FILTHY COMMUNICATION

The topic of today’s sermon is: “FILTHY COMMUNICATION”.

And “filthy communication” can take on numerous forms, the most common being:

1. PROFANITY & CUSSING

2. Secondly, it can take on the form of malicious speech, like LIES, BEARING FALSE WITNESS, & SLANDER.

So we’re going to cover these different aspects of FILTHY or CORRUPT COMMUNICATION, beginning with:

Colossians 3:8-10:
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

& I understand that there’s not a man in the world who at one point hasn’t said a bad word or who uses profanity from time to time.

We all have done it … & we’re all guilty of it.

… but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t tame our tongues and to discipline our hearts & our minds.

And it’s one thing to slip into foul language from time to time …

… it’s another to just embrace it and let our speech be characterized by foul language.

It’s also very EASY & COWARDLY to use profanity on social media, like Facebook & Youtube, where it’ll go unchecked & unchallenged.

And you’ll often hear people say that they’re just that way on FACEBOOK or YOUTUBE …

… but that in real life they’re not like that at all.

OK, but that just means your TWO-FACED or COWARDLY.

& not EVERYONE is that way on FACEBOOK, why are you? (if you fall into that category).

Matthew 12:34: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Filthy communication reveals the corrupt nature of our hearts.

You have these Pharisee Baptist zealots who go around calling people “winebibbers” for having a sip of wine, but then their mouths of full of corruption.

In Matthew 15:11 Jesus said: “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”

And in Matthew 15:17-19, Jesus said:
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? [this means whatever you eat is physical, you eat it & poop it out].
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

PEOPLE USE PROFANITY when their minds have reached their emotional & intellectual & limits.

Excessive profanity reveals a flaw in the character of the SPEAKER; not in the character of the HEARER.

& the best way to handle people who stir up strife with their words, is in Proverbs 15:1-4, which says:
1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Proverbs 21:23 also says: “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”

Proverbs 10:20: “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.”

But some Christians will even use the Bible to justify using profanity & cussing.

We’re even seeing this from the PULPIT today.

BUT COLLOSIANS 3:8 teaches that such behavior are the traits of the OLD, UNREGENERATE MAN, the OLD NATURE OF OUR FLESH, before we were born again.

And so, some Christians, willingly and proudly embrace the flesh, instead of the Spirit.

And they actually use the Bible to justify it.

For example, they’ll cite the words, “HELL”, “DUNG”, “PISS” and “BASTARD” which do appear in the Bible.

But they use such words out of the Biblical context and then add a bunch of other filthy words on top of it.

Take, “DUNG”, for example, which is a word for “excrement”.

Exodus 29:14 speaking of a Levitical burnt offering says: “But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.”

Within its proper context, “dung” is not being used as profanity, but as a simple biological function.

That’s the context.

But CARNAL BABES in Christ use words like that OUT OF CONTEXT to mock people and say, “The Bible uses the word DUNG, PISS, and HELL. THESE ARE BIBLE WORDS!”

Yeah, but they’re not being used in their proper, Biblical context!

In fact, they’re profaning the WORD OF GOD to justify their childish, carnal behavior!

This is unbecoming of Saints of God!

• Another obvious example is the word, “HELL”.

When the Bible mentions Hell, it’s talking about the eternal abode of the unbeliever in the LAKE OF FIRE.

It doesn’t mean that you can go around cursing people to Hell, and get Biblical approval for your angry, childish tirades.

“BASTARD” is another example.

When the Bible describes a bastard, it is LITERALLY talking about a child without a father.

It’s not meant to be DEROGATORY.

Hebrews 12:8 says: “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Believers will be chastised.

But this is not an excuse for us to utter filthy communication.

In their proper context, such words aren’t being used maliciously.

When believers speak this way, it can ruin your testimony and bring reproach to the name of Christ.

And so many of us have grown up around & been raised hearing the filthy communication of the world,

… such as we hear in movies & TV, this type of language turns into a stronghold in the mind …

Romans 8:5-6 says:
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

As Christians, we are supposed to separate ourselves from the ungodly conduct of the world and be conformed to the image of God’s Son.

