Washing the Mouth with Spiritual Soap - Words that Don’t Reflect God’s Grace
· As I was walking, fullers soap came to my mind as well as the theme for today’s message, “Washing the Mouth with Spiritual Soap.”
· I heard about this word being in the Bible, but the meaning didn’t occur to me until a couple of days ago. So, I started searching to get the meaning and how it connects with the tongue that is in our mouths and how it needs to be put under subjection.
· Many words come from our mouths that do not reflect God’s grace. I am guilty as well, but those words have not become a habit that can’t be broken. The key is, we must be open to the truth and ask the Lord to help us to refrain from saying words that are not edifying.
· There were times when I have been in the presence of others who were using bad words, and I said this, “I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap”
· When the word fullers’ soap came to me, and I began to search out the meaning this is what I found. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ (launderers’) soap (Malachi 3:3).
· This means when Jesus comes back, He will purify and cleanse – remove the curse and make everything new. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
· Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (2 Peter 3:10-11). Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, also there was no more sea (Revelation 21:1).
· I used the fullers’ soap scripture in comparing it as a cleanser for us when we get out of line. Since the children of God are accountable to each other, and the tongue is difficult to train, it is our responsibility to keep each in check.
· Paul wrote to the churches and to us that we are to reprove each other, whether it is the ungodly way a brother or sister is living and to correct them for passing on erroneous doctrine. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16). This brings us to maturity.
· For your information, accountability applies to leaders too. From my experience in ministry, many of them do not receive from others or they are not open to correction. I have heard a few pastors say from the pulpit that God does not send others to them because He speaks directly to them. That is not true. God speaks to us through His Word, through His Spirit, He can send a message/warning through a billboard, and He certainly speaks through people.
· The Spirit of God continues to convict (convince) us of our sins, but if we do not yield, there are consequences. If anyone who professes to be born-again is not open for reproof, correction, or being accountable to their brothers and sisters, they are not open to God either.
· So, why not start making a change about what comes out of our mouths now, and start using words that reflect God’s grace, and anything else we are doing that does not reflect God’s grace. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:6).
As reminder, Peter wrote how we should walk and talk in the right manner, because we have been changed.
~ Betty A. Burnett ~
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