Why Profanity Matters by Alex McFarland. Ive heard people argue that words are just noises we make. Theyre sounds. They dont really mean anything. But such a position is contradictory. To deny the power of language one must debate with … words. And those combinations of letters and sounds require meaning to be grasped. You have to assume that, objectively, your listener understands what youre saying. We cant get around the fact that words contain meaning. Words also yield consequences. For proof that language matters, consider that we have an entire lexicon associated with their misuse: fraud, slander, libel, perjury, harassment, defamation. The ways people abuse words have social, psychological, legal and even spiritual implications. All to Jesus I Surrender The Bible reminds us that we should speak in ways that honor God and benefit others. Ephesians 4:29 says, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. James 1:26 warns us to keep a tight rein on our tongues, while Colossians 3:8 says, Rid yourselves of all things such as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Regarding the use of coarse language by believers, some people contend that since Christ has made us free, how we say things doesnt really matter. While salvation sets us free from the penalty of sin, freedom doesnt equal license. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that Christians have an obligation to pursue holiness (Eph. 4:24; Titus 2; 1 Pet. 1:13-15 and 2:24). Indeed, Gods ownership of a believer extends even to the words we use. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 were mere stewards. Jesus Christ owns us lock, stock and barrel. That includes mind and mouth. Discipleship and spiritual maturity require a level of obedience that should find us yielding everything to God. Judged by the Words We Use Teens should submit their vocabularies to the lordship of Christ, in part because God is always listening. His grace is perfect, but if words didnt matter Jesus wouldnt have said, I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned (Matt. 12:36-37). We derive our word profanity from a biblical term that means outside the temple. Profane means unholy or unwholesome. As we saw in Ephesians 4:29, some types of speech are literally unholy. Spouting certain four-letter words can hinder spiritual growth, harm relationships with others and undermine our credibility as bearers of Gospel truth.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 16:35:29 +0000
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