"Why is the F*** word and and the Sh** word used so freely today? Jesus doesn’t directly include this in what He says about oaths in Matthew 5 but it is there by way of application and other passages enlarge on this area of sin, so I am taking a detour. The spirit of what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:33-37 is “watch how you speak. Don’t use God’s name as a swearword because God says there are consequences to doing that. It is unnecessary and it is so dishonouring to God. In fact speak and act with integrity.”
My mother speaks of times when her mother would wash her mouth out with soap in an effort to get across the filthiness of the way her children cursed or used their words to lie about things. Imagine the fuss if we were to bring that back into practice! Sometimes when I hear young people speak to each other I’d love to give it a try.
Listen to what Romans 3:10-18 (NLT) says,
“As the Scriptures say,…“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” … “They have no fear of God at all.””
People who constantly say “Oh my God” still make me cringe as they bring God into the conversation in the most unGodly ways, and “Christ” is just a swearword or curse or slangword. I so find that so difficult to listen to.
Christians can be just as crass as unbelievers at times. I am surprised by young people who see nothing wrong with using language that speaks about the privacy of the sexual act in a such a common way and with such disregard. I am equally surprised at so called mature Christians who speak about excrement in the foulest of ways. How gross is such language and why would we want it to be so common by using it in everyday speech?
Sometimes, if you took away the swearwords, I wonder what kind of vocabulary would be left. Some people would find it difficult to talk at all.
Let me say this to Christians who don’t get it about swearing, and don’t dismiss this as the ravings of an old man - apart from showing no consideration to others, your cursing shows that you have a real problem with what you think is acceptable to God. It shows how thoughtless, insensitive and selfish you are to others. It shows you are unwilling to stand up and be counted when you are called to live as Salt and Light (See my previous blog about what it means to be Salt). You just want to be part of the crowd and blend in with a culture of crude talk. Crass language also shows how hard your heart is towards God and how much disregard you have for what He has to say. It is foolishness and a sure indication of depraved thinking that has no place in your life. You are worth more than this! Cursing certainly doesn’t have it’s basis in anything that is Godly! It is an indication of salt mixed with dirt that has lost all usefulness to God.
There, I’ve said it! And don’t pass it off too quickly! Please. I really care enough about you to say the tough things as well. Look at what God has to say about it in the Bible.
James 3:8-9 (NLT) says “but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.”
I am surprised constantly by the way in which we speak to eachother, husbands and wives particularly. James is right, “Who can tame the tongue?” The answer to that is that only Jesus can tame the tongue, if we respect what He says and live our lives in tune with Him.
God bless you Church as you “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6 (NIV))"
Pastor Ross Cochrane