Dr. Bob Jones Sr. wrote: “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” That is what the Holy Spirit said through James in the third chapter of the book he wrote.

“This statement we should know to be true even if it were not in the Bible. All of us know, if we stop to think, that our most difficult task is to control our tongues. There is nothing today that is doing more to deaden the spiritual testimony of orthodox Christianity than the long, backbiting, mean tongues of some supposedly orthodox Christians.

“There are Christians that talk much about a separated life, and boast about what they do and do not do, and speak with great pride about their loyalty to orthodoxy, who spend their time dipping their tongues in the slime and slander and speaking the death warrant to the reputation of other orthodox Christians.

“The Bible is filled with condemnation of people that slander other people. It condemns with great severity people who even take up a reproach about other people. It is just as bad to carry a rumor around after it starts as it is to start it.”
You may be rebuked by this strong statement. You feel uncomfortable. Convicted. You’ve been unkind with your tongue.

What can you do?

Confess your unkind words to the Lord. Claim His forgiveness.

Stop grieving over past failures. But don’t travel that same road again. Give Christ control of your life…including that dangerous tongue!