January 10 2026

Saturday January 10

Watch Your Mouth

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Today, as we continue in Ephesians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul is dealing with sins that can destroy our testimony. These are sins that cause us to walk as the Gentiles walk—to look just like the lost world around us. Paul mentions five specific sins in this passage and gives clear admonitions not to practice them. We remember that the first sin he addressed was lying (v. 25). The second was anger (v. 26). The third was stealing (v. 28). Today, we come to the fourth sin, found in verse 29: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Here, Paul warns us against corrupt speech. We must understand that the mouth and the heart are directly connected. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34). Jesus also said in Mark 7:21: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” Jesus concluded by saying that all these things come from within and defile a person. They destroy the testimony of an individual believer and can also destroy the testimony and witness of a church when these things are allowed to take root.

Jesus further warned us in Matthew 12:36–37: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." The apostle Paul certainly understood the power of words. In Romans 3:14, he connects the mouth with cursing and bitterness. But when we trust Christ, something changes. In Romans 10:9-10, we confess Him with our mouths and we openly profess that Jesus Christ is Lord. As condemned sinners, our mouths were once stopped before the throne of God (Romans 3:19). But as believers, our mouths are opened to praise Him (Romans 15:6). When God changes the heart, He changes the speech.

That truth became very real to me personally. I hate to admit it, but before I came to Christ, I was a cursing, foul-mouthed sinner. I couldn’t stop the words that came out of my mouth, even when I didn’t want to use them. They flowed naturally because I had a dirty, sinful heart. But on February 21, 1971, around 4:00 in the afternoon, when Jesus Christ came into my heart and gave me a new heart, the cursing stopped immediately. It stopped. Why? Because I now had a heart that belonged to God, and out of that heart He began to produce good things and good words.

Paul’s admonition is clear: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth.” The word corrupt means something that is worthless, rotten, or decaying. That kind of speech often shows up as gossip, idle talk, words that tear others down, or speech designed to make ourselves look better at someone else’s expense. Remember what Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us: “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him.” After listing six sins, the seventh is “one who sows discord among brethren.” That is often done with words.

So what is the remedy for corrupt speech? The remedy is a heart that has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ—a heart filled with the love of Christ, the truth of Christ, and the grace of God. When God’s Holy Spirit controls the heart, He controls the mouth. This is how God wants us to minister to others. Our words should not tear down or destroy the unity of the church, nor damage our testimony before a watching world. Instead, our words should be a testimony of God’s grace, His love, His forgiveness, His kindness, and His goodness.

Jesus said of false teachers, “By their fruit you shall know them.” (Matthew 7:16-20). But the same can be said of true believers. And one of the biggest fruits of the Christian life is the fruit of our speech—the words that come out of our mouths. So today, we should take heed to this admonition: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” 

Today, may the words out of our mouths always build up others and reflect the grace of God.

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.