The Book Of Ecclesiastes Pt. 16 Guard Against Sinning With Our Words!

Make sure you are right with God before entering His house.

Ecclesiastes 5:1  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 

King Solomon gave us such good truth to think about in regards to our worship and service of God. This truth applies to us when we go to meet with our church family for worship services, or when we commune with God in our homes.

The idea of "keep thy foot" reminds us that we are exposed to a sin contaminated world during the week. 

We must be cleansed of any sins and ask for God's help to shield us from depraving influences or corrupt communication. 

We know that when we confess our sins and forsake them as best we can, the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7 to 2:2). 

God's Spirit will lead us in worship in Spirit and in truth.

1 Corinthians 14:15  What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Paul spent much time and energy correcting spiritual errors at the church of Corinth. In this text, the apostle reminds us to follow Jesus' words to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.

When we pray, we must be sensitive to the Spirit of God, who comes alongside us when we pray, to intercede with groanings that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26). 

We do not often know how we ought to pray because our fleshly infirmities get in the way. Our old man, the sin nature we inherit from Adam, does not want to pray. In fact our old man does not want anything to do with the things of God. 

But, our new man in Christ fully embraces the things of God. Our new man in Christ wants to worship God in Spirit and in truth.

This is why we need The Spirit of God to guide us in worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. The Spirit of God brings mighty help to us so that we can pray with the Spirit and with understanding.

Our worship must also be sensitive to the Spirit of God, who seeks to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, our songs and hymns must be Biblically grounded, full of scriptural truth set to music that honors God. 

In addition to seeking forgiveness and cleansing that only God can provide, Solomon reminds us to have our hearts and minds prepared and ready to hear from God. 

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We are born again by the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18).

Jesus said that a wise man is one who hears His sayings and does them. James says we must be hearers and doers of the Word. 

Thus, we must come to our church service ready to hear from God as the Bible is opened and preached. 

We must be careful with our words. 

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2  1  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 

Verse two serves to illustrate verse one in chapter five. Solomon told us what we must do. We must keep our foot and we must be ready to hear from God. 

Now, he tells us what we must not do. "Be not rash with your mouth." The word "rash" means to speak hastily, blurting out our words without having our mind engaged. Speaking without thinking is always disastrous.

It is very easy for a Christian to sin with his or her words. Social media may tempt us to blurt out words we ought not to say or write. Our emotions may cause us to say words that we should not say to anyone. 

Do not allow our words to encumber us in debt.

Proverbs 6:1-2  My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2)  Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Solomon also wrote the book of Proverbs. In this text he warns his son against being a co-signer on a loan. 

Those who verbally consent to being a co-signer, are obligated to pay that debt if the borrower defaults. Thus, they are snared or caught by the words of their own mouth. 

Use words sparingly, for much talk or posting may lead to sinning. 

Proverbs 10:19  In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 

Some people seem to have an obsessive compulsion to talk or post all the time. What they say is often foolish, insulting or divisive. 

Some people think that they are validated by the sheer volume of foolish words or insulting things, that they can talk about or post on social media.

This is why Solomon warns that we can sin with the words we say or post. Sins of the mouth spoken in the news or posted on social media, inundate us these days, but Christians must refrain from sinning with our words. 

Proverbs 18:8  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

A talebearer is someone who divulges something that was said confidentially. They often spread rumors or repeat gossip and take delight in doing so. Their unchecked words can cause deep wounds and be hurtful to many people. 

Proverbs 29:20  Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Solomon reminds us again, to not be hasty with our words. Do not be ready to unload words without first giving thought to the implications of what we say or write. 

Compulsive talkers or social media posters are worse off than a fool. With one tweet they can undo much good that they have accomplished. 

God knows our thoughts and our words. 

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 

The idea here is that we must not forget that God in heaven knows our thoughts, and He knows our words before we speak them. Therefore, we ought to exercise caution and have our minds engaged before we speak or write.

Psalm 139:1-4   O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2)  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3)  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4)  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Let the weight of what the Psalmist says, sink down into our hearts. Jehovah searches our hearts. He knows when we sit down and when we stand up. He understands our thoughts and knows our words before we utter them.

Matthew 12:35-37  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36)  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37)  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 

The Lord Jesus Christ also spoke about our need to govern our thoughts and words. Evil thoughts and words spring forth from an evil heart. Good thoughts and words spring forth from a regenerated heart.

We will be judged for every idle word. "Idle words" are words that do nothing, They do no good. They have no impact for eternity. They are empty, vain words, and this certainly describes much of what is heard in the new cycles or posted on social media. Empty words that do no good.

Thoughts to Ponder...

Let us allow the words of the Psalmist to guide us in using words and setting boundaries for our thoughts.

Psalm 19:14  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Let us pray that Jehovah will strengthen us and direct the Spirit of God to turn us away from thinking about empty vain things of this world. 

Let us ask Jehovah for His mighty help, so that the words that come out of our mouths can be acceptable in His sight. 

Psalm 141:3  Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 

Let us pray for the indwelling Spirit of God to put His holy bit and bridle upon our tongue and lips, so that we do not sin with our words. 

Let us determine to speak gospel truth, the words of life. Let us tell others about the One, True, Living God of heaven, who wants to save them from their sins.

May the Lord have His will and way in each of us today.

Bob