Rotten
Rotten
Our words are never neutral. They either build life into people or they slowly decay what God is trying to grow.
In Ephesians 4:29, the Apostle Paul writes:
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
The word translated “unwholesome” literally means rotten—like spoiled fruit or decaying wood. Paul’s point is clear: when our speech is corrupt, it spreads. It weakens trust. It poisons unity. It breaks down what God intends to strengthen.
In this message, CJ Ward challenges us to examine the tone, content, and intent of our words. Are we speaking life? Or are we allowing subtle corruption—gossip, sarcasm, bitterness, complaint—to rot the culture around us?
Jesus said in Matthew 12:34–37 that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
If our words are rotten, something deeper is happening inside.
God is forming us into people who build worlds with grace, truth, and encouragement.
Why This Matters
Words shape culture.
They shape families.
They shape churches.
They shape our own spiritual health.
If we ignore the condition of our speech, we risk slowly eroding the very relationships we’re praying God would strengthen.
Healthy words don’t happen accidentally. They flow from a transformed heart.
Next Step
This week, pause before you speak.
Ask:
Is this building up?
Is this necessary?
Is this rooted in love?
Then intentionally replace one habitual negative pattern with a life-giving one—encouragement instead of criticism, prayer instead of complaint, truth spoken in grace instead of sarcasm.
Words build worlds. Let yours build something healthy.
Did you like the message, Rotten? If so, check out more of our Sunday teachings here.
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