With Grace, Seasoned With Salt

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

How we speak can either commend the gospel we profess or undermine it. Paul gives three principles for Christian speech.

1. Our Speech Must Be “Alway With Grace”

The first thing to notice is the word “alway”. Gracious speech is not something Christians reserve for certain people or circumstances. It should characterise us consistently.

What then is gracious speech? Paul instructs in Ephesians 4:29:

“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.”

Our words should build others up, not tear them down. This does not mean that gracious speech must always be soft or agreeable. Jesus rebuked hypocrisy and corrected error. But even correction must be spoken rightly. Paul told Timothy:

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves...” (2 Timothy 2:24–25)

Jesus is the perfect example. When officers sent to arrest Him returned empty-handed, they explained:

“Never man spake like this man.” (John 7:46)

Luke records those who heard Jesus in the synagogue as having:

“...wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” (Luke 4:22)

Yet, Jesus’ gracious words were never empty flattery. He could comfort the brokenhearted, answer sincere questions, expose hypocrisy, correct misunderstanding and proclaim difficult truths. His speech was perfectly suited to each occasion.

2. Our Speech Must Be “Seasoned With Salt”

Salt was a familiar image in scripture. It was used to season and preserve food. It was also associated with purity, covenant faithfulness and sacrifice.

The expression in Colossians suggests speech should not be bland, careless or foolish, but wise, wholesome and appropriately expressed.

There is a connection with Jesus’s words in Mark 9:50:

“Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”

In Mark 9, the disciples had been arguing about who was the greatest (Mark 9:33–34). They had also objected to someone casting out devils in Christ’s name because “he followeth not us” (Mark 9:38). Jesus corrects their pride and rivalry. He warns them seriously about sin, then tells them to “have salt in yourselves” and “have peace one with another”.

The salt, then, is not merely placed upon our words. It must first be within us, in a life shaped by Christ. If pride fills the heart, pride will eventually appear in our speech. If bitterness is allowed to remain, bitter words will follow. If the word of Christ dwells richly in us, our speech should increasingly reflect His wisdom and grace.

3. We Must Know “How Ye Ought to Answer Every Man”

Paul does not say merely that Christians should have the correct answer. He says we should know how we ought to answer every man. Different situations call for different responses. Proverbs illustrates this well.

On one hand:

“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.” (Proverbs 26:4)

Yet, the very next verse says:

“Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.” (Proverbs 26:5)

Sometimes, refusing to be drawn into foolish speech is wiser. Sometimes, an answer is necessary because a person needs correction.

Peter expresses the same principle in a passage especially relevant to Christian witness:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Before he tells Christians to “give an answer”, he first calls for us to sanctify God in our hearts. When Christ is truly honoured within us, our words should reflect that allegiance. We do not need to be defensive, quarrelsome or combative. Even a sound answer can be weakened by pride, impatience or harshness. We can speak firmly when necessary, while still speaking “with meekness and fear”.

Salt Within, Grace Abound

So before we speak, perhaps we should ask:

• Is there “salt” in me before I try to season my words?

• Are my words gracious? Are they shaped by the wisdom of God’s Word?

• Is this how I ought to answer this particular person? Am I speaking the truth with meekness and fear?

  
  

And perhaps most importantly: Will the way I speak help others to see Christ more clearly?

May we therefore seek first to “have salt in ourselves”, so that our speech may truly be “alway with grace, seasoned with salt”.