Does the Bible speak to giving glory to vile tongues?

on Mar 2, 2026

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: As a life strategist, I seek to encourage my clients to clean up their speech, but it is getting harder because vile language has infiltrated everything, including media coverage. What was once condemned by the FCC is now celebrated. We are living in a society that’s changing the meaning of words and giving glory to vile tongues. In a culture so proud of its education and communication skills, this behavior is shocking. Does the Bible speak to this? – V.L.

A: Sadly, human nature is drawn to the lewd, the salacious, and the vile. One of the ironies is that it often has a way of rejecting the best and accepting the worst. We must acknowledge that there is a great defect that runs through the human race, a built-in waywardness that comes from man’s rebellion against God. It is called sin. The Bible says, “The wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men” (Psalm 12:8, NKJV).

It’s important to guard our tongues and use our speech for good instead of evil. A harsh word cannot be taken back. People are rebels and are in conflict with every other rebel. Each of us has a tongue and a voice. These instruments of speech can be used destructively or employed constructively.

The deepest problems of the human race are spiritual in nature, and the Bible declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin (see Galatians 3:22). They are rooted in people refusing to seek God’s way. The problem is sin in the human heart, which God alone can change. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7, NKJV). There is no need to be crippled any longer by sin – because God has provided the cure.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)