TEXT: Colossians 4:6 ”Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye
may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
INTRODUCTION
If there is one area where we, as believers, are prone to stumble and fall, it is in our speech. The inspired
Word of God wisely counsels us to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James
1:19). Indeed, the writer of Proverbs offers both a solemn warning and profound wisdom concerning
our words: "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs
10:19). This proverb serves as a stark reminder that verbosity often leads to transgression. The
wisdom of silence is so profound that, as the proverb also states, "Even a fool, when he holdeth his
peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding" (Proverbs
17:28).
Moreover, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself issued a sobering warning that should cause every believer to
tremble: "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof
in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36). This underscores the great weight and eternal consequence
of every word we utter. The critical question for us, as those who profess belief in the authority of
Scripture, is this: Does the Bible truly hold sway over our speech, over our very tongues?
In Numbers 12:1, we see Miriam and Aaron employing their tongues to ungracious means. Shimei does
the same in 2 Samuel 16:7 and in Job 2:9, Job’s wife goes a notch higher by using her speech to mock
her struggling husband and imploring him to curse God and die!
As Reformed Baptists, do we merely pay lip service to the Bible as our ultimate rule in all matters of
faith and practice, yet remain unconscious of God's Word when it comes to the way we speak? The
disconnect can be glaring. Let us examine the Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Colossian church as
presented in Colossians 4:6: "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man."
1. The Gracious Speech that Honors the Lord “Let your speech be always with grace….”v6a
This is not merely a suggestion; it is a divine command. Our speech, as Christians, must be adorned
with grace. This is how we are to distinguish ourselves from the world around us. As Matthew Henry
notes on this verse, "Our speech must be always with grace; such as may minister grace to the
hearers, Eph. 4:29. It must be such as may evidence a gracious heart, and may promote grace in
others."
We are not only to commend the Gospel by our lives, but also by our words. Consider Psalm 45:2, which
speaks of the "gracious words" that flow from the lips of the King, and Luke 4:22, where people
"marveled at the gracious words that came from his lips" – speaking of our Lord Jesus.
This has been a constant prayer for me personally, and for the Bathzatha Baptist Church community
of late. Oh, how we ought to distinguish ourselves by the graciousness of our speech! The vital questionwe must continually ask ourselves as we speak is: "Is my speech always coming out with grace? Or am
I merely speaking carelessly, impulsively, or without thought for the impact of my words? Do I
consciously consider whether my speech is edifying, building up rather than tearing down?”
2. The Preservative and Palatable Power of Salted Speech “Let your speech be always…… seasoned
with salt” v6b
Salt, as we know, has two primary functions: preservation and enhancement of taste. Our words,
therefore, ought to be both preventative of decay and palatable, being more appealing and digestible.
As Charles Spurgeon preached, "Salt is a preservative; it keeps from corruption. Salted speech is
speech that is free from everything corrupting, everything that would tend to defile."
In Ephesians 4:29, Paul commands us, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such
as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." He goes
further in Ephesians 5:4 to warn us against "obscenity, foolish talk or coarse jesting," which are "out
of place."
Luke, on the other hand reminds us that "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness
be restored?" (Luke 14:34). Our speech must retain its preserving and purifying qualities. A Puritan
pastor, Richard Baxter, in his Christian Directory, likewise emphasized the importance of wise and
profitable speech, urging believers to "redeem the time" by using their words for edification and the
glory of God.
3. A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath “…..that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." V6c
Christians are to be cautious in their responses or reactions to those who question their godly
principles in life. They must strive to cultivate the gift of truthful and pleasant conversation, so that
they may be able to speak appropriately to those who come their way, be they inquirers or scoffers.
Even on ordinary topics or questions of life, Christians should be able to reply their opponents in a
mild, kind, and affable manner; confessing ignorance and accepting instruction wherever needed.
When a Christian is addressed in a haughty, insolent, and overbearing manner, he should be able to
repress the risings of his temper, and to answer the inquirer with gentleness and kindness.
In Proverbs 15:1, we read that, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”.
Christians should not be careless, reckless, proud, or harsh in their answers to those who may want to
poke holes or seek to discredit their faith. They should show restraint, respect and wisdom in tackling
those seeking evidence about the Christian faith, even if the seeker evidently harbors ulterior motives.
Conclusion
Our Supreme Exemplar: The Lord Jesus Christ: Let me conclude by directing our attention to our
supreme example in the use of our tongue. This is how beautifully the Apostle Peter describes our Lord
Jesus Christ:"He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled,
he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued
entrusting himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:22-23)
His mouth (tongue) did not transmit any deceitful thoughts, reviling words, threatening sentiments
nor unfair judgements, even under severe provocation, verbal attacks or untold suffering. The passage
indicates that our Lord Jesus deliberately did two things to guard His tongue: (1) He was ultra-cautious
not to sin with His tongue, “He committed no sin…v22” and (2) He continuously handed over His
miseries and adversaries to God,…”continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly…v23”.
During His ministry, He had warned His hearers that the mouth is only an instrument that utters what
proceeds from the heart. A sinful heart, with sinful proclivities manifests itself through evil utterances
of the mouth while a good heart with godly inclinations produces holy words (Luke 6:45). Feeding
upon His Word and drawing from His wisdom therefore fills our heart with truths which inform what
comes out to the tongue. Gracious speech, seasoned with salt, profoundly aids us in knowing how to
answer every person. It equips us to respond with wisdom, discernment, and a desire to minister grace,
whether in evangelism, discipleship, or daily interaction.