Romans 8:29 says: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

We’re to be different.

We’re supposed to stand out as different from the world, other worldly, set apart, a peculiar people and a treasure unto God.

1 Peter 2:9 says: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

It is past time that we act and speak as the Saints of God and put away the CONVERSATION of our former lives.

And when I use the word, “CONVERSATION”, I’m not only talking about our speech.

Because when the Bible uses the word, “CONVERSATION”, it’s talking about the way that we CONDUCT our lives …

…. It’s talking about our MANNERS, our BEHAVIOR, & our CONDUCT as Saints of God.

Psalm 37:14 is the first time the word “conversation” is used in the Bible: “The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.”

The wicked aren’t going around slaying people who speak nicely …

The wicked are going around slaying those who are upright in behavior and conduct and morality.

That’s what “conversation” means in the Bible.

It speaks of our conduct as believers, our works, our lives, the way we handle ourselves.

But this extends also to speech, because bad conversation, poor conduct, & carnal behavior, leads to filthy communication.

1 Corinthians 15:33: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

Ephesians 2:3 also says: “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

Again, it’s talking about our moral conduct.

Ephesians 4:22 says: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”

So we are to put away the conduct of THE OLD MAN, and cling to the conversation or conduct of THE NEW MAN.

What does the Bible say about how we should behave?

Philippians 1:27 says it perfectly: “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ … ”

Everything that we do in this life, should be geared around promoting the Gospel of Christ.

That’s an hard admonition when you consider how selfish and carnal we can be!

Do you live your life as becometh the Gospel of Christ?

The way that we behave as Christians has a direct long-term effect to our witness of the Gospel.

Every time you open your mouth in filthy communication, you bring reproach to the reputation of Christ and His church.

Every time you spread lies and slander your brothers, you are causing long-term damage to the Gospel of Christ.

What’s worse is we are beginning to witness this carnal behavior promoted from the pulpit …

… and instead of teaching their flock to repress the filthy communication and filthy conversation of their minds …

… they encourage it by giving their congregation a GREEN LIGHT from the pulpit to behave carnally.

And their followers take it 10x further than they do.

The Bible says in Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”

What is a FROWARD MOUTH? It’s the mouth that speaks out of pride and arrogance and every evil way.

It’s the mouth that spews out filthy communication out of a corrupt heart.

Proverbs 4:24 says: “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”

A FROWARD MOUTH is a mouth that is perverse, unyielding, disobedient, and a tongue that cannot be governed.

Proverbs 17:20: “He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.”

James 3:6-8 says it best:
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Our words can be used for great good or great evil.

We can influence people with our words; we can also use our words to greatly hurt people.

There’s great power in the tongue of man, and great responsibility that comes with it.

PROVERBS 18:21 SAYS: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

ONE GOOD WORD can edify & encourage & uplift our brothers & sisters in Christ.

ONE BAD WORD can tear down & damage & destroy.

Proverbs 12:18 says: “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.”

Our words have the power to heal, when our words are filled with wisdom, instead of filthy communication.

Proverbs 10:11-14:
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
…
20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
…
31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

WE ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE for every word that we SPEAK in this body.

We will give account on the day of judgment & every word idle & wicked word that we speak will be revealed.

Matthew 12:36-37 says:
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

And so how are we to behave as Saints of God in our speech?

Colossians 4:6 says: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

We are ALWAYS supposed to speak with GRACE.

“Alway” means ALWAYS.

The context here is about how we should speak to unbelievers …

… but if our speech is supposed to be full of grace to unbelievers, how much more to believers?

Ephesians 4:29-30 tells us:
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

The stated purpose of our communication is listed clearly:
Our speech should for the purpose of edifying the hearers.

Even when we rebuke or correct a brother, we are to do it gently and with grace.

Galatians 6:1 says: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

So we are to be set apart, holy, and above reproach in our conduct.

1 Peter 1:14-16 says:
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Paul also admonishes Timothy to be an example of Godliness to the church …

… even though Timothy himself was a young man at the time prone to the lusts & passions of the flesh.

Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Jesus also said of His disciples in John 17:16-17:
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

As disciples of Christ, we are not to act like the world.

The question is: are you just a believer? Or a disciple?

The Bible tells us over & over again not to be conformed to the ways of this world.

Romans 12:2 says: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

We are not to prate around with malicious words, hurting people we disagree with …

… & following after the ungodly example of this world.

Romans 3:13-18 describes such people perfectly!
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

• And people will say that JESUS USED HARD WORDS and spoke harshly against people in the Bible.

BUT THE ONLY EXAMPLE we have is when He sharply rebuked the RELIGIOUS, LEGALISTIC, INSTITUTIONAL Pharisees of His time …

… along w/ the money changers.

& calling someone a VIPER or a SNAKE is not profanity …

When it came to SINNERS, Jesus didn’t rebuke them harshly …

Jesus is called the FRIEND OF SINNERS …

… although He did reveal their sin to them, in hopes of getting them saved.

But He didn’t go around calling people WHORES & SLUTS & DRUNKS & “limp-wristed faggots”.

Jesus tried to save them.

Others will say that Jesus called a woman a “DOG” in the Bible.

When a Canaanite woman came to Jesus for help, He said to her in Mathew 15:26-28:
26 … It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Jesus was testing the Canaanite woman’s faith. This was far from vulgar.

Jesus was highlighting the fact that the Canaanites were viewed as dogs by the Israelites.

It was how they regarded the gentiles, but Jesus was ultimately sent to save the whole world, not just the Jews.

Jesus was making a point & testing the woman’s faith …

• Others will say that Elijah mocked Baal’s false prophets.

But was he vulgar about it? And was he justified?

Elijah said in 1 Kings 18:27 to the false prophets of Baal: “And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.”

OK, that wasn’t that harsh actually, even though it was awesome. It wasn’t crude or profane or full of vulgar speech. It was also just.

Elijah was going up against demon-worshiping false prophets of Baal.

He wasn’t going after his own brethren or the sinner that Jesus came to save.

But people want an excuse to rail and mock.

For example, I saw a comment recently, on a youtube post.

And this is actually relatively mild compared to some of what I’ve seen.

This was from one of the idol-worshiping cult followers of Steven Anderson. He said: “Elijah was a spirit-filled man of God, who made fun of the prophets of Baal. Get your queer, effeminate hide back to your Pentecostal church, fagshin”.

Why is this that the followers of Steven Anderson are filled with such venomous hatred and railing and filthy communication?

Because they are the ROTTEN FRUIT of his ministry.

Matthew 7:16-18:
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Here’s another quote from one of his followers: “You guys try and act like you guys love so much. You’re wicked false teachers that use flattery to deceive the simple. I’ve had your number the whole time. You have descended to total false teachers and cult leaders. Your preaching is weak and faggoty. Your doctrine is wicked and devilish. I feel sorry for people you have filled with your lies and heresy. You are not a real pastor, you are not real baptists, and you ‘church’ is not a real church. How’s that for unloving? You guys are weak.”

Here’s another from a guy that calls himself, “KJV Believer”: “Fag lover, you and all the other liberal so called Christians will be chaste hard by the Lord, that is if you are saved, and I doubt that, as fag lovers are really fags in secret. You are an abomination unto the Lord, enjoy hell idiots.”

This guy makes the KJV look bad.

He doubts my salvation, even though I preach grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ and Once Saved Always Saved.

If anything, it is his salvation that should be put into question, based on verses like:

1 John 4:20 says: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

1 John 4:7-8 says:
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 3:10 also says: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

I mean based on these verses, you really have to question the salvation of some of these so-called “brothers”.

Here’s another quote by a supposedly KJV-believing “Baptist”: “Before I go to sleep I’m going to pray God touches your heart and kills you in front of everyone.”

I mean these guys really bring reproach to the name of Christ.

Even Steven Anderson himself climbs into the gutter & encourages his followers, by example, to do the same.

