“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”
— 1 Corinthians 4:20
Not a Matter of Talk
Imagine a civil engineer taking advice on bridge construction from someone insisting on using Play-Doh.
Or a world-class composer agreeing to write a symphony using Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Or a neurosurgeon attempting brain surgery with toys.
Absurd, right?
Yet Christians often lend an ear to people peddling spiritual nonsense—those who say the Bible is just a collection of human writings, that evolution explains everything, or that “progressive Christianity” represents the church’s enlightened future.
Proverbs 21:23 warns,
“Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.”
Not all conversation is holy. Genesis 3 proves it.
The First Dialogue That Destroyed the World
The fall of humanity began with a conversation.
Eve’s dialogue with the serpent was not casual—it was catastrophic.
“Did God really say…?”
That question undermined God’s protection and provision simultaneously.
The serpent’s subtle jibber-jabber called God’s goodness and authority into question.
Eve saw, desired, and took—thus exchanging divine truth for deception.
God had provided everything they needed. Adam and Eve had to walk past countless trees “pleasing in appearance and good for food” to reach the one forbidden tree. Even then, the Tree of Life stood right beside it.
The issue wasn’t a lack of provision—it was rejection of God’s Word.
And it all began with empty talk.
The Power and Peril of Words
Humanity’s fall was birthed in fruitless dialogue.
Our redemption, by contrast, came through the Word made flesh.
That’s why 1 Corinthians 4:20 is so sharp:
“The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”
When we treat God’s Word as something to debate rather than obey, we repeat Eden’s error.
The serpent still whispers today—through false teachers, godless philosophies, and even well-meaning but misguided Christians who exchange truth for cultural acceptance.
The Pattern Repeats
King Jesus never entered philosophical debates. He corrected, rebuked, and proclaimed:
“You belong to your father, the devil… there is no truth in him.” — John 8:44
Paul warned of Satan’s counterfeit messengers:
“Such men are false apostles… For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” — 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
The airwaves and pulpits are full of slick voices that sound spiritual but are spiritually bankrupt.
Names like Creflo, Joel, T.D., and Joyce may draw crowds—but popularity does not equal divine endorsement. God once permitted Ahab to reign, too.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…” — Matthew 7:21–23
Gangrene Talk and Fruitless Debates
Paul warned Timothy:
“Avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.” — 2 Timothy 2:16–17
False teaching spreads like an infection. It kills discernment, dulls conviction, and turns saints into spectators.
Again, Paul wrote:
“Instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies… which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work.” — 1 Timothy 1:3–4
The Church doesn’t need more dialogue—it needs more discernment.
Citizens of Heaven Should Sound Like It
Scripture calls believers to live worthy of their heavenly citizenship:
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“Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” — Ephesians 4:1
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“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.” — Philippians 1:27
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“Live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way.” — Colossians 1:10
That means rejecting worldly philosophies—DEI, moral relativism, “coexist” spirituality, and feel-good theology.
The kingdom of heaven is not built by tolerance and talk but by truth and transformation.
When to Stop Talking
King Jesus told His disciples:
“If anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet.” — Matthew 10:14
There’s a point when continuing a conversation becomes disobedience.
Eve’s dialogue with the serpent led to death.
Jonah’s one-sentence sermon led to repentance.
The difference wasn’t eloquence—it was the power of God.
“My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27
When someone has heard the truth repeatedly and still refuses to repent, continuing to argue isn’t evangelism—it’s wasted stewardship. Satan delights when we trade fruitfulness for endless debate.
Guard Your Mouth, Bear Fruit
Proverbs says,
“Those who guard their mouths and tongues keep themselves from calamity.”
Guarding our mouths means guarding our hearts.
It means refusing to give Satan airtime in our minds or ministries.
The kingdom of God is not powered by persuasion, philosophy, or polished speech.
It’s powered by the Spirit of Truth—by lives transformed through obedience to Christ.
So let’s stop entertaining the serpent talk and start demonstrating the Holy Spirit's power.
Let’s speak truth boldly, live righteously, and bear fruit worthy of repentance.
Because the kingdom of God is not a matter of jibber-jabber…
but of power!
Blessings,
Kevin M. Kelley
Pastor
BigIslandChristianChurch.com
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