The concept of “idle words” comes from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 12:36 (ESV): “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” In this verse, Jesus warns that we will have to give an account for every “careless” or idle word we speak.
An “idle word” can be defined as any worthless, useless, careless, or inappropriate word. The Greek word translated “idle” here means “inactive, unemployed, useless, barren.” Idle words include:
- Gossip
- Slander
- Filthy language
- Deceptive words
- Angry words spoken in bitterness
- Complaining/grumbling words
- Foolish babbling
- Flattery used with wrong motives
Jesus’ warning tells us that every single word we speak carries moral weight. Our words have consequences, and we will be held accountable for sinful, worthless, or careless words. Proverbs 18:21 (ESV) says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” The words we speak impact others and reflect what is in our hearts.
Why does God care about our idle words?
God cares deeply about our speech and idle words for several reasons:
- Our words reveal our hearts. Jesus said: “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Foolish, sinful, idle talk betrays the sin lingering in our hearts.
- Words have power. They can build up or tear down. James 3:5-6 compares the tongue to a fire that can destroy a forest. Idle words often tear down rather than build up.
- Words impact others. We can deeply impact people for good or ill through what we say. Our speech should avoid gossip, lies, anger, etc. which harm others.
- We are accountable. Jesus reminds us we will have to give an account for every careless word we speak, even if we forget them (Matthew 12:36). Our words have eternal consequences.
- Words reflect Christ. As Christians, our speech should reflect our holy Savior and draw people to Him.
For these reasons, a flippant, foolish, idle tongue grieves God. Our words should honor Him and serve what is good, true, pure and edifying (Ephesians 4:29, 5:4).
Examples of idle words in the Bible
The Bible contains many examples of “idle words” that displeased God and harmed others. For instance:
- Gossip – Paul includes gossip, slander and deceitful speech as sins of the flesh (2 Cor 12:20). Gossip spreads rumors and destroys reputations with idle words.
- Quarreling – Foolish arguments and quarreling over unimportant issues bothered Paul in the Corinthian church (1 Cor 3:3). These fruitless disputes qualify as idle words.
- Deception – Ananias and Sapphira told an idle lie about a land donation, and it cost them their lives (Acts 5:1-11). Idle deception has consequences.
- Flattery – The proud king Herod accepted flattering words of praise saying, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” God struck him dead for accepting this idle flattery (Acts 12:21-23).
There are many other examples, but these demonstrate how seriously God takes our useless, inappropriate or deceptive words. Speech reflects the heart, so an abundance of idle talk signals shallowness and sin in the soul.
How can we avoid idle words?
Since we will answer to God for every idle word, what practical steps can we take to avoid them?
- Repent of sinful speech habits. Examine your heart and tongue. Confess habits of gossip, lies, hurtful jokes, etc. to God. Repentance starts in the heart.
- Guard your lips. Be quick to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19). Don’t speak before thinking. Learn to hold your tongue when needed.
- Speak with intentionality. Before speaking, consider: is this useful, uplifting and necessary? Will it glorify God? Will it benefit others? Speak intentionally.
- Beware foolish debates. Don’t get sucked into fruitless disputes and arguments over foolish controversies (2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9).
- Fill your heart with God’s Word. The overflow of an idle heart leads to idle words. Consume God’s Word to shape your speech and thoughts.
- Be accountable. Invite others to lovingly confront your speech. We need accountability in this area.
Avoiding idle words requires intentional effort. But with the Spirit’s help, our speech can honor Christ and build others up.
What happens when we don’t guard our tongues?
Failing to restrain our tongues from idle talk brings several consequences:
- We grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30) and quench His work in our lives.
- We lead others into sin. “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Cor 15:33).
- We destroy trust and relationships through gossip, slander, lies, etc.
- We dishonor God before unbelievers, hindering evangelism.
- We drift from God’s will as we fill our minds with worthless chatter rather than His truth.
- We become “double-minded” people tossed about by the waves (James 1:5-8). Idle words reflect and amplify a drifting, unstable soul.
- We incur discipline from God who cares deeply about the words His children speak (Hebrews 12:5-6).
In contrast, wisdom “brings forth life” (Proverbs 18:21). So we should be quick to avoid idle talk and quick to speak words that give life!
How does guarding our speech relate to our witness?
Guarding our speech is vital for an effective Christian witness. As Jesus said, “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Our words reflect what is inside. So sinful speech undermines our witness, while godly speech enhances it.
Consider these principles:
- Unbelievers notice how we talk. If we gossip, use foul language, etc. it confirms negative perceptions about Christians being hypocrites.
- But if we speak with grace, kindness, and purity, it gets their attention. Our words should be “seasoned with salt” (Col 4:6).
