Directives for Bridling the Tongue, Part 2

The point: Engage in consistent, earnest prayer that God will guard the use of your tongue, asking Him to set a watch over your mouth.

Using military imagery from Psalm 141:3, Martin describes four 'captains'—Sanctity, Love, Necessity, and Propriety—who must guard the door of the mouth, symbolizing the need for careful consideration before speaking.

And we considered especially Psalm 141 in verse 3, where the psalmist using military imagery asked God to set up a garrison of soldiers before his mouth and to guard the door of his mouth. And taking that imagery, I set before you that rather Bunyan-esque perspective of those four captains who have a key in their hands, and they must put the key into the lock and retract the deadbolt until the door can open in a righteous way. Captain sanctity, captain love, captain necessity, and captain propriety.

5:50 - 6:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Continuously hone your conscience by regularly engaging with the many scriptures that address the use of your tongue.

Martin compares the conscience to a butcher's knife that needs constant honing on a whetstone (God's Word) to maintain its keen edge against the dulling influences of sin and the world.

I'm asserting that according to the Bible, if you and I would make progress in overcoming the sins of our tongues, we ought to engage in a continuous honing of our consciences by the many scriptures which address the issue of the use of our tongues. Now by using the word honing, I hope you understand what I mean. If you were to go into a butcher shop and watch an expert butcher work, you would notice that next to his knives there would be a whetstone, and every so often he pauses in his cutting up of the meat to take his knife and to run it over the whetstone.

8:04 - 8:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Periodically review major biblical texts on the use of the tongue, especially the book of Proverbs, to sharpen your conscience.

Martin humorously notes that after 40 years of preaching, he is still learning new things, using this to introduce his unusual approach of reading Proverbs without comment to sharpen the congregation's conscience.

to go over periodically the major texts that I used, in those five categories of the opening message showing how vital this is. Matthew 12, James 1, James 3, the Ten Commandments. But especially, I would urge you to be reading regularly in the book of Proverbs. And I'm going to do something this morning I've never done in 40 years of preaching here.

12:36 - 13:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Make use of available recordings of biblical passages on the tongue to regularly immerse yourself in God's word.

Martin shares the story of a sister who, after being convicted about her talkative tongue, listened to two series of sermons on the subject every six months to keep her conscience honed, demonstrating serious commitment to change.

And I said, that's what we're talking about. This is the kind of seriousness. A number of years ago, there was a dear sister in this assembly that became aware of the fact that she had flapping lips. She talked too much.

21:09 - 21:21 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The seventh and final directive is to be more faithful in obeying the imperatives concerning mutual rebuke, admonition, exhortation, and instruction. Martin emphasizes that…

Martin uses an extended, humorous illustration of a man who eats excessive garlic for health benefits, resulting in offensive breath that alienates his colleagues. This illustrates how persistent sinful speech ('spiritual garlic breath') can lead to social isolation if not addressed.

And they'll change their ways by the grace of God. Let me use a very silly illustration.

43:40 - 43:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Be mindful of the social associations of the kind of music you listen to, the movies you watch, and the books you read, as these influence your speech.

Martin expresses dismay at some books for Christian youth that lack dignity and use slang like 'gonna' and 'wanna,' questioning if this is the impression they want on their minds and souls, leading to ungodly speech.

the kind of books you read. I get sick when I look at some of the books written for today's Christian youth. And there's no sense of the dignity of life. And they use all this I'm gonna and I wanna W-A-N-N-A and G-U-N-N-A and dear young people, is that what you want to make impressions upon your mind and your soul so you talk like people out of the ghetto?

50:00 - 50:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Receive reproof with gratitude and understanding, recognizing that wise individuals welcome correction as a means of growth.

Martin recounts an incident from his college days when a missionary, Dr. Thompson, wisely reproved him for criticizing a chapel speaker, stating that each would give an account to God. This illustration highlights the power and wisdom of receiving admonition.

50 years ago think of it five decades ago that's half a century I was alive then I was in college then that's right Brandon you find that hard to believe your eyes are hanging out on your cheeks there but that's the truth and I had developed a close relationship with a dear missionary who was home on furlough he was a missionary in Africa and we developed a good relationship his name was Dr. Thompson and he held to some views that were not exactly the party line in that particular Christian college and one day in chapel the president of the college said things that in my judgment sitting there...

61:17 - 62:00 Read in full sermon