The Spiritual Weight of Words
“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28)
Switzerland is a country that has managed to remain remarkably stable – the Swiss Franc is a byword for stability. It follows a formal policy of neutrality, established in 1815, and it has not been in a state of international conflict since that time. Wars can be raging all around, yet Switzerland manages to stand apart. Whatever one makes of the approach, it is hard to argue that it hasn’t served the nation well. Wealth and stability have been the result. The Swiss approach may be attractive enough, but Jesus wants us to know that when it comes to the clash between His kingdom and the kingdom of darkness, neutrality just isn’t an option. As Jesus declared, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Matt. 12:30) Either you are for Him or against Him. You must choose. And your words matter greatly since they reveal the kingdom to which you belong. Where do you stand with Jesus? The stakes are very high—and the Gospel of Matthew explains why.
Where we stand with Jesus matters because He is not simply an enlightened teacher, or a good religious leader. Rather, Jesus is the Son of God who is engaged in a clash of kingdoms. In Matthew 12, a demon-oppressed man is brought to Jesus. The forces of evil that oppressed him had also deprived him of his sight and his speech. This tragic scene serves as a chilling reminder of the power and agenda of Satan: his minions are out to cripple and destroy God’s created beings. This is the ugly manifestation of the work of the kingdom of darkness. In contrast, Jesus ushers in the Kingdom of Light. He is the promised Saviour upon whom the Spirit of God rests (v. 18). When Jesus encounters the man suffering from demonic oppression, a divine miracle occurs. In an instant, Jesus heals him “so that the man spoke and saw” (v. 22). This fulfilled the prophecy concerning the Servant Messiah in Isaiah 35:5: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped…”
Remarkably, while “all the people were amazed and asked, ‘Is this the Son of David?’” (v. 33), the Pharisees drew a very different conclusion. They said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” (v. 25) The Pharisees’ evil words about Jesus revealed that they had evil hearts. As Jesus explained, “…the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (vv. 33-34). Clearly, our words serve as a spiritual barometer. Do we speak of Jesus with respect, faith, love, and worship? Or do we speak of Him with skepticism, scorn or contempt? The stakes are high because “…on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (vv. 36-37). Words bear spiritual weight. That’s not to say that we are saved by our speech. But the fruit of our lips point to the health of our hearts. Bad fruit points to a bad tree. Be encouraged: Jesus offers to take our rotten hearts and cleanse them through His blood. He revives dead trees. Will you turn to Jesus today, in repentance and faith, and allow Him to transform your heart—and speech—for the praise of His glory?