If, in the daily scrutiny of our ways, which is the duty of every Christian, we discover that in any particular our words have been dishonoring to the Lord, we should remember that in the name of our Advocate we may approach the Lord in prayer, explain to our Heavenly Father our realization of the error, our deep regret at our failure to honor His name and His cause by a holy walk and conversation, and humbly request that the sin be not laid to our charge, but that it may be blotted out through His gracious provision for our cleansing through Christ, humbly claiming that in His precious blood is all our hope and trust. Thus we should render up our account for every idle word; and by our words of repentance, supplemented by the merit of Christ applied by faith, shall we be acquitted.
The words that are uttered are but expressions of one's sentiments, and therefore go to make up one's character. Idle words are useless and pernicious thoughts expressed, and inevitably undermine character. When one comes on trial for life, this undermining of character will have to be accounted for and righted. It behooves each one therefore to pray: "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips".
REPRINTS
Psa. 26:1-4; 50:3-6; 139:23, 24; Jer. 11:20; 20:12; 2 Thes. 1:4, 5; Matt. 25:14-30; 1 Cor. 11:31; Ezek. 18:20-28; Matt. 11:22; 12:37-42; 25:31-46; John 5:22-30; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:5-16; 1 Pet. 4:5, 7.
