How should "the lips of a priest" guide our speech and teaching today? The Verse in Focus “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.” — Malachi 2:7 Why This Matters Today • In Christ, every believer is part of “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), called to represent God with both life and lips. • God’s standard for Old-Testament priests becomes the pattern for New-Testament Christians who speak, teach, and disciple. What the Priest’s Lips Were Meant to Do • Preserve knowledge — store God’s truth intact. • Provide instruction — communicate that truth clearly. • Represent the LORD — speak as His approved messengers. Guidelines for Our Speech 1. Guard the Deposit • Hold to “sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13). • Avoid “irreverent, empty chatter” that spreads “like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:16-17). 2. Speak Life • “Let no unwholesome talk proceed from your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up” (Ephesians 4:29). • “The tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18). 3. Season with Grace • “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). • Balance firmness in truth with warmth in tone. Guidelines for Our Teaching 1. Accuracy First • “Rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). • Teach the whole counsel of God, not selective pieces (Acts 20:27). 2. God-Centered Motive • Serve “not for gain but eagerly” (1 Peter 5:2). • Aim for God’s glory, not self-promotion (1 Corinthians 10:31). 3. Accountability • “Not many of you should become teachers… we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1). • Keep short accounts with sin; unconfessed sin dulls spiritual discernment. Practical Habits to Cultivate Priestly Lips • Daily Scripture intake—read, study, memorize. • Regular self-examination—ask if words line up with truth. • Fellowship—submit your teaching to trusted believers for sharpening. • Prayerful dependence—seek the Spirit’s control (Galatians 5:22-23). • Consistent example—live what you teach; credibility amplifies words. Living Illustrations • Ezra “set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach” (Ezra 7:10). • Jesus spoke “with authority” because He perfectly embodied truth (Matthew 7:29). • Paul declared the gospel “without distortion” even under pressure (Galatians 1:10-12). Closing Reflection Like those ancient priests, we are called to guard God’s knowledge and pass it on without dilution. When our lips echo His Word faithfully—preserving, instructing, and representing—we become conduits of life and light in a world that still needs the voice of the LORD of Hosts. |
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