt it unless you've got something worth saying. The Bible teaches that. Two verses will do:
"In the multitude of words there does not lack sin" (Proverbs 10:19).
"Finally, my brethren, be swift to hear, [and] slow to speak" (James 1:19).
Speaking is like garlic--in moderation it's good. But too much stinks up the room!
There's no disgrace in being quiet! In fact, it's an honorable thing.
"Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise. And he who shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding (Proverbs 17:28).
Someone has said, "I'd rather be silent and have others think I'm a fool, that to speak up and remove all doubts from their minds".
In short, if you want to control your speech, "Study to be quiet".
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
"Take heed of hasty rashness in your speech. It is better to test your words before you speak them than after".
Like the first rule, this is an obvious one--and one we're prone to forget. We all want to be quick-witted, but often our desire to say it first gets the best of our judgment.
Many verses teach this. Baxter cites Proverbs 29:20 and Ecclesiastes 5:1.
"Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him".
"Keep your foot when you go into the House of God and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil".
Think of the sins that are the direct result of talking before you think. Lying, taking the Lord's Name in vain, gossipping, dirty insinuations, and (one I'm often guilty of) insensitive or offensive jokes.
Think before you talk. Engage the mind before opening the mouth.
CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS
"Keep a holy government over all your passions and especially test all those words that [anger] urges you to vent".
How often have you said things out of frustration, only to regret them later? We've all done that. So, what do you do about it? Two things: (1) Control your emotions (so you won't become so frustrated) and (2) Keep your mouth shut when you are irritated.
Do you know what the real danger is of speaking when you're mad? It's not that you're likely to lie. But that you'll tell the truth in a hateful and crushing way.
Words are easier to say than to un-say. Emotion clouds your judgment. Be careful or don't speak at all when you're under it's power. Proverbs 14:17, 29:22:
"He that is soon angry deals foolishly..."The angry man abounds in transgression"
FORESEE YOUR LIKELY TEMPTATIONS
"Forsee your temptations to evil speech. Consider when you go out what company you are likely to fall into and what evil you are likely to [face]".
Only God knows the future. But you can make an educated guess about many things that lie ahead. Including temptation! Aren't there people you're more likely to gossip with than others? If so, think of better things to talk about when you're with them. And plan to not gossip.
Other people are very aggravating. You know who they are. Before you go to their homes, pray for patience.
Foresight is one of the ways God helps you to overcome temptation, cf. I Corinthians 10:13.
STAY IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
"Continually walk as in the presence of God, and under His government and Law, and as those who are passing on to a judgment".
This, I think, is the most important thing he says. Live in the Presence of God. Remember He is your Master. Remember that you will one day give an account to Him for what you have said.
To help us live in His Presence, Baxter offers a series of questions you should ask yourself before you speak:
1."Is it fit for God to hear?"
2."Is it agreeable to His Law?"
3."Do you want to hear it on the Day of Judgment?"
4."Would you say it to a holy person?"
Do you say things you wouldn't want your children to hear? Your parents to hear? You wouldn't say in church? If so, why do you say them in the hearing of God? Why doesn't He matter?
PRAY ABOUT YOUR SPEECH
"Pray every morning to God to preserve you from the temptations of speech you are liable to that day. Commit the custody of your tongue to Him, as to implore and trust His grace".
This speaks for itself. The references are Psalm 141:3 and Psalm 19:14:
"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep a watch over the door of my lips".
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD".
When it comes to controlling our speech, maybe we "Have not because we ask not".
TRY HARD
"Make it part of your continual work to watch your tongue. Carelessness and negligence will not do in such a difficult work as governing the tongue".
Is controlling your speech an easy thing? Not for me, it isn't! Well, if it's so hard, why don't we work at it? We work at other things; we work hard at them! Why not put the same effort--or more--in to controlling what we say?
TAKE INVENTORY AT THE END OF THE DAY
"Call your tongues daily to account, and ask yourselves what what evil you have spoken and what good you have omitted. Be humbled before God with penitent confession".
This rule applies to the whole Christian life, including how you talk--I John 1:8-9.
GET HELP
"Make use of a faithful monitor or reprover. We are apt, through custom and partiality, to overlook the faults of our own speech. A friend is here exceedingly useful. Ask your friend to watch over you in this and amend what he tells you. And do not use it against your friend".
This is a hard one. For both you and your friend. I suggest using your husband or wife (if you have one) or some other close friend who knows you well and has your confidence. Ask him to call you on your faults! Not to nitpick you, but to tell you the truth. When he does, take it. Heb.10:24; Gal.6:1.
| Home Page |
Sermons provided by www.GraceBaptist.ws |