Your lips are the gate keepers of your mouth. They can either let bad and untoward things come forth from your mouth or they can be used to bring forth good and beneficial things. Therefore, you need to watch your lips. There are many different kinds of lips that we find in the Bible. However, we will only discuss eight of these in this broadcast. The first four are negative and the last four are positive. In scripture we see:
Lying lips – Prov 17:7 – lying lips are not becoming to a prince. According to Revelation, we are to be kings and priests with the Lord during his millennial reign. Therefore, as children of the King of kings, we are princes today. You and I have no business letting lies out of our lips. Tell the truth always. Don’t follow the world, where it is common in courtrooms and political offices to hear men and women lie. Prov 12:22 says “lying lips are abomination to the Lord.” We’re quick to point out others’ abominations; we must not let our lips be an abomination to God. Ps 120:2 “deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips,” is a good prayer to pray if your are having trouble with lying lips. Ps 31:18 “let the lying lips be put to silence” gives us assurance that one day the lies will cease.
Perverse lips – Prov 4:24 – “perverse lips put far from thee.” Perverse lips are lips that are turned away from what is right or good. They are corrupt. Cussing, dirty jokes, inappropriate conversation all come forth from perverse lips. Eph 5:3-4 shows us what is acceptable. Prov 19:1 “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.” Modern Bible perversions produce perverse lips, as well.
Feigned lips – Ps 17:1 – “give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips.” Feigned lips are lips that say good things or “the right” things but which are insincere. Jesus quoted Is 29:13 in Mk 7:6, “this people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” There is far too much “lip service” in Christianity, where people often insincerely speak of their love for God and the brethren.
Flattering lips – Prov 7:21 – “with the flattering of her lips she forced him.” The young man in Prov 7 was out looking for a strange woman. This woman found him and flattered him to come to her house. Through her flattery he did not see hell and death awaiting him [Prov 7:26-27]. Ps 12:3, “the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips.” You don’t want flattering lips. Men use them to get favor with other men. And sometimes they use them to gain your favor, only to cut you behind your back… Prov 20:19, the “talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.”
Righteous lips – Prov 16:13 – “righteous lips are the delight of kings.” Our King of kings is delighted when he hears our lips speak right things. In Job 2:10 we read, “in all this did not Job sin with his lips.” After all the trouble that Job endured when he was attacked by the devil, he didn’t let a sin slip out of his lips. That is remarkable.
Knowledgeable lips – Prov 20:15 – “the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.” Gold and a multitude of rubies are certainly valuable. However, even more valuable are the lips of knowledge. When we speak, we should speak as the oracles of God. You should know the Bible well enough to speak with knowledge. And if you are in the company of a person who doesn’t know what he or she is talking about, “go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge, [Prov 14:7]. And when you don’t know what you’re talking about, shut your lips [Prov 17:28].
Thankful lips – Heb 13:15 – “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” We should always and continually be thankful. 1 Thes 5:18 “in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” This develops in you the attitude of gratitude. And that attitude affects your spirit, your disposition and your conduct. Be thankful.
Joyful lips – Ps 63:5 – “my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.” 1 Thes 5:16 says, “Rejoice evermore.” We should always speak joyfully. Joy Is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Conclusion: it is much better to have righteous, knowledgeable, thankful and joyful lips than it is to have lying, perverse, feigned and flattering lips.