Here’s a direct quote from Steven Anderson:

This was in response to a video that someone did, criticizing his filthy communication & vile behavior.

“Don’t worry, there are plenty of other pathetic losers who hate me so much that they will pretend to like you simply because you’re attacking me. Faghtin [mocking my last name], Vasilis Billy [a friend of mine], and the rest will all tell you how awesome you are and welcome you into their club of former FWBC misfits.”

This so-called pastor goes around calling believers in Christ, “misfits” & “pathetic losers” because they disagree with him.

James 3:9-10 says:
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

From the same mouth that we preach the Gospel, we also curse our brothers and use filthy and corrupt communication.

That shouldn’t be.

It hurts our testimony & brings reproach to the name of Christ …

• & you know, I don’t agree that even calling actual homosexuals “faggots” is appropriate to do for a Christian, let alone for pastors from the pulpit.

And their response is that it’s OK to call homosexuals “FAGGOTS” …

… because they say “FAGGOTS” just means “a bundle of sticks to be burned”.

But that’s not how they’re using that term. It’s obvious.

They’re using it in the worldly, derogatory way to attack people.

AND this isn’t about DEFENDING THE HOMOSEXUALS, as some will claim.

This is ABOUT DEFENDING THE INTEGRITY OF THE GOSPEL and the CHRISTIAN WAY.

But they’ll justify their vile behavior & their corrupt hearts and will even use the Bible to do it.

AND I’m not saying I’m 100% innocent.

There was a time, when I fell into their trap, and I noticed that I had started to become hateful & to use such words …

Proverbs 22:24-25:
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

That’s exactly what had begun to happen to me.

But I repented and so should you, if you’re caught in that snare.

James 1:26 says: “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

• THE FINAL ASPECT of FILTHY & CORRUPT COMMUNICATION that I’d like to cover today is the sin of SLANDER, LIES, & FALSE ACCUSATIONS.

We have to be extra careful about not SLANDERING our neighbors or going up and down as TALEBEARERS (or gossips) among God’s people.

SLANDER is particularly evil;

The purpose of SLANDER is CHARACTER ASSASSINATION.

And this is achieved through DECEIT, MALICIOUS LIES & FALSE REPORTS.

Look at how strongly God feels about SLANDER.

Psalm 101:5: “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.”

In Jeremiah 6:28, the Bible lists SLANDER as one of the main characteristics of men who the Bible calls REPROBATE SILVER: “They are all grievous revolters, walking with SLANDERS: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.”

In Proverbs 10:18, God calls SLANDERERS, “FOOLS”: “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.”

God takes slander very seriously because it can permanently & wrongfully damage a person’s reputation.

LYING and FALSE REPORTS or FALSE ACCUSATIONS also fall into the same category as SLANDER …

… as they are the means by which slander is PERPETUATED.

God feels so strongly about BEARING FALSE WITNESS, that it’s listed in the 10 Commandments.

Exodus 20:16 is the 9th commandment: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

And the Bible teaches in Proverbs 19:5 that: “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”

4 verses later, the swift punishment against false witnesses is again listed: “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.”

Proverbs 12:19 says: “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”

Truth will always prevail in the end;

IF NOT IN THIS LIFE, then at the JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, when all our words and deeds will be revealed by fire.

Psalm 10:4-7 says:
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Psalm 34:12-13:
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

OUR COMMUNICATION, OUR SPEECH, OUR WORDS, should be words that are approved by God.

Psalm 66:17 says: “I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.”

To extol is to praise.

Our words should be used to praise God and to edify our neighbors.

2 Samuel 23:2: “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.”

Paul says in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

There is no greater use for our speech than to praise God, to preach the Gospel and to show forth Christ’s love …

… and to edify our brothers & sisters in Christ.

It is with our mouth that we profess that Jesus is Lord;

We should not let our mouth become an instrument for iniquity.

2 Corinthians 7:1-2:
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

Let me just close with a few Bible verses.

1 Peter 3:8-12:
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Ephesians 5:1-10
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Titus 2:6-8:
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.