Matthew 12:35-37 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. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

If you take verse 36 all by itself and allow it to speak into your experience, you just might find you have a problem. If every word I speak is going to be held against me, I am in serious trouble. There is nothing iffy about this statement, it is a declarative, this will come into being on our day of judgement. What’s to be done about it? I cannot take back those words.

Refocus rather on the preceding verse and then the following verse, rather than verse 36 alone. Take it in context. Always look for context. That will save you much grief.

First look to the condition of your heart. Do you now have a new heart condition? Has your stony heart been replaced by a heart of flesh? Ezekiel 26:36 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. This speaks to being born again, John 3:5. If you have been born again, this settles the first issue.

Verse 37 speaks to two conditions upon which only one can exist after the day of judgement. You will either be justified, or condemned. Justification is what we are seeking as a result after all the words of our mouth have been judged. Nothing that is handed down in sentencing is more important than to be justified. Justified keeps you out of the fiery pit, no matter what else happens.

Deuteronomy 25:1-2 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

The justified will receive punishment for their words that is not unto death, being sent to that fiery pit.