This fridge-cleaning illustration does in fact relate to our ongoing series on speech (see yesterday's post). For any experience with rotten food will help us to better understand Ephesians 4:29. In this verse we are commanded to, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths..." In this instance, "corrupt" is a word used to describe spoiled or rotten food. It not only stinks, but it also spreads. Not a pleasant thought.

What sorts of words are corrupt and rotten? Obviously lying, profanity, and vulgarity make the list. But Ephesians 4:31 widens the description a bit. Here we read: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."

Dad said in his sermon that corrupt talk includes all words or communication that deters growth in godliness and hinders the cultivation of godly relationships. It defiles others. It has a decaying, rotting effect on a person's soul. This end result is certainly worth further reflection.

So the question is, how many of our 25,000 words per day are like rotten, moldy sour cream--repulsive to God, and injurious to others?

The Bible says we should eradicate these corrupt words from our speech. Instead, our words sould be edifying: "only such as is good for building up" (Eph. 4:29). And we'll examine these edifying words more closely tomorrow.

But if you are all too aware of the corrupt nature of your speech, let me remind you of the good news of the gospel again. Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, came to earth and lived a perfect life on our behalf. He never once spoke a corrupt, bitter, malicious, or angry word. Not once. And if we have repented from our corrupt speech and put our trust in His perfect righteousness, His blood covers every filthy, rotten word we've ever spoken.

So let's revel in the Savior's perfect righteousness today, and purpose to put away all corrupt words and so bring glory to Him.