Dear Prayer Warriors, Is it really cool to be crude? I am not sure when it became "cool" for ministers, missionaries and Christians to have foul mouths but this trend not only does not spring from God the Holy Spirit but grieves Him deeply. God the Holy Spirit makes this abundantly clear in Ephesians 4:29-30 where He states, “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. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” And again in Ephesians 5:4 He says, “and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.” Yet, despite this, I find foul language being used more and more by ministers of the gospel and leaders in the church.
As we begin, let’s take a look at the biblical classifications of foul language: Profanity – this is the use of doctrinal or biblical terms in a foul or profane manner. Crude – this is the use of baser terms when a more educated or professional word might be used. Filthy – this is the use of words which the culture agrees are base. These usually have to do with sexual activity or human/animal waste but are not limited to these. Coarse Jesting – these are jokes at the expense of others and may or may not include profane, crude or filthy language. All are condemned by God the Holy Spirit.
During my term as a protestant minister at Texas A & M University with the Navigators, I was appalled at the profanity, crudeness, coarse jesting and filthiness of the everyday language in the Corps of Cadets. This was not just a filthy subculture but a requirement. In the corps, if you did not participate in this filth, it resulted in severe hazing and corporal punishment. We were starting a ministry in the Corps and everyone told me that you could not have a ministry in the corps if your ministry did not allow for filthy language-- that you would be kicked out if you did not participate. Then I heard of Fish Banks. (In the corps, “fish” is a term for a first-year freshman.) He was an African American Cadet who refused to participate in the filthiness of the corps language and, yet , would not be driven out. I went to visit Fish Banks in his room and asked him if it was his religious conviction that kept him on course in this area. He replied, “No, sir, it is not. My father always told me that only ignorant people resort to profanity and I have determined that they will never make me ignorant.” That was enough for me. The standard of being in the Navigators ministry in the corps was the same as in the regular student body – no crudeness, no profanity, no filthy language and no coarse jesting.
I was born in 1951 and, though neither my father nor mother were Christians at that time, I cannot remember them using profanity in our presence as children. In fact, it was just the opposite. In the 1950’s and 60’s, if a man swore in a lady’s presence he would hear about it-- if not from her escort, then from some other man who overheard. Public use of profanity was considered an indication of an ignorant or culturally deprived background.
As a non-Christian teen, I practiced profanity outside of my parents’ hearing to be cool. I remember when I received Christ in October of 1968, one of the first things Wyman Mitchell, the youth and music minister who led me to Christ, talked with me about was cleaning up my language. But you know, he did not need to do this. I was instinctively aware that neither Jesus Christ, nor the Holy Spirit who lived within me wanted to listen to my foul mouth. I worked hard at cleaning up my language from day one. In fact, I used and still use a man’s language as an indication as to whether or not there would be an opportunity to share the gospel. It has saddened me, though, to discover that sometimes the individual not only professes to be a Christian but a minister of the gospel.
John Crawford, disciple of Dawson Trotman (founder of the Navigators) and career missionary to New Zealand, often shared that one of the first indicators of his salvation was that he instinctively cleaned up his language. I still feel this is true. Someone who is truly saved will clean up his language. It is unfortunate, though, that, under the influence of so-called sophisticated Christians adrift in their quest for relevance, that many young Christians and even ministers are enticed to return to the filthy speech from which they were delivered. Proverbs 26:11 teaches us that “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” And this is an apt word picture of Christians and ministers who return to the folly of profanity.
I have often reflected on the roots of this drift. For some it is a false sense of being “real,”-- living in the “real” world. For others it is the pride of being a man’s man, as if filthy speech is characteristic of being a Christian gentleman. For still others it is the current problem of the Christian Man-child—a reflection on the immaturity of Christian men in the church, with resulting speech that better befits a spoiled teenager than a mature Christian gentleman. For many it is an indication of the type of filth that fills their minds and thoughts from their intake of TV, movies and the internet. But in the end, it is simply a matter of what they love-- it is a matter of the heart. Whether it is prideful love of being accepted by the world, a love for the filth found in the media, a love for being able to say what you please without hindrance, or simply a lack of love of Jesus, who must listen to the foul speech, it comes back to matters of the heart.
God the Holy Spirit warns in Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” While Jesus Christ nails the issue in Matthew 15:11 "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." Filthy language defiles a man. It is a defilement that springs from the heart. As Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 12:34-36 " You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” The real issue, then, when it comes to the foul mouths of so-called sophisticated Christians and ministers, is a defiled heart which spews forth its defiled speech. I have a deep concern for the spiritual state of foul-mouthed Christian leaders.
What, then, is our response to this trend?
First: Be different. Romans 12:2 states, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Make sure your speech is good, acceptable and perfect rather than in conformity to the world.
Second: Take a stand. God the Holy Spirit teaches us in Ephesians 5:11 “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;” I can remember attending an international missions’ leadership team meeting with a Christian organization. The man directing the meeting interjected profanities throughout the talk. I was shocked and my rebuke was not met with a positive response, neither by the individual nor by the members of the meeting. Don’t be afraid to speak up. They said it out loud in front of your wife, so you can reply, “Don’t talk like that in front of my wife.” If they say it out loud in front of you, you can reply, “Don’t talk like that in front of my Jesus!”
Third: Be prepared Galatians 2:11 “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face , because he stood condemned.” Those Christian leaders who publically use profanity, coarse jesting or filthy language should be publically opposed. Be ready to stand up for Christ when someone profanes His holy name, the name of God or a divine truth such as Hell, Damnation or the Blood of Christ. Have a verse ready to quote which gives the truth and follow it by a sincere warning that, if every idle word will be judged, how much more profane rants. When filthiness, crudeness or coarse jesting occurs, again have Ephesians 5:4 ready to be quoted and then take a stand for the truth. Why is it that Christians can speak profanely or crudely but Christians cannot stand for holiness and purity?
Lastly: Be proactive James 3:9-10 “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.” I long ago came up with my own list of Christian “swear words.” I use this phrase tongue-in-cheek. There are so many in the world that use profane and filthy language which fills my mind that I decided, “two can play this game” and came up with my own words. As often as I have the opportunity I say publicly, “Praise the Lord”; “God Bless You”; “Thank you Jesus”; “God is sovereign” and other doctrinal truths. I have often had an opportunity to share the gospel or pray with merchants and strangers because of the public use of Christian truth. So let me encourage you to be more proactive in your speech. Use your own Christian swear words, get your Bible out, share your QT or your most recent Scripture memory verse. Take the initiative, turn the tide. If they can tell a dirty joke, you can share your quiet time. If they can use profanity, you can quote a verse, if they can say a filthy word, you can share your testimony. Ephesians 4:29 “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.”
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon Director – Grace Community Int. – Preparing to depart for Nigeria.
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John, Thanks for this teaching. I e-mailed it to my 16 year old grandson, Nick, who has professed Christ but uses crude language. I asked him to consider the scriptures you referenced and to think about it. Bill
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6/23/14 12:06 PM
