Lev 5:4 | KingComments | STEP | Someone sins and charges guilt when he speaks hastily and overconfidently. This is failure in self-control, there is no control over the flesh. Peter first claims at high and low in gross self-esteem that, although all his fellow disciples fall away because of the Lord, he will never fall away ( ). But a while later he swears that he does not know the Lord ( ). Both times he has lost control of himself and he is acting carnally. We can apply this to well-meant promises, like saying to someone that we will come to visit, but we don’t do it. We make such a promise more to encourage the other person at the moment of the promise that we will not forget him than that we really intend to visit him. Also if we wish someone something bad out loud because he has wronged us – which we fortunately, in general, don’t bring into practice – these are words that have been “thoughtlessly” spoken. It is because of these words that we are guilty. If we are later reminded of our promise, we will have to confess that we have spoken those words thoughtlessly.

‏ Leviticus 5:4

Guilty Through Thoughtless Speaking

Someone sins and charges guilt when he speaks hastily and overconfidently. This is failure in self-control, there is no control over the flesh. Peter first claims at high and low in gross self-esteem that, although all his fellow disciples fall away because of the Lord, he will never fall away (Mt 26:33). But a while later he swears that he does not know the Lord (Mt 26:69-75). Both times he has lost control of himself and he is acting carnally.

We can apply this to well-meant promises, like saying to someone that we will come to visit, but we don’t do it. We make such a promise more to encourage the other person at the moment of the promise that we will not forget him than that we really intend to visit him. Also if we wish someone something bad out loud because he has wronged us – which we fortunately, in general, don’t bring into practice – these are words that have been “thoughtlessly” spoken. It is because of these words that we are guilty. If we are later reminded of our promise, we will have to confess that we have spoken those words thoughtlessly.