“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Eph. 4:29
The fact that corrupt communication is a relic of the old man, is sufficient reminder that the Christian’s life is still vulnerable to its sneakiness. Communication is translated as logos (G3056), and it means to speak intelligently, to articulate a message, to present a dialogue. It’s drawn from from legō (G3004), which originally referred to the “action of collecting, cautiously choosing and arranging collectively in an organized sequence.” This eventually came to mean “to lay before, i.e. give an account”, and lastly “to state, speak, i.e., to utter specific words, linked, and noteworthy communication equal to dialogue. Words are so important that they must be selected carefully, arranged and linked.
The type of words Christians used was a serious concern to Paul because language is a major characteristic of our lives. In particular, he’s concerned about our language not being corrupt. Translated sapros (G4550), it means “decayed, putrid.” This graphic word was originally used to describe food that was rotten or spoiled. It’s the same word Jesus used when He gave a warning about false prophets. He said, “You will recognize them by their fruits. . . every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (Matt. 7:15-18 ESV). He used it again in Matt. 13:48 to refer rotten (bad) fish that must be thrown away.
The Christian must never be characterized by rotten, spoiled, decayed speech. How corrupt is the communication of man today? In normal conversation profane vulgarity and blatant filth are commonplace in jokes and stories.
Paul gives an alternative in Col. 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person”. Speech (logos) should be “seasoned with salt.” As salt improves the taste of food, our speech should improve the taste for Christ to those around us. Christians should never leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth because our words should always taste good.
Review and Meditation: How does Paul sum up the listed commandments in Rom. 13:9? According to 1 Cor. 14:19 which “words” are superior?
The fact that corrupt communication is a relic of the old man, is sufficient reminder that the Christian’s life is still vulnerable to its sneakiness. Communication is translated as logos (G3056), and it means to speak intelligently, to articulate a message, to present a dialogue. It’s drawn from from legō (G3004), which originally referred to the “action of collecting, cautiously choosing and arranging collectively in an organized sequence.” This eventually came to mean “to lay before, i.e. give an account”, and lastly “to state, speak, i.e., to utter specific words, linked, and noteworthy communication equal to dialogue. Words are so important that they must be selected carefully, arranged and linked.
The type of words Christians used was a serious concern to Paul because language is a major characteristic of our lives. In particular, he’s concerned about our language not being corrupt. Translated sapros (G4550), it means “decayed, putrid.” This graphic word was originally used to describe food that was rotten or spoiled. It’s the same word Jesus used when He gave a warning about false prophets. He said, “You will recognize them by their fruits. . . every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (Matt. 7:15-18 ESV). He used it again in Matt. 13:48 to refer rotten (bad) fish that must be thrown away.
The Christian must never be characterized by rotten, spoiled, decayed speech. How corrupt is the communication of man today? In normal conversation profane vulgarity and blatant filth are commonplace in jokes and stories.
Paul gives an alternative in Col. 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person”. Speech (logos) should be “seasoned with salt.” As salt improves the taste of food, our speech should improve the taste for Christ to those around us. Christians should never leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth because our words should always taste good.
Review and Meditation: How does Paul sum up the listed commandments in Rom. 13:9? According to 1 Cor. 14:19 which “words” are superior?
Corrupt Communication (Talk) - (Greek sapros logos )
Pronounced - sap-ro’ log’-os
Pronounced - sap-ro’ log’-os
ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ
"It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" - Jesus Matt. 4:4
Glorifying the Triune God by creatively declaring the relevancy and practicality of His timeless Word.