There are two types of words: the ones you speak, and the ones you mean.

You know what I’m talking about. You can say something or write something, but inside you’re thinking something quite different, maybe even the opposite.

God is not a lip reader. He reads hearts. He is aware of the words that come out of your mouth or flow through your fingers, but they count for far less than the words he hears coming from inside you. He knows and records every single one of your heart words, and he’ll use them as evidence against you (if he must) come Judgment Day.

Jesus warned us not to be hypocrites. We might fool some people, but we won’t fool God.

Our heart words have the power to justify our salvation in God’s eyes, and they have the power to condemn us and cause us to lose our salvation.

If our heart words justify us in God’s eyes, we go to heaven.

If our heart words condemn us in God’s eyes, we go to hell.

It doesn’t get any plainer than that.

Jesus said: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

We need to pay very, very close attention to this. He didn’t say: “Just believe in me, have faith in me, and you’ll be fine.”

No, he said: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

He didn’t say if you’re baptised in my name or born again, everything’s fine and you have nothing to worry about.

He said: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

He didn’t say he’ll do everything for us so that all we need to do when we get to the pearly gates is to say: “I’m with Jesus!”, and we’ll be fine.

No, he said: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

You determine your salvation by the words you choose to speak and the thoughts you choose to permit. You can ALWAYS choose your spoken or written words. No-one can force you to speak or write anything. That power is yours.

And while you can’t always prevent thoughts from coming to your mind, you can choose whether or not you permit them to stay there. That power is also yours.

As with everything in life, the only way you’re going to get through this minefield of heart words is with God’s help. Paul says to pray without ceasing. He means, never cease being conscious that God’s spirit is with you. If you’re constantly aware of God’s presence, you’ll be more likely to ask for his advice and also more likely to heed it.

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you … whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Paul says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. He didn’t say you’re born again, so you’re good to go and heaven’s a sure thing.

No, he says: work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Watch what you say.

Watch what you write.

But even more so, watch what you choose to think.

“For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

                        Matthew 12:37