In giving instruction to Timothy, the Apostle Paul warned him about certain ones in the church who had swerved or deviated from the pathway. They are likened unto a person who twists their bone out of its socket. They turned in a painful direction “…unto vain jangling.” I Timothy 1:6
The term refers to fruitless discussions, idle talk, or meaningless and empty conversations. In the 1600’s, when the King James Bible was translated, the words meant to “excessively talk or squabble about nothing; to fuss for the sake of fussing.” Rather than having profitable words which build up, these empty talkers only babble and speak of things of which they are ignorant. In the modern world, where might we hear this vain jangling?
We Might Hear Vain Jangling In The Church.
God says His end goal is for us to display “charity.”That is, His purpose was to get men to love God and their neighbor by telling them how to behave toward God and their neighbor. But apparently some in the church had swerved from that goal and “turned aside.”
The apostle did not choose that phrase at random. Three times we are told that Israel “turned aside”when they made the molten calf. God gave His people a law warning them against making graven images, and they turned aside from it. Paul used the same phrase to describe those in Ephesus who had turned aside from the goal of the law, which was loving each other, and instead were “vain jangling” against each other. Actually, another definition of the word “jangling”is quarrelingor bickering.
If you remember, Paul had to write to Titus about the same problem:
“…there are many vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision…”
Titus 1:10
What do you think those Jewish vain talkers were conversing about? The term “vain talkers” is actually a form of the same words translated “vain jangling.” Apparently, the vain talkers in Crete were talking about the same thing as the vain janglers in Ephesus, the law. When forms of legalism are placed upon people of grace, it becomes vain jangling.
Perhaps We Might Find Vain Jangling In The Home.
Wouldn’t it be nice if husbands and wives could look each other in the eyes and speak the following words to each other?
“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. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, … Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:29-32
Is that the theme of your home? If those words were obeyed would it revolutionize your home environment? Christians are admonished to seek after things that are virtuous and praiseworthy. The Apostle Paul taught us the value of positive thought and conversation.
“…whatsoever things are true and honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure; whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
When our daily conversations in the home fail to focus upon things of a good report, we risk falling into a trivial trap of speaking and listening to “vain janglings.”Paul preached:
“But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”
II Timothy 2:16
Vain jangling also affects our children. Parents sometimes speak to their children with tongues as sharp as razors. Spouses lose patience with each other and raise their voices in anger and frustration. Others sit in the corner and pout. The Bible teaches us to treat each other with love, respect, and dignity. This is especially true for family members.
More and more I see defeated husbands and heartbroken wives suffering from the vain jangling of their spouse. I see children burdened down under the barrage of criticism leveled by mothers and fathers. In my opinion, vain jangling is the seed that often germinates into divorce. In Christian circles, divorce doesn’t usually start with adultery or some other grievous sin. It often starts when a husband or wife gets fed up with the persistent nagging of their mate. Constant complaining is the catalyst that often leads to a complete breakdown of the family. We must silence the voices of hurt and discord that are destroying our families from within.
Social Media Tends To Breed Vain Jangling.
Nothing is lost in the electronic world. Your emails, Facebook posts, text messages, and other electronic media can come back to haunt you. Much of the material we see on social media is bankrupt of virtue and praise. Plato once said: “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.”
With all the modern avenues to communicate, we might tend to forget that our Lord’s warnings about the tongue are not limited to words which we speak out loud. My words have meaning, and they also hold great power. They hold the power to build up or cast down; to encourage or discourage. I need to guard my speech, “wherever it is heard.”Vain jangling is just as wrong when spoken electronically as it is when spoken verbally.
Often, Vain Jangling Occurs Between Christians
Paul does not ridicule the empty talker’s intelligence or say they are too simple to understand the Scriptures. He does, however, warn us that “vain jangling”is an often a sign of spiritual immaturity. Many of the problems between church members could be eliminated if we would simply get rid of empty talking and empty thinking.
We are to be instruments of the Lord’s peace. In the words of Peter, we have been claimed by God for His own, to proclaim the triumph of Him “…who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” I Peter 2:9. Surely we would not intentionally hide the light of the Lord by entering into a culture of slander and of giving and seeking offense? There is no place between brothers and sisters in Christ for this type of foolish and carnal behavior.
Is There A Cure?
I know sometimes negative subjects have to be addressed. But, even so, they must be presented in a positive and uplifting way. There is a vast difference between positive conversations and healthy ideas and negative conversations and empty ideas. When we indulge in such empty communications, we reveal who we are from our core. Jesus taught that the words we speak flow from the good or evil treasures of the heart.
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
Matthew 12:34-35
James calls the tongue a beast that is extremely difficult to control. However, since our words reflect what is really in our hearts that might give us an indication of how to deal with the problem. Dark words will naturally come out of a person with a darkened heart. Although a person may be saved, they might still be controlled by a dark heart. That’s why, even in the church, we all know people that seem to ooze darkness. Can you imagine how it would be to be married to someone like that?
To bring an end to the vain jangling we must first cure the darkness within. We must be changed from being a negative and dark person to the person of light and love our Lord desires us to be. Renounce the darkness within you that generates vain jangling. This involves confessing your failures and asking the Lord to cleanse your negative heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with pure thoughts, worthy words, and the desire for loving actions and attitudes. Just like pure water naturally flows from a pure fountain, you will soon see a positive and uplifting spirit begin to flow. In so doing, you will be giving a marvelous gift to your Lord, to your family, and to your church.
In a few months, we’ll all be singing the seasonal melody of “Jingle Bells. Unfortunately, “Jangle Bells”is the grating noise we have to endure during every season of the year.
Dr. Worthington has been in the ministry over forty years and serves as President of Pathway Ministries.