Ceasing from Joking and Foolish Talking
All our behavior is to become holiness unto the Lord. As the chosen of God, today in our day of the Lord, the Commandments are shining light on our actions that miss the mark. We are always about our Father’s business, working in the Kingdom of God, speaking and, above all, doing the Commandments. Christ was always about the work of the Father, and so are we now sent as His faithful witnesses through our words and deeds. The things we used to do in our former ignorance, we stop doing as we are now called unto holiness.
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15 But as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The Commandments forbid us from engaging in jesting and a related sin of foolish talking. Neither act is convenient or fitting for the people of God and have us forgetting to be sober and alert. Such behaviors are likewise poor witnesses and testimony to Jesus Christ. These are unclean activities and behaviors that defile the temple of God that we have become. We are not entering into our promised inheritance unless we overcome these sins. No blemishes or impurities, no matter how small or harmless carnal minds may think they may be, are entering into the holy city and kingdom of the Living God.
Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5 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.
Jesting is the act of joking, kidding around, and making fun of people and generally acting in a silly or clownish way. This includes us trying to be humorous, teasing others, and being facetious or pretending in our communication. It reflects a lack of seriousness about who we are in Christ. Jesting includes making fun of, insulting, or ridiculing someone or something in a derisive manner. As the Lord’s witnesses, our words are spoken in sincerity and truth and not in any form of deceit.
Pro 14:5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
Pro 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
Making jokes about one’s appearance, speech, weight, job or anything can be considered jesting. It does nothing to edify another and defines an action that the world engages in. A little leaven has us straying from the narrow way, leading us away from Christ and the Commandments to be holy in all our conversation.
To the flesh, these Commandments seem overly harsh and restrictive, and the truth is not well received. We are different, not being part of the world, merely being in it, but set apart. Sons of God and those in the making, do not jest or make jokes to gain laughs at the expense of others. We speak the truth and are careful to say nothing to offend a brother. Laughing about others is a worldly behavior and tradition that is not fitting for the people of God. Similarly, pranking others or embarrassing them in jest is not acceptable behavior for the people of God. We are to be alert, sober, and grave [serious] in our life and about our purpose in Jesus Christ.
1Ti 2:1 I exhort, then, first of all, there be made supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, for all men:
1Ti 2:2 for kings, and all who are in authority, that a quiet and peaceable life we may lead in all piety and gravity,
1Ti 2:3 for this is right and acceptable before God our Saviour
Like our Lord, we are serious and focused on doing the Father’s will, having laid down our lives for the greater good of becoming servants of all. Anything we do that is contrary to building up and comforting our brethren is an action we should take a pause over engaging in.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Does this mean we cannot laugh at funny things or with one another? No, it does not mean that, but we need to be circumspect in our behavior and ensure we are not being a stumbling block to others. We are free in Christ, but not all things profit our hearers and us. We are learning to choose actions that are expedient to the well-being of others, which reflect the light of Jesus Christ. Jesting and joking around is eating the meat of idols, which we can do, but only if we are careful about our witness to others.
1Co 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1Co 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
There are no examples of Christ or the disciples laughing and joking around. They, like our Lord, were about the Father’s business. The Lord has given us His talents, and we are to use those talents to do the Father’s business until He returns to try our faith. Engaging in jesting and joking around takes our focus away from God’s work and leads to sloth. Christ is always at work.
Luk 19:13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’
Luk 2:49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Our robes are made white by the blood of the Lamb as we die on our cross and suffer many tribulations in standing with Christ and obeying His Commandments to cease from our worldly behaviors and customs. We are being transformed and leaving behind what is not expedient.
Rom 12:2 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.
As Christ, we are rejected and persecuted for our stance, being spoken evil of and called many names. “Come on, have a little fun”; “don’t be so serious” are carnal reasons we are sure to hear when we cease participating in and engaging in jesting and joking. We do not concern ourselves with their rejection, criticism, or even persecution for not engaging, because we are here to please God and not men. We now have a different purpose for our lives from that of those blinded by God.
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
Jesting and foolish talking are dissipations of the world. There are times for laughing, yet we are circumspect in how we walk to not stray from the path and speak deceit or make fun of that which is forbidden by the Lord. Our consciousness is convicted by the Spirit of the Lord that dwells in us, if we have strayed. Ask the Lord if in doubt.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
Our time to laugh is after we are humbled and purified by heavy trials. Drawing near to God is no laughing matter and brings affliction and weeping as we suffer many things and give up the lusts of the flesh.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
There is a time for every purpose under heaven, and that includes a time to laugh. But that time is not now in the day of the Lord.
Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven …
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance
In our day of the Lord, our laughter and joy in the flesh turns into mourning. Playtime is over; the Lord is serious about His work of saving us from our sins. Our whole heart and mind are being turned solely to the Lord. All of our idols and continued engagement in the flesh as we wandered in the wilderness are over.
1Co 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
The time to laugh is when we have overcome, when the Lord has finished His work in saving us from our sins. The Lord fills our mouths with laughter as we sing praises unto His name and for His marvelous works.
Job 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
Psa 126:2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
We are admonished to remain alert and sober for the trials and tests of our faith. Being sober-minded means maintaining a seriousness in our focus, a sincerity and gravity, whereby we give up the attractions and wants of our flesh. Our speech is blameless, above reproach, so jesting and joking around is very unwise behavior. Paul admonishes the young in the faith.
Tit 2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
Tit 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:8 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.
This sounds so negative to the flesh, and it is. Yet we who are afflicted and seek the Lord have a new joy that sustains us. Our love of the Father and our keeping of His Commandments are our joy and our strength. We no longer live for the world and its way of life. The joy of the Lord is the Father’s Commandments, and they have become our joy.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
By the Lord’s mercy, we have been given the knowledge and power of the Commandments. It is through Christ that we find the strength to overcome and cease from speaking corruptly out of our mouths. With the mindset of a servant and a minister, we are looking to the spiritual well-being of our neighbors and not ourselves.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
We are to be careful in everything we speak, having heard the Gospel and now knowing the Commandments. Judgment is now on our house, and the Lord requires us to give an account of every idle word we say that is contrary to the Commandments. Far better to be justified by the Lord than to be condemned for speaking foolishly.
Mat 12:36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Jokes and stories are not the truth; they are a form of deceit in the spirit. The world has waxed so much worse that the jokes have become filthy and full of ungodliness. We do not engage in them, even the so called clean ones, being His set-apart people. We are the representation of Christ, who is the truth, the way, and the life.
Pro 26:18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
Pro 26:19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”
There are very few examples of jesting in the Scriptures, yet here is one in the Book of Kings. Some youths jested and mocked Elijah on his way to Bethel, and therefore, they were cursed and slain by the Lord. Think spiritually about this parable. Those who continue to engage in jesting and joking behaviors are not alive to Christ but abide in spiritual death.
2Ki 2:23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
2Ki 2:24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths
The carnal mind wants to be charmed, to be entertained, and thus jokes and jesting are attractive to fulfill those lusts. Like a snake, a carnally minded man bites when his fleshly lusts are not met or placated. A foolish talker is a babbler who is swallowed up in their carnal mindedness.
Ecc 10:11 A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.
Ecc 10:12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up
Losing our lives to save them means our lives are going to be boring by the world’s definition, devoid of lots of fun and laughs. As the first fruits unto the Lord, His Elect, our reward is in heaven, and we labor for it and not the treasures and enjoyments of this present world. We are receiving the spiritual blessings and the mind of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, and we can be merry and rejoice in the mighty works of God in our lives.