Free speech: It’s our first amendment right...right?
The forefathers of our nation saw fit to guarantee all Americans the right to free speech. It protects the free and public expression of the opinions of citizens from censorship, interference, or restraint by the government.
Because of its brevity and broad interpretation, the free speech clause of the first amendment has been tested in court cases including issues concerning commercial advertising, burning the U.S. flag, wearing military medals by non-military people, publishing materials anonymously, publishing obscene materials, taxation of media, and more. Decisions handed down by the courts have often protected the publication of false statements, classified government documents, and pornography. What began as good has been used by some for evil.
What do you think God thinks about free speech?
While the first amendment is more about governmental interference in the lives of her citizens, God is interested in relationships and truth. For that reason, we ought to give careful thought as to how we use our free speech.
Found in a list of sinful practices that oppose godliness is malicious gossip. (2 Timothy 3:3). The word that the Apostle Paul used was about making false and harmful statements about others. In the same list he also warned about reviling, the use of abusive speech against others such as mockery or the spreading of harmful statements whether true or not.
Paul warned about boasting in Romans 1:30. The word that he used was about making false statements to elevate oneself. In the same list is untrustworthy, describing someone who agrees to do something but does not keep his word. The laws of the land might not prosecute you for boasting or being untrustworthy, but God sees those as evil.
You would think that God did not have to tell His people that lying was evil. And yet, it seems that we need reminders. For that reason, lying is explicitly forbidden in Scripture in numerous passages. It is also at the core of boasting, breaking promises, gossip, slander, deception, and other sins of the tongue. Paul identified liars as unrighteous people in 1 Timothy 1:10 and then added, “and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.”
Sound teaching is wholesome teaching. The expected result of wholesome teaching is love and godliness. So, any kind of speech that does not produce love and godliness stands in opposition to God and His goals.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,” Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:29. We must not play games with God. We must consider what we say and how we say it. That applies to flaming emails, social media rants, judgmental political statements, and similar things.
We sometimes act as if exercising our civil liberties is of greater importance than maintain our relationship with God and others. We also sometimes forget the value of truth. Parental wisdom has taught, “Think before you speak.” That wisdom comes from God; free speech does not.
Mark Stinnett
March 2, 2025
