Bible League: Living His Word Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.The new way of life we have in Christ Jesus stands in contrast to the old way of life we had in our sinful spiritual state. It was the Apostle Paul's practice in his letters to give his readers some idea of what the new life in Christ looks like. Our verse for today gives us some idea of what the new life looks like with respect to our speech. Our speech should not be "corrupting." The Greek word translated as "corrupting" literally refers to the rottenness of fruit. Our speech should not be corrupting like fruit that has turned rotten. Rotten fruit can spread its rottenness to any good fruit it comes in contact with and corrupting speech can do the same. The corruption that dwells in the mind and heart of the speaker can corrupt the mind and heart of anyone who hears it. Paul is saying that the new way of life we have in Christ should not be like that. Instead of corrupting those who hear us, our speech should do the opposite. It should build people up. It should build people up, however, not in some vague general sense, but in very specific ways that are determined by the occasion. Speech always occurs in a context and Paul is saying that our speech should build people up in whatever context it occurs in. Thus, instead of corrupting every situation with corrupting speech, we should purify every situation with wholesome speech. Speech that builds people up is speech that is born of the Holy Spirit and that, as a result, ministers grace to anyone who hears it. The new way of life we have in Christ should minister grace across the board and our speech is an important part of that process. Speech that reflects the new way of life in Christ, then, is a radical departure from the speech that reflects the sinful spiritual state. As such, it can be one of the most powerful witnesses that we have at our disposal. In a world dominated by corrupt speech, let the words of our mouths attract people to the new life we have in Christ Jesus. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 53, 54, 55 Psalm 53 -- The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 54 -- David's Psalm at Keilah (1Sa 23) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 55 -- Listen to my prayer, God. Don't hide yourself from my supplication. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 27:26-44 Acts 27 -- Paul Sails for Rome; Storm and Shipwreck NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.Insight To persist in prayer and not give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Always praying means keeping our requests constantly before God as we live for him day by day, believing he will answer. Challenge When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but his delays always have good reasons. As we persist in prayer we grow in character, faith, and hope. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 73:22 So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.Remember this is the confession of the man after God's own heart; and in telling us his inner life, he writes, "So foolish was I, and ignorant." The word "foolish," here, means more than it signifies in ordinary language. David, in a former verse of the Psalm, writes, "I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked," which shows that the folly he intended had sin in it. He puts himself down as being thus "foolish," and adds a word which is to give intensity to it; "so foolish was I." How foolish he could not tell. It was a sinful folly, a folly which was not to be excused by frailty, but to be condemned because of its perverseness and wilful ignorance, for he had been envious of the present prosperity of the ungodly, forgetful of the dreadful end awaiting all such. And are we better than David that we should call ourselves wise! Do we profess that we have attained perfection, or to have been so chastened that the rod has taken all our wilfulness out of us? Ah, this were pride indeed! If David was foolish, how foolish should we be in our own esteem if we could but see ourselves! Look back, believer: think of your doubting God when he has been so faithful to you--think of your foolish outcry of "Not so, my Father," when he crossed his hands in affliction to give you the larger blessing; think of the many times when you have read his providences in the dark, misinterpreted his dispensations, and groaned out, "All these things are against me," when they are all working together for your good! Think how often you have chosen sin because of its pleasure, when indeed, that pleasure was a root of bitterness to you! Surely if we know our own heart we must plead guilty to the indictment of a sinful folly; and conscious of this "foolishness," we must make David's consequent resolve our own--"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel." Daily Light on the Daily Path Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. Mark 11:25 "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Proverbs 24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; 1 Peter 3:9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. 1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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