Podcast
Taming the Tongue: Gossip, Slander & Respectable Sins That Destroy Your Witness with Hank
Dial In with Jonny Ardavanis
Speaker: Jonny Ardavanis, with Hank
January 27, 2026 · 33 min
Word of God / BibleSanctificationDiscipleshipIdentity in ChristJames 3:1–12James 1:26Matthew 12:34–37
Summary
James teaches that the tongue, though small, wields disproportionate power to build or destroy, and reveals the true condition of one's heart. Uncontrolled speech—gossip, slander, lying, and harsh words—signals spiritual self-deception and grieves the Holy Spirit. Transformed speech begins with a transformed heart that treasures God's Word.
Highlights
The saddest form of deception in scripture is self-deception—when you're not just deceiving others, you're deceiving yourself. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ and do not bridle your tongue, you've lied to yourself and your faith is worthless.
There is a direct correlation between the amount you talk and the amount you sin. The speech you utter reveals your heart.
The number one way you can transform the way you speak is by having a heart that hears the word of God. Out of the heart, the mouth speaks—so God must transform our hearts first.