The Cross Changes How We Speak

If this content resonates with you, share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Bible is clear about the power of our speech.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).

“So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell” (James 3:5–6).

“A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4).

“Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

“But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36–37).

All too often, we allow our speech to be shaped by our reactions to the world around us. When we encounter the sin of our culture or are hurt by others' sin, we find our speech becomes worldly. We are quick to anger, sarcasm, and crass comments. And because the targets of our words in those moments are opposed to God, we feel justified in our reactions.

But is this the model God sets for us in His Word?

God’s pattern of mercy

If we zoom out of our own circumstances and glance over the annals of human history, the truth is clear: we are creatures that seem intent on offending our Creator in every way imaginable. Our story is that of wicked rebels against a good King, committing unspeakable acts of evil against each other and against God. But as each page turns in that story, we see that God’s grace and mercy are shockingly ever-present.

God would have been completely justified in wiping us out the moment our first parents trespassed His command. But instead, He preached to them a message of hope. The story of the great flood in Genesis would have made more sense if God had wiped the slate clean and started fresh with another, more obedient kind of creature… but instead, He instructed Noah in the building of the ark.

Over and over again, the Bible bears witness to the great mercy of God, culminating ultimately in the Gospels with a cross on Golgotha. And it is in the very shadow of that cross where we find the means to tame our wild tongues.

The shadow of the cross

When we consider the cross and what it means, it should sit heavily on our souls.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God’s love was extended, not to a repentant world nor to a world trying to do its best and failing… but to a world that hated Him and rejected Him at every opportunity.

God chose to enter this world, becoming a man and joining humanity. He lived among people who misunderstood Him, opposed Him, mocked Him, and ultimately killed Him. He was betrayed and abandoned by His closest friends, humiliated, abused, and given the death of a criminal at the hands of pagans.

But the mercy didn’t end there. Beyond the physical suffering was an even deeper agony. God the Son was cut off from the eternal, perfect, and joyful communion He had always enjoyed with God the Father. As He bore the sin of humanity, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). This was not a breakdown of faith. It was the dreadful reality of atonement. The sinless One stood in the place of sinners.

Every word of judgment spoken in the Old Testament against unrepentant Israel and wicked pagan nations found its fulfillment at the cross. The curses of the law fell upon Christ. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). The warnings declared by the prophets were promises of justice, and that justice was poured out fully on Jesus.

Transformed by grace

This truth is weighty, the kind of weight that presses in, pushing us like soft clay into the mold of Jesus Christ, transforming us at the most foundational level. How we see the world changes. How we see the people around us changes. How we live, prioritize, think, and yes, even speak, changes.

In the shadow of the cross, careless speech becomes embarrassing. Harsh words fall flat. Condemnation becomes more difficult to dish out when we remember the cost of forgiveness.

This does not mean that we must hold our tongues in the face of evil. On the contrary, following the example of Jesus demands that we proclaim truth and righteousness boldly and loudly. Yet, it matters what shapes our speech. “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). Grace dignifies truth; it doesn’t weaken it.

When we remember the cross, we see the character of a God who loves sinners to the point of death. We worship a God who died for His enemies. Are we willing to die for them? Are we willing to set aside our desire to disparage and instead speak in a way that is unmistakably loving?

This is impossible to do on our own, but God supplies what His children need: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). As we cling to Jesus, God works in us to shape us into His likeness.

Please Note: We moderate all reader comments, usually within 24 hours of posting (longer on weekends). Please limit your comment to 300 words or less and ensure it addresses the content. Comments that contain a link (URL), an inordinate number of words in ALL CAPS, rude remarks directed at the author or other readers, or profanity/vulgarity will not be approved.