[Vision2020] "Taming the tongue with lessons learned from Scripture"

[Saundra Lund]

For those who missed Doug Wilson's article in Friday's Daily News and
haven't (yet) checked out Mr. Hansen's link
(http://www.tomandrodna.com/notonthepalouse/Taming_the_Tongue.htm) to the
article, following is the text (Moscow-Pullman Daily News; Friday, April 23,
2004; 10A):


"Taming the tongue with lessons learned from Scripture

The apostle James tells us that the one who can control his tongue can
control anything (Jas. 3:2).  He says in the same verse that we all offend
in many ways.  The clear implication is that none of us have full control of
our speech -- for if we did, we would not be offending in "many things" the
way he describes.  No man can tame his own tongue; it is an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison (v. 8).

This should drive us to the grace of God, which is the only way that wise
speech can be manifested in this corrupt world.  Does a man claim insight or
wisdom on any subject?  "Let him shew out of a good conversation his works
with meekness of wisdom."  If it is not spoken with this kind of meekness,
then whatever it is, it cannot be wise in any heavenly sense.

We also learn from James that the tongue is a destructive force in the lives
of men.  We learn from Proverbs all the different ways in which this
destruction comes.

For one example, "A froward man soweth strife; and a whisperer separateth
chief friends"  (Prov. 16:28).

Whenever a crop of strife arises, we know from the word of God that someone
has been farming.  We know also from this passage that one of the techniques
used in this sowing is that of destructive whispering.  The one who sows
discord takes someone aside feigning concern, or something else very
spiritual.  No one ever says, "Hello, I am an out-of-control gossip and have
come to destroy all your friendships."

If we heed the Scriptures at this point, we see that the separation of
friends is commonly associated with the surrounding talk.  Someone has aptly
said that it takes two friends to wound you -- one to say something unkind,
and the other one to get the word to you right away.

As we labor to learn how to speak the way we ought, we have to take care to
learn our lessons from Scripture.  This is because sin is always defined by
God and not by our own instincts.  We must always define sins of the tongue
according to the Word.  Scripture says that a "talebearer revealeth secrets:
but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter" (Prov. 11:13).
We must take care that we do not absolutize this in a wooden manner, and
there are obviously times when another course of action would be required.
But at the same time note the thrust of this proverb.  A faithful spirit is
one which conceals things -- covers them right up.  It is not possible to
live together in community without discovering things about others that
would injurious to their reputations if more widely known.

What are we therefore to do?  We are to be jealous for the reputations of
those others, and this means cultivating a zeal for appropriate secrecy.
How much are we to do this?  Well, love covers a multitude of sins.

_____
Doug Wilson is the pastor at Christ Church in Moscow."

I'm interested in how others took this article.  I'll admit my own personal
bias, but to me the article read as a warning that "good" Christians who
attend Christ Church need to close ranks and shut up.  Keeping quiet about
the truth (which would include "the Lounge," the Morton Street Casino,
apparent financial irregularities within the Church, retribution against
those who disagree with CC hierarchy, etc, etc, etc), even when the truth
concerns illegal acts which harm the community, to protect the reputations
of the Wilson World hierarchy are biblically justified -- even required --
according to Wilson.

Thoughts?

Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
-Edmund Burke