- Angry, foolish, coarse speech mars our family witness (Titus 2:5, 1 Tim 3:4-5). But wholesome speech adorns the gospel.
- As we clean up our speech, it clears away debris in our hearts. Our improved witness will flow from improved hearts.
- Spirit-led speech manifests the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
- So guarding our tongues is not just about avoiding bad words. It’s about nurturing speech that draws people to Christ.
In summary, our speech has massive impact on our Christian witness. May God help us to use our words intentionally for His glory.
What does the Bible say about course jesting?
The Bible repeatedly warns against “course jesting”, crude language, and what we might call today “locker room talk.” Consider several verses:
- “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place…” (Ephesians 5:3-4).
- “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth” (Colossians 3:5-8).
This kind of speech should have no place among God’s people. It fails to impart grace to listeners (Ephesians 4:29), grieves the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30-32), and reveals sin still lingering in the heart (Matthew 15:18).
Crude joking treats women as objects, promotes lust, and fails to honor marriage. As Philippians 4:8 (ESV) commands: “Whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
God calls His children to speak in a way that honors Jesus Christ and serves others rather than pandering to fleshly desires. Our speech should be uplifting, constructive, graceful, and holy – radically different than the crude talk of the world.
How should Christians respond to profanity and coarse joking?
When Christians encounter profanity, vulgarity, or coarse joking, we should respond in several ways:
- Avoid it. Refuse to participate or laugh. Leave environments promoting destructive speech (Proverbs 14:7).
- Be grieved. Respond with genuine godly sorrow. Don’t tolerate sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.
- Ask God for discernment. Pray for wisdom to navigate these situations righteously, gently, and humbly.
- Separate from partnerships. If friends, business partners, etc. insist on continuing destructive speech, walk away (2 Cor 6:14).
- Consider confrontation. When appropriate, humbly and lovingly challenge crude talk from believers or unbelievers.
- Model purity. Let your own speech honor Christ. Be the fragrance of grace to draw others to higher ground.
Our responses should avoid self-righteous anger yet boldly stand against speech displeasing to God. We must hold fast to what is good and make no room for what is evil (Romans 12:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).
What Scriptures encourage righteous speech?
Alongside warnings against destructive speech, the Bible provides much positive instruction about righteous, edifying speech that honors God. For example:
- “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.” (Ephesians 4:29)
- “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6)
- “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3)
- “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” (Psalm 34:13)
- “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” (Proverbs 15:28)
- “A gentle tongue is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 15:4)
These verses paint a beautiful picture of intentional, gracious, edifying speech that gives life and draws people to Christ. This should be the goal and standard for all our words.
How does social media increase opportunities for idle talk?
Social media significantly increases opportunities for idle talk in several ways:
- It promotes constant communication and self-expression without restraint.
- It encourages speaking publicly before listening intently and thinking carefully.
- The anonymity it provides can promote foolish speech people would avoid face-to-face.
- Comments, posts, tweets, etc. are essentially immortalized, multiplying their potential impact.
- The instantaneity of social media does not allow for carefully crafted, thoughtful communication.
- It facilitates impulsive responses based on emotion rather than wisdom and discretion.
Additionally, social media often stirs controversy, invites quarrels, magnifies dissent, and provides a stage for vain opinions. Scripture warns repeatedly against foolish controversies, senseless arguments, and quarreling over disputable matters (2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9-11).
So while social media is a blessing in many ways, Christians must use discernment. We should think carefully before publishing our words to the world. Speech online still reflects the heart and impacts others.
How can Christians use social media in a way that glorifies God?
Christians can use social media to glorify God by:
- Posting Scripture, theology, testimonies, words of encouragement, and other content that builds up others.
- Speaking the truth in love and calling out falsehood, but with graciousness, nuance, and wisdom.
- Asking questions and sincerely listening to responses before reacting.
- Avoiding foolish controversies, senseless arguments, and polarizing political debates.
- Representing Christ through speech seasoned with salt – gracious, wise, discerning (Colossians 4:6).
- Treating all people with dignity, not dehumanizing those we disagree with.
- Making arguments thoughtfully and intelligently, not impulsively firing off shallow opinions.
- Deleting tweets or posts made rashly, if needed. It’s okay to backspace!
In essence, Christians should think of social media interactions as real conversations, maintaining the same standards of grace and care. Our speech should build others up, reflect the Spirit’s wisdom, turn people to Christ, and glorify God.
Conclusion
Idle words reflect sinful hearts, hurt others, dishonor God, and require His judgment. As Christians, we must carefully guard our speech – both in person and online – to avoid worthless and destructive words. Through the Spirit’s empowerment, our tongues can instead build others up, testify to Jesus, and glorify God. May our words point people to eternal life found in Christ alone.
