Bad Words

“See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:5-8).

The ability to speak is a wonderful gift from God, and the Bible commends speech that is wholesome and good. However, we are also warned of the tremendous evils that can be accomplished with our tongues! James chapter 3 should be a wake up call for Christians who are careless with their speech, as James repeatedly highlights this tiny part of our body (the tongue) which is able to accomplish big things…and start some fires! Let’s work toward taming the tongue by identifying some types of speech that Christians should avoid, and learning about the kind of speech God wants us to use.

SOME SPEECH IS SIMPLY NOT FITTING

Ephesians 5:4 lists some types of speech that are “not fitting ” for Christians: “neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting.” We’ve all heard of a potty mouth who uses filthy words and jokes about gross things. God made the human body with certain bodily functions, and there is a way of speaking about these things cleanly without being coarse or filthy.

We should be especially careful when talking about marriage and sexual matters. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). We should not pervert what God has made honorable and undefiled. There may be times when we need to speak about or describe sexual things, but we should not use language that perverts or cheapens the sexual act.

 

SOME SPEECH MAKES LIGHT OF SPIRITUAL OR SACRED MATTERS

Too many people show no restraint in exclaiming “Oh my God!” or “Dear Lord!” in common speech, but the name of God should be held in reverence and not taken in vain. The third of the ten commandments given to Israel was “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

We should take seriously spiritual matters and not make light of God or the things that belong to Him. In Revelation 15:3-4, the victorious in Christ sing, “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy.” God is holy and everything about Him should be glorified. May our speech glorify and honor God, and never cheapen what belongs to Him!

We must not be so careless with our speech as to curse or condemn someone or pronounce eternal judgment on them. James warned about the tongue: “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:9-10). There are times when we may need to warn people of the dangers and consequences of sin, but “Go to hell!” and “Damn you!” are judgments reserved for God!

 

WE MUST AVOID INAPPROPRIATE, CORRUPT, AND CARELESS SPEECH

Society may be calloused, but at least it is still conscious of offensive language. Movies still get R-ratings for profanity, employers still enforce rules about vulgarity, and schools still punish foul-mouthed kids. Why? Because it is still understood that some speech is simply offensive and should not be used! Of course, Christians do not just accept or reject anything based on opinions of society. We must reject perverse speaking because our God hates it: “Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13) The Christian is instructed to “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:29-31). We are to use speech that builds up rather than tears down, and helps rather than harms.

We are also not to be careless with the words we use. Paul warned Timothy about “profane and idle babblings” (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16). Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:36-37 remind us just how serious this is: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Christians cannot eternally afford to gossip, busy-body, or engage in other types of idle and careless speech. God is commanding us to choose our words carefully because they will meet us in Judgment!

They are hard to find anymore, but TV Guardians were useful little devices that plugged into your television and censored specific obscenities, replacing them with less offensive words. I remember once watching a televangelist and laughing as the TV Guardian censored his sermon: “Hell” was replaced with “heck”, “God” with “gosh”, and “damned” with “darned”. Here’s the point: God cares not only which words you say, but how you use them! “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:5-6).

– by Matthew Scott King

‘Twas The Night Jesus Came

‘Twas the night Jesus came and all through the house
Not a person was praying, not one in the house.
The Bibles were left on the shelf without care,
For no one thought that Jesus would come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And mom in her rocker with baby in her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the east there rose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and lifted the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here!
The light of His face made me cover my head–
It was Jesus returning, just as He said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said, “It’s not here” my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I’d known that this was the night.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is now drawing near.
There’s only one life and when comes the last call
We’ll find that the Bible was true after all.

–AUDRY WOOLVERTON

News & Notes

● Morning’s Lesson: Time to Take Inventory of Your Life
● Contribution Scripture: 1 Cor. 9:3-12
● Tonight Lesson: Calming the Storm Text: Mark 4:35-41
● Leadership class tonight after services.
● Sign up sheets for Communion Prep and Building Clean-up are in the foyer.

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Categories: The Forum