A Guilty Mouth
Rationalization is a defense mechanism where wrong behaviors or feelings are justified and explained away in some plausible way. As it applies to Christians, rationalization is nothing less than impiety under a pretense of being righteous.
This was Eliphaz’s response to Job in how Job was trying to explain his side of the story.
“For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; yes, your own lips testify against you.” (Job 15:5-6)
Eliphaz is once again wrongly rebuking Job. He recognizes Job wisdom, but says that it is nothing more than “windy knowledge,” and “useless talk,” which “hinders meditation before God.” (Job 15: 2-4).
Eliphaz says these things because he believes that Job is guilty before God and is therefore crafting his speech in such a way that will make him look good and righteous.
It is what we would call rationalization or justification.
Although Eliphaz has judged Job wrongly, these words speak volumes about what we actually do when we’re doing something wrong and try to justify it away.
When justifying divorce saying we don’t love the other person any longer, wouldn’t God want us happy, or the worst “It’s better for the children.”
But the Bible says, “‘For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.’” (Malachi 2:16)
Jesus said that it is out of the abundance of our hearts that our mouth speaks (Luke 6:45), and the Lord talks about how the intent of the human heart is continually evil (Genesis 8:21), and how there’s only deceit found within our heart (Proverbs 12:20).
We need to then be careful and not let our mouth overrun God’s truth, and not allow our guilt and sin to craft our speech trying to make us look better than we truly are.