Ephesians 4:29 29Do not let any rotten word come out of your mouths, but only what is good for building up as is the need, in order that it may give grace to those who hear.
The next area Paul tackles is in speech. Being new creations in Christ should affect every area of our lives. What we say is an indicator of what our thoughts are. The mouth is the overflow of the heart (Matthew 12:34; 15:18). With our minds transformed and guided by the Holy Spirit, our speech should be characterized by righteousness and holiness. Paul gives the negative side of this first. The word for rotten (sapros) can mean bad, corrupt, unwholesome, or something that has gone foul. The translation “rotten” gives the nuance that this is something that has deteriorated to the point of be gross and disgusting.
Saying foul words can become a habit that is difficult to break. A compromise with the “soft swearing” makes it easier to slip and give one of the more “bad” words. Words are not neutral. Every word we speak makes a difference. Swearing affects many other areas of our lives. Words impact our behavior and responses to others and can impact relationships. Using bad words can indicate problems in our attitudes. They could be a cry for escape from some type of bondage or habit. Young people may swear to fit into a certain type of crowd. After a while, our minds become so used to the words that they escape without us thinking about it. People who swear often and eventually lose the respect of the people around them.
Paul’s answer to this problem is to find words that build up people. Building up (oikodomēn) is the same word used for building up the church in 4:16. The opposite is true, that bad talk can tear down people, cause division, and create enemies. Believes should develop a sensitivity and discernment to a situation and understand what the need (chreias) is. What is needed in a situation to bring about praise to God and the upbuilding of the people who hear what is said?
Paul then challenges the readers to develop a vocabulary of grace (charin). The word grace here is more than just sounding nice. This word has significant theological overtones and nuances in Paul’s writings and in this letter. Essentially, Paul challenges the Ephesians to become channels of God’s grace. What they say can be ways that people experience God’s saving grace in their lives. A word spoken is a seed planted.
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