Diseases of the Tongue (Part 2)

It’s good to be with you, as we draw near to the close of another week. Our theme this week has been: Does Your Tongue Need Healing?

In our studies this week we’ve seen that there is a direct connection in human personality between the heart and the mouth. The mouth is, in fact, the overflow valve of the heart. It is therefore the most accurate indicator of the state of the heart. An unhealthy tongue necessarily indicates an unhealthy heart.

In my talk yesterday I diagnosed certain specific diseases of the tongue:

Number One— excessive talking, Number Two— idle or careless words, and Number Three— gossip or slander.

Today I’m going to deal with three more diseases that commonly affect are tongues. Disease number four is lying and we need to be careful that we use the right word to describe that. After all, what is exaggeration? It’s a long word that some of us would find difficult to spell. Somebody’s used the phrase, “evangelastically speaking.” The evangelist sees 200 people come forward in his crusade and by the time the report is in his newsletter, it’s 500. What’s that? Evangelastic? Exaggeration? or lying? That’s what it really is. It’s lying. I do not say that to be critical of others. I say that because I believe every one of us needs to be very careful that we’re not found guilty of lying.

In Proverbs, chapter 6, verses 16 through 19, the writer tells us of seven things that the Lord hates, and that’s a very strong word, hate. This is what he says:

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” (NIV)

Out of those seven specific things that the Lord hates, it seems to me that there are three that are related to the tongue. First of all, a lying tongue; secondly, a false witness—obviously that affects the tongue also; third, a man who stirs up dissension among brothers, and normally the way that dissension is stirred up is by words. So out of seven things that the Lord hates, there  are three that affect the tongue, and of those three, two are specifically connected with lying.

This is stated again in Proverbs 12, verse 22:

“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.” (NIV)

In that verse we have two sets of opposites. We have the word “detest” and the word “delight.” “The Lord detests lying lips; he delights in men who are truthful.” It seems to me there’s nothing in between. And then we have the other two opposites, “lying” and “truthful.” And again, it  seems to  me, there’s nothing in between. If it’s not truthful, it is a lie. If it’s a lie, the Lord detests it. If it’s truthful, the Lord delights in it. You see, our problem is, that we’ve got so many gray areas in our thinking, but I question whether those gray areas are found in Scripture. Let me read those words once more. “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.” There isn’t much in between. You see, traced to its source, every lie comes from the devil. That’s a frightening thought, isn’t it, but I’ll back it up with the words of Jesus, Himself. In John, chapter 8, verse 44, speaking to the religious leaders of His day, and bear in mind, there were very religious people. I’ve pointed out already earlier this week, religion is no guarantee that it cures your tongue.

“You belong to your father, [Jesus says] the devil, you  belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. [You know, the devil is compared to a snake. One thing I’ve observed is, there’s no such thing as a straight snake. Every snake is crooked somewhere and that’s the devil. He’s not straight; he’s crooked. Jesus goes on:] When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (NIV)

Every time a lie passes through our lips, it comes from the devil.

And then, one more really important, and I would have to say frightening fact about this disease of lying—it’s this, that unless the disease is arrested and healed, it’s fatal. Two passages in Revelation 21, verse 8:

“But the cowardly, the  unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (NIV)

Notice the group of people: “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, idolaters, and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” That’s incurable. There’s no way out. Once a person is consigned to that second death, that’s ultimate. So I repeat what I said, unless this disease of lying is arrested and healed, it’s sure to be fatal.

Revelation 22:15, speaking about the city which is the City of God:

“Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood [or lies].” (NIV)

So we have to determine, each one of us, am I willing to be healed of this disease of lying or am I prepared to lose my soul forever, because unless arrested and healed, the disease of lying is ultimately fatal.

I’m going to deal quickly with just two more diseases of the tongue.

Disease number five - flattery

Psalm 12, verses 1 through 3:

“Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.” (NIV)

That speaks about a state of moral decline in the human race and I believe it’s not unlike that which we see around us today. Godly men are hard to find. The faithful have vanished. What’s the result? “Everyone lies to his neighbor. Their flattering lips speak with deception.” And then there’s a judgment of God pronounced by the Scripture upon these flattering lips, “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.”

And then, in Proverbs, 26:28 we’re warned:

“A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” (NIV)

If we listen to and receive flattery, or if we become flatterers, the end is ruin.

Again, in Proverbs 29:5:

“Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.” (NIV)

After many years in the ministry, I’ve learned by practical experience, that’s true. I’ve learned that there are people who will come up to me, speak flattering words, but they’re not sincere. There’s another motive behind it. And many, many times, if it hadn’t been the grace of God, my feet would have been caught in that net of flattery. I would have been laid into some commitment or some relationship that was outside the will of God. So bear that in mind, “a flattering mouth works ruin, and whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.”

And then, disease number six - hastiness of speech.

Proverbs 29, verse 20:

“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words; there is more hope for a fool than for him.” (NASB)

That’s solemn, because believe me, the Bible has nothing good to say about the fool, but it says that if we’re hasty in our words, our situation, our condition is worse than that of a fool.

There’s one example in Scripture of a man who was hasty in his words just once, and the price that it cost him. The man was Moses. He was told by God to go ahead of the children of Israel, speak to a rock, and it would bring forth water. But he was so angry with the children of Israel, that he said to them, “Must we bring forth water for you rebels,” and instead of speaking to the rock, he smote it. And that act of disobedience, expressed in hasty words, cost him the  privilege of leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land. This is described in Psalm 106, verses 32 and 33.

“They [that’s the children of Israel] angered him [Moses] also of the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.” (KJV)

Notice the diagnosis. A provoked spirit causes us to speak unadvisedly with our lips and hasty words cost us many  privileges and many blessings. If Moses had to pay that price for that one hasty statement, let’s beware that we don’t also say things hastily  which will cost us dearly in the spiritual realm.

Well our time is up for today. I’ll be back with you again next week at this same time, Monday through Friday. Next week I’ll continue with this theme: Does Your Tongue Need Healing? I’ll be explaining the provision God has made for the healing of our tongues.