As Paul continues to show us what it means to live as the new man, he turns to our speech. Words are powerful: they can encourage and strengthen, or wound and destroy. The Christian is therefore called to reject corrupt speech—the rotten words that flow from the old heart and tear down the body of Christ.
But the new life does not merely stop speaking destructively. Our words are to build others up according to the need of the moment. This requires us to focus on others and consider whether they need encouragement, correction, comfort, reassurance, or even silence.
Grace-filled speech reflects the new heart we have received in Christ. We cannot transform our tongues through self-effort, but as those who have been made new in Christ, we depend upon Him and the work of the Holy Spirit to increasingly make our words truthful, loving, gracious, and edifying.
We must ask not only, “Were my words true?” but also, “Did they build up? Did they meet the need of the moment? Did they give grace to those who heard?” May God make us a church whose words do not tear down, but give grace and build up the body of Christ.