Communication and the Sovereignty of God

Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. KJV

Does your communication reflect a trust in the Sovereignty of God?

A. What is corrupt communication?
1. Complaining about things we don’t like in
a. Ourselves
b. Circumstances
c. Others
2. Gossip
a. Talking about others out of bitterness, envy, annoyance, dislike, or revealing things about others for our own benefit. (give examples)
i. It hurts
ii. Tears down
iii. It feeds our ungodly feelings
1. All words or communication that deters growth in godliness and hinders the cultivation of godly relationships. It defiles others. It has a decaying, rotting effect on a person’s soul. (I think this is from Carolyn McCulley)

3. It’s a heart issue
a. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
- Matt. 12:34b

b. Corrupt communication starts in the heart, is entertained in our
thoughts, and spews from our mouth like toxic waste.

c. Corrupt communication is born from a heart of distrust; distrust that God is sovereign in the situations, circumstances, and relationships that we are currently encountering. This distrust gives birth to other sins such as bitterness, unkindness, anger, etc which is expressed in gossip, complaining, anger, etc.

If we are going to understand our trouble with words we must begin with the heart… People and situations around us don’t make us say what we say; they are only the occasion for our hearts to reveal themselves in words. –Paul Tripp


Our use of the tongue is a sure evidence of the condition of our heart. It is the hinge on which the door into our souls swings open in order to reveal our spirit. In effect our words are like so many media people rushing to file their reports on the condition of our soul. – Sinclair Ferguson as quoted on http://girltalk.blogs.com

B. Edify – to build up; to uplift
But that which is good to the use of edifying…

She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. - Proverbs 31:26 ESV

1. Do your words encourage others to godliness?

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

2. Do your words build or tear down?

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. –Proverbs 14:1 ESV
- We could say ‘with her mouth’
- When people leave your presence, do they feel built up, or torn down?

3. Do you purpose to use your words to uplift others?
- in other words ‘Intentionally or deliberately’ use words to uplift.
- When appropriate think through things ahead of time to lift other up.
- Writing encouraging notes
- Ask your self, “are your words mostly thoughtless or do you think through things ahead of time?

4. Do your words express thankfulness, kindness, love, honor, trust, etc

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. –I Thes. 5:11 ESV

C. Transforming our Communication
…That it may minister grace to the hearer

Because of the cross I have a new resident in my heart- the Holy Spirit – who is renewing me inwardly every day. Despite my sinful tendencies the Holy Spirit provides grace for me to respond in a godly way. - Carolyn McCulley

1. We have already said it’s a heart issue, so to change the fruit we have to change the seed.

2. Sow the truth in your heart

a. The gospel - The deposits we need to make in order to overhaul our hearts are thoughts of the gospel, the cross, and our Savior.
–Carolyn McCulley

5 ways that we can deposit the Gospel in our lives by CJ Mahaney:

i. memorize the gospel
ii. pray the gospel
iii. sing the gospel
iv. recall how the gospel has changed you
v. study the gospel

*We often think the gospel is mostly for unbelievers to lead them to salvation, but we, as believers, need to be reminded daily (or more) of the mercy and grace through the gospel.

*As we recognize the mercy and grace we have freely been given, we will be able by the Holy Spirit’s power to give it generously to others.

b. Purposefully Practice things that lead to godly communication…

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, 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. -Phil. 4:8

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? –Micah 6:8 KJV

D. Conclusion
* When we trust a sovereign God is in control of all our circumstances, relationships, and experiences, we are able to speak his praises and build others without sinful envy, anger, bitterness, etc… Not because we want to be ‘better’ Christians, be respected, or seem ‘nice’, but it is because it glorifies God and points others to do the same.