Recently
a young man was kicked off a Southwest flight bound for Chicago because of his
shirt. His shirt boldly proclaimed a dirty
word that still isn’t allowed on television. The airline has a clear policy on every ticket
about offensive language and dress. The
young man was convinced that no one was offended by the language but the crew
held their ground. I glad they did and
help keep a modicum of decency for at least that flight. It seems however that profanity is becoming much
more accepted part of our culture. Many
don’t think a thing about filling their speech with any swear and curse word
they know.
But what about the Christian? How should we
view this kind of language? What does the Bible teach about the vocabulary we
use?
Well first let’s figure out what we are
talking about. What makes a word a bad
word? I think a simple way is to look at
the words we use to describe this language
Swearing:
To swear is to make a solemn oath. A person wanting to make sure that what they
were saying to people was truly believed by them would swear by something (Ex.
Matthew 23:16-23). It was way to give
force to your words. That’s what many do
with modern day swearing, a way to give emphasis the statement you are making.
Cursing:
A curse was a proclamation of doom and
ridicule on a person. It was a way for
one to call another to task for their actions (Ex. 2nd Samuel 16: 5-10). Modern cursing is a word that is use to
demean and insult, a way to show ridicule and scorn.
Profanity:
To profane is to treat a thing that
is sacred with disrespect. It is to use
a word of reverence in vain (Ex: Exodus 20:7). The modern day use is seen in taking a word
and using it as an exclamation that holds no meaning to the word. It is those that take holy names and use them
as derogatory euphuism.
So what how this help us in what kind of
language we should use? Let’s consider
some verses:
But
above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any
other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not
fall under judgment.
James 5:12
With
it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in
the likeness of God; from the same mouth
come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this
way.
James 3:9-10
But
now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive
speech from your mouth.
Colossians 3:8
Let
no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good
for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace
to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29
Look I’m not going to tell the words you can
and cannot use, but the Bible makes clear that ideas we are reflecting in
our words matter. If we are filling our language
with empty vain words that harm, profane, and denigrate, if our speech reflect a
mind that disregards God and others, if
our speech is vulgar and shows a worldly view rather than a Godly one, it
should be censured. Jesus told us in Matthew
15:18, "But the things that proceed
out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.”
Is
your mouth as clean as your heart should be?
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