TEXT: James 1:26

SUBJECT: Baxter on the Tongue #8

Tonight brings us to the eighth sermon in our study of Richard Baxter on the Tongue. Or Puritan advice for controlling your speech.

Thus far, we've looked at the General Directives for bridling your tongue, and at some problem areas--profanity, lying, sinful joking, and idle chatter.

Now we come to another problem. Baxter calls it "Filthy, ribald, scurrilous talk". In other words, speech that is pornographic, off-color, or smutty. We all know people who talk this way. We mustn't join them. If we have, we ought to leave them without further delay.

This sort of talk is abhorrent to God. Paul says it is "Not fitting for saints" to speak that way. Later he adds, "Because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience".

Believers mustn't use gutter language. Either crude or refined.

To help us, Baxter offers ten words of advice.

This is good counsel; counsel we're prone to overlook. Many people have "dirty mouths"--not because they're young, not because of what they hear on TV, not because of their friends--but simply because they're not saved. The thought that God hears them--and disapproves--never comes to mind.

If this is the kind of talk you like--whether you're a fifty year-old man or a twelve year old boy--you ought to carefully look into your soul. Maybe you're backslidden; maybe you're hardened. Or maybe you're lost. In any event,

Your conversation will be like the one you talk to most. All parents know this. Our kids find a new friend, and before you know it, they're saying new words--words we don't like!

The same is true with God. If you're reading His Word and talking to Him regularly, your speech will resemble His! Pure, holy, true, loving.

Isaiah was a formal believer; he went to the Temple and so on. But when He met the Lord Himself, he cried out,

The dirt on his lips was taken away by the Presence of God. Yours will be too. Stay in fellowship with God.

That's an obvious one, isn't it? "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks". Your speech cannot be pure until your heart is pure. You can control yourself now and then (in certain company, for example), but the condition of your heart will work its way out through your mouth.

Dirty words are like bad breath. If something rotten is in your stomach, your breath will stink. If something foul is in your heart, your words will be corrupt.

Some things are shameful. If you're embarrassed to do them in public, why are you so eager to talk about them in public? Paul says these things "Should not so much as be named among you".

Talking up dirty things is a sure sign of apostasy. Think of the gay politicians who trumpet their homosexuality. Think of the celebrities who flaunt their multiple lovers. Filthy talking, unchaste flirting, and so on, are no better. About the world without God, Paul says, "They glory in their shame". They're proud of the things that ought to make them blush.

Let me carefully distinguish between sex and immorality. The former is good--but private. Keep it that way. The latter is bad and should never boasted about or made light of.

Fornication sends people to hell. That means it is not funny. By joking about it, therefore, we make it less serious than it is, and make it easier to fall into it.

This is not hypothetical! I know a man who was also jesting with his friend's wife. It all seemed innocent! Everyone laughed--including her husband. But it created a kind of intimacy between the two. And, before you know it, their joking about sex became the real thing.

Modesty is not chain to bind us, but a shield to protect us.

This is an interesting comment. Good men don't enjoy filthy talk, and if possible, they'll leave the room when it starts. If immoral words hurt a good man's ears, why would expect God to listen patiently?

What Habakkuk said of God's eyes applies equally to His ears.

This doesn't mean a bad word now and then drives God out, but a constant stream of dirty talk grieves His Spirit. He will not remain with us if we talk that way.

Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian. At a party one night, the men retired to his study to smoke. A friend began telling a story that was slightly off-colored. Jefferson interrupted him,

Thomas Jefferson did not believe the Bible. But even he knew immoral talk was wrong. We should feel the same way about it. Only more.

The devil has plenty of employees. They bombard us day and night with their immoral talk. In person, on the radio, on TV, in movies, on the internet, in pop music, in books, in the newspapers, magazines--you name it. Vulgarity, profanity, downright obscenity everywhere!

In other words, Satan doesn't need your help. Don't volunteer for his service.

"Remember how little need there is for your endeavor". Without approving of his sin, you understand why an unemployed man steals a bag of groceries. It satisfies a real need. It feeds him and his family. It's still wrong, but you can't be too hard on the poor man.

But what does gutter talk do for you? Or for anyone else? It doesn't satisfy your desires; it doesn't help others. It's an unmixed thing--all bad and no good!

What can a smutty joke do? At the best, it can make someone laugh. But it's a guilty laugh and only makes him worse.

What can crude talk do? At the most, it may excite someone's lust. But lust--you know--"When it is conceived brings forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death".

If you say such things to good people, they'll be "turned-off" by them. Not "turned-on".

REPENT

This speaks for itself. If immoral talk is truly sinful, it must be confessed and repented of. Forgiveness must be sought in the blood of Christ.

Baxter finishes the chapter with a couple of objections and replies. Both objections are very common, but easily answered.

In other words, "I'm only joking". Here's the reply,

This is a very good comment. There are a million things to joke with a good conscience. Why choose dirty things to have your fun?

This is "the Hypocrite Card". "I'm open with my filth, while those hypocrites over there say or think the same things in private". This is an easy one for Baxter,

Of course some people are hypocrites. But this only proves my case. For they wouldn't keep their filthy words private--if they weren't really bad. Someone has said,

"Hypocrisy is the tribute

I would add: All sins are not equally bad. And one thing that makes a sin worse is its effect on others. Bad words hurt others. The more public they are, the worse they become.