March 16

Corrupt Communication (Word)
sapros logos
One final remnant of the old man that can easily creep back into the Christian’s life is corrupt communication, as in Eph_4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Communication translates logos (G3056), which means to speak intelligently, to articulate a message, to give a discourse. It’s derived from legō (G3004), which originally (prior to the fifth-century BC) denoted the “activity of collecting, carefully selecting, cataloguing in succession, and arranging together in an orderly sequence.”

This developed into the meaning “to lay before, i.e., to relate, recount” and finally “to say, speak, i.e., to utter definite words, connected, and significant speech equal to discourse.” How important words are! They must be carefully selected, orderly, and connected. Words matter!

So, Paul is concerned here with the words Christians use, the speech that characterizes their lives. Specifically, he’s concerned that our speech not be corrupt, which translates sapros (G4550), meaning “rotten, putrid.”

Originally this graphic word was used to describe rotten or spoiled food. Our Lord used it to warn against “false prophets . . . Ye shall know them by their fruits . . . every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Mat_7:15-18). He also used it in Mat_13:48 to refer to “bad” (rotten) fish that must be thrown away.

What must never characterize the Christian, then, is rotten, spoiled, decayed speech. Several modern translations miss the mark with the word “unwholesome,” which is not as strong as corrupt. And how corrupt, indeed, is the speech of man today! Vulgarity, profanity, suggestiveness, and downright filth are all too common in jokes, stories, and even normal conversation.

Col_4:6 declares that our speech (logos) should be “seasoned with salt.” As salt enhances the flavor of food, our speech should enhance Christ and those around us. Our words should “taste good.” Let us never leave a “bad taste” in anyone’s mouth.

Scriptures for Study: In Rom_13:9, what “saying” sums up the listed commandments? In 1Co_14:19, which “words” are superior?

 
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