Rediscovering Christ: Seeing Beyond Progressive and Conservative Lenses (Part 4 - Free Speech Edition)

“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth. This defiles a person.” — Jesus (Matt. 15:11)

I’ve been sitting with Jesus’ words this morning, watching our nation devolve, again, into loud insults masquerading as political conviction. And I keep coming back to this: Christ’s teaching on speech is not just about morality, it is about formation.
He is telling us that our words are not merely expressions of our hearts. They shape our hearts.

If that is true, then our national speech crisis is not a political problem.
It is a formation problem.

When Free Speech Becomes Cheap Speech

We love to defend “free speech” in this country. Both conservatives and progressives, depending on the week, accuse the other of trying to silence them. Both claim moral high ground. And both completely ignore the spiritual dimension Jesus cared about most.

Because freedom of speech is not the same as Christlike speech.

I see Democrats mocking Republicans with a smug certainty that they are the sane ones.
I see Republicans demonizing Democrats as if they are enemies of the nation.
And I see Evangelicals applauding or excusing Trump’s degrading, vile, dehumanizing rhetoric simply because they like his policies, while claiming to follow the One who said, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only what builds up” (Eph. 4:29).

Nothing showcases our biblical amnesia more than this: we have baptized verbal violence as long as it serves our preferred political outcomes.

Jesus taught differently.
Our speech reveals what we worship.
Our speech reveals who we are becoming.

If the Christ we claim shaped our words, our tone, our posture, none of us could cheer verbal destruction from our “side” anymore.

Jesus’ Speech Ethic Is Not Left or Right

The New Testament is shockingly consistent about how Christians speak:

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt.” (Col. 4:6)

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)

”Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29)

This is not mere politeness.
It is spiritual rebellion.

It is refusing to be formed by the outrage machine of the Left or the Right.
It is refusing to conform to the speech patterns of candidates, commentators, influencers, or preachers who have mistaken cruelty for strength.

Christ’s politic of speech is radically countercultural because it prioritizes relational healing over rhetorical victory, truth spoken in love over truth used as a weapon, and grace over dominance.

Two Practices for an Alternative Politic of Speech

Here are two simple, embodied practices that help us rediscover Christ’s way.

1. Practice “Slow Speech” in Heated Moments

When political conversations grow heated, choose a posture Jesus might call “speech Sabbath.”

Before responding, pause, breathe, and ask:
Will this build up? Will this offer grace? Will this reveal Christ’s heart?
If the answer is no, wait.

Silence is not weakness. It is spiritual strength.
This practice rewires the heart, and it often disarms the person in front of you.
Our restraint becomes an invitation to something deeper.

2. Refuse to Mock the People You Disagree With

Mockery is the oxygen of our political culture. It feels powerful, but it forms us into something smaller, more brittle, more defensive.

The alternative is simple and profound:
Name disagreement with clarity.
Tell the truth without contempt.
Critique ideas without dehumanizing people.

Christlike speech says, I can oppose you without diminishing you.

This does not only benefit the world. It strengthens the soul.
Your heart becomes softer.
Your anxiety lowers.
Your compassion grows.
Your witness begins to look more like Jesus and less like cable news.

The Real “Policy Change” the Church Needs

We keep fighting for policies that will “save” America, yet Jesus already gave us a policy that transforms the world.

Speak words that heal, not harm.
Speak words that build up, not tear down.
Speak words that reflect the heart of God.

The Kingdom becomes visible through the tone of our voices, the restraint of our tongues, and the grace of our speech.

This is not naïve.
It is revolutionary.

Every time we speak like Christ instead of a chosen political tribe, we loosen the grip of fear, anger, and contempt, and we make space for God’s love to flow through us into the world.

Our voices can defile.
But they can also bless.

And the world is starving for the latter.