Ephesians 4:29 • Christian, Stop Rotten Talk!

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Are you bothered by ugly words flying out of Christians’ mouths who are supposed to be mature? Do they fly out of yours? Words are a heart issue. And like every other heart issue, God addresses it in His word. Ephesians 4:29 is our prescription for healthy speech. Are you willing to accept it?

Healthy Words Should Be a Spiritual Discipline

Spiritual disciplines

Christians over the years have learned that certain practices (daily devotionals, dedicated prayer, giving, etc.) help to keep the heart turned toward God. These are often called “spiritual disciplines.” Such disciplines may heighten your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s work in conforming your inner and outer self to look more like Jesus.

What makes something a “spiritual discipline” is that it takes a specific part of your way of life and turns it toward God. That brings us to the subject of words.

Words reveal healthy spiritual life

Words are a specific part of our way of life, aren’t they? I have seen ministries unravel because of ugly or accusing words flying between Christians who are supposedly mature, some in leadership. “Dead bodies” lie all over the place because of words; shrapnel from verbal bombshells wound innocent bystanders. You know some of the victims, including yourself.

Why isn’t the practice of using beneficial, grace-giving words through speaking, texting, emailing, and writing considered a “spiritual discipline?” It should be! 

Having a healthy spiritual life includes the practice of using healthy words. The prescription for such a healthy spiritual discipline is this,

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

I think if Paul were writing this today, he would have included words that come from our fingers too!

Let us examine each part of this verse.

Do Not Let Rotten Words Out of Your Mouths

Unwholesome talk

The NIV translation I quoted above uses the phrase “unwholesome talk.” What is unwholesome talk? The underlying Greek word literally means “rotten, putrefied.” It can also mean “bad, unfit for us, and worthless.” You can see this in other translations which use the words “corrupt, foul or abusive.” Nothing good.

Look at the context of this verse. Stop lying (verse 25). Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, slander, and malice (verse 31). If the words you use are unkind, accusing, malicious, or making others cringe or cry, they are unwholesome and rotten! Have you read any social media posts like that lately from another Christian? I sure have!

Do not let ANY

Notice that the prescription says to not let ANY of those rotten words come out of your mouth. Not even one! Does that ever require discipline? For sure.

We use all kinds of excuses to continue using our bad language. None of them are acceptable.

Instead, replace those words with what is better.

Helpful for Building Others Up According to Their Needs

What does it mean to build up? It means to strengthen someone in their faith. To build up means you use words that promote another’s growth in her walk with Christ.

The person listening should love Jesus even more because of what you say. They should be drawn to follow Him more closely as His disciple through reading your words. Wow! If we actually obeyed our Lord in this, can you imagine the impact for the Kingdom?!

Benefit Those Who Listen

Our words should benefit those who listen or read them. To benefit means “to bring an advantage to.” The underlying Greek word, though, is stronger than that. It actually means “to give grace to.” Several English translations capture this meaning, such as the CSB, ESV, and NAS.

No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 CSB)

What does it mean to give grace to those who hear? The word grace means favor, a gift you don’t deserve. When we fully understand God’s amazing grace to us, which we do not deserve in any way, it is easier for us to extend that same grace in our interactions with the others around. We do it because we love God and appreciate His grace.

We are called to be “grace-givers.” Yet we more quickly judge and criticize others than assume good will from them. If wounded, we want to fight back, spewing venom to make sure everyone knows we have been hurt. God calls us to be grace-givers. This is not only for the benefit of others, but it is what is best for us!

Through Christ living in us, we can take the grace God has lavished upon us and pour it back on someone else that it may “benefit those who listen (NIV).”

Even correcting someone can be done in a beneficial, grace-giving way. If your words do not help the person who is listening or reading them, don’t use them. If your speech does not communicate encouragement and direction to live life God’s way, don’t say it! If what you type does not make someone love the Lord more, don’t text it!

Stop It

Rotten words are anything that isn’t beneficial for the building up of the one who is listening or reading. Using them is sin against God. Stop that sin so that what you speak is no longer rotten talk. Talk to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to help you do this.

This sin needs to be “mortified,” a theological word meaning to kill it. I thought this graphic illustrated it well (see below for the source).

Words Are a Heart Issue.

Words are a heart issue. Jesus said this in Mark chapter 7,

For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (Mark 7:21-22)

Evil thoughts become malicious words, slander, and arrogance that spew from the heart. The Message translation says those things “vomit” from the heart. What an apt picture of something rotten!

By spewing such filth, a Christian is revealing a heart that is not committed to obeying her Lord in this area.

It is not the mouth that malfunctions. It is the heart!

A friend of mine was splattered with the residue of a conflict with a Christian woman that she did not create. Verbal bombshells left her bleeding. She asked me, “What do I do when that woman speaks or emails me vicious words?” I suggested she quote Ephesians 4:29 and respond, “Want to try that again?” That is what I plan to do.

So the next time a Christian says some ugly, unkind, rotten words to you whether by mouth or text, quote Ephesians 4:29 and say, “Want to try that again?” Keep doing that until she gets the message.

Related Resources:

• Overcome the “Mean Spirit” Button
• Truth Is the Prescription for Healthy Living
• Pathway #2: Bask in the Grace of God
• Seek the Treasure Bible Study of Ephesians
• Conquer the “Manipulation by Guilt” Infection
• “Not mortified / mortified” image came from the sermon by Wayne Braudrick, “Stand Firm with Family,” Frisco Bible Church.

AI was not used to generate this post.