HOW TO TALK AS CHRISTIANS

Col. 1:6

Morning Meditation 11/20/2012

This text says: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

David recognized the importance of speech when he said, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” I think David had said some things that hurt people and he realized that they would have been better off not said. He recognized the power of words to encourage and the power of words to hurt. So he prayed, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight...” He knew he needed God’s help in this area.

The words “Let your speech” (logos) means “a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea.” Paul is speaking about the “words of our mouth” (Psa. 19:14 above). It may be a comment about what we believe about a certain thing. Prov. 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” The word “fitly” means “timely.” It is like someone says of a speaker “that was a good comment and it came at the right time.” It may be answering a question. It may be a comment made based on wrong information received. In this case any comment might be wrong. And sometimes when we know all the facts, we need to restrain ourselves from making any comment at all. This is very hard for us especially if we have strong feelings about the subject being discussed. But sometimes it is not the right time for us to speak. The words “Let your speech” suggest at the beginning of this verse that we should control our speech with God’s help.

The words “be alway with grace” means “at all times, at every occasion” (pantote). The words “with grace” (charis) mean “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech.” Have you ever been around a person like this? I have and it is such a joy. This is a positive mental attitude expressed in gentle and loving words. I have said many times that the negative post on my attitude-battery is a lot larger than my positive post. It is a lot easier for me to be critical than positive. There are literally ministries built on a critical negative attitude. I have some religious papers that come to me. They are sent free. I guess the editors get the preacher’s address and they feel he needs their expert knowledge on all subjects, so they put him on their mailing list. When I pick up the paper I smell the smoke and feel the fire of criticism rising from the page. I am always depressed after reading the information. These are not words written “with grace.” I know that there are some who would think what I am saying is promoting compromise. No, I do not advocate compromise under any condition. What I am doing is commenting on my meditation on the inspired words of Paul which say, ”Let your speech be ALWAY with grace...”

The words “seasoned with salt” are words describing the activities of the cook. The word “seasoned” means “to make savory.” It is a perfect passive participle. The perfect tense is completed action in the past that action having present results. It is passive voice which means that the subject is acted upon. What this means by way of explanation is that our speech has been made savory in the past by an outside source (God’s wisdom) with the result that when we speak it is issuing from past studies and wisdom given to us by the Lord (James 1:5-6). You say, “what if I haven’t studied that subject and I know what is being discussed is wrong and I want to tell them?” If your speech is to be “seasoned” in the perfect tense you will have to hold your tongue and in the passive voice allow God through his Word and wisdom gained through prayer to act on you and put it together so that in the future you can comment in a savory fashion.

The word “salt” (halas) means, according to Strong, 1) salt with which food is seasoned and sacrifices are sprinkled 2) those kinds of saline matter used to fertilize arable land 3) salt is a symbol of lasting concord, because it protects food from putrefaction and preserves it unchanged. Accordingly, in the solemn ratification of compacts, the Orientals were, and are to this day, accustomed to partake of salt together 4) wisdom and grace exhibited in speech.” That is a lengthy definition. However, every bit of this definition has an application in what Paul is saying to us. Our speech should be seasoned with the salt that makes the words we say palatable to the hearer. I used to pastor a woman who was very critical and she hurt people with her words. She would boast and say “this is just how I am. If I feel it, I say it.” There was no salt in what she said and it was something you wanted to spit out. Then there is the salt that makes fertile what we say so that the hearer can learn and grow from it. Then there is the salt that brings concord and harmony between believers. There is also the salt that brings harmony to the thoughts the hearer is thinking. Then there is the salt that preserves the truth and protects from error. Paul says “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt...”

The words “that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” set forth the purpose. We need to know how we ought to answer every man. The words “ye may know” (eido) and mean “to perceive with the eye.” It is a perfect active infinitive. The perfect tense makes the “knowing” a completed action in the past with the result that you have that knowledge stored and ready to use. If the ingredients are mixed up in advance through the study of the Scripture and prayer for wisdom, we can communicate with grace and the salt will make what we say palatable even though it may be contrary to the present beliefs of the hearer. Sometimes the hearer has no fixed opinion on the subject of discussion. If our speech is with grace and seasoned with salt, what we say will not cause his self defense mechanism to go into play, and we will be able to witness and communicate effectively.

The words “how ye ought to answer every man” is not directed to a particular person. He is saying we need a knowledge of the subjects of Scripture so that we will have an answer for every man. This assumes that the “every man” has a question that needs to be answered and that as Christians have the answer in our God breathed Book, the Bible.

I will just add Prov. 15:1 in closing: “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

In Christ

Bro White