1. text IDLE WORDS JUSTIFIED CONDEMNED Pronounced guilty of sin Pronounced innocent Free of guilt HEART MATTHEW 12:33-37 1

2. Matthew 12:36 -Inactivity, Matt 20:3, 6 -Profitless leisure, 1 Tim 5:13 (wandering about) -Lazy, Titus 1:12 (slow, sluggish) -Barren, 2 Pet 1:8 free of labor, at leisure, lazy, shunning labor that ought to be performed (Thayer) a (neg. participle) and ergon (to work) – No work, not working, ineffective Idle Words D EFINITION What are idle words? Usage HEART Idle Words argos 2

3. Matthew 12:35 -Evil heart bears evil fruit, Matt 12:34-35 -Make the tree good, Matt 12:33; (Conversion) Rom 12:2 Idle Words W HERE ? From where do they come? Usage HEART Idle Words argos 3

4. Matthew 12:36 Deny Jesus is Christ, Matt 12:22-24, 32 -Too barren to examine the evidence, Jno 1:45- 46; Acts 17:11 -Willful or ignorant rejection, Jno 12:37, 42-43 -Faithless impostors, Jude 10, 12-13 Idle Words W HAT ARE T HEY ? How Idle Words are Spoken Spoken HEART Idle Words context 4

5. Matthew 12:36 Gossip (busybodies and talebearers), 1 Tim 5:13 (14-15) -Destructive, Prov 16:28 -Characteristics: -Unloving and thoughtless, 1 Ths 4:9-12; 1 Pet 4:15 -Disorderly, 2 Ths 3:10-11 -Malicious disregard, Eph 4:31 -Discord and strife, Prov 6:19; 17:9 Idle Words W HAT ARE T HEY ? How Idle Words are Spoken HEART 5 Idle Words Spoken

6. Matthew 12:36 Gossip (busybodies and talebearers), 1 Tim 5:13 -REMEDY: -Get to work doing God’s will, 1 Tim 5:14 (2 Ths 3:10-12) -Golden rule, Matt 7:12 -Talk to right person -Forgiveness, Col 3:13 Idle Words W HAT ARE T HEY ? How Idle Words are Spoken HEART 6 Idle Words Spoken

7. Matthew 12:36 Corrupt words, Eph 4:29 - Rotten, unfit for use -Stop all your dirty talk Col 4:6 -Profanity -Morally evil, 1 Pet 2:1 -Arrogance, Prov 30: 11-14; Psa 59:12 Idle Words W HAT ARE T HEY ? How Idle Words are Spoken HEART 7 Idle Words Spoken

8. Matthew 12:36 Barren, useless words -Euphemisms (Eph 5:8-13) -Keep truth in your heart, Prov 4:20-23 Lies and deceit, Col 3:9 -Crooked heart, Prov 17:20 -cf. False teachers (speak lies against God, Matt 7:15; Jer 14:14; 2 Pet 2:1-3) Idle Words W HAT ARE T HEY ? How Idle Words are Spoken HEART 8 Idle Words Spoken

9. Matthew 12:36 Strife and arguments, Gal 5:13-15 - Do not speak and listen to destructive gossip, Prov 17:4; 18:6-8 -Get away from those who sow strife, Prov 24:1-2 (6:19) Idle Words W HAT ARE T HEY ? How Idle Words are Spoken Spoken HEART 9 Idle Words

10. Why Be Concerned?  W ORDS REVEAL CHARACTER Matt 12:33, 35; Prov 23:7 -Must show Christ living in us  W ORDS WILL BE JUDGED Matt 12:37; Prov 13:3  W ORDS MUST ADVANCE GOOD WORKS, Titus 2:6-8 Idle Words Words HEART Idle 10

11. Matthew 12:36 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts. Proverbs 17:3 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 Idle Words Words HEART Idle 11