Q/A Friday – What About the Christian’s Use of Profanity?

About 10 years ago, John MacArthur wrote an article for Crosswalk.com titled “Grunge Christianity and Cussing Pastors? What Next?” In it, MacArthur addressed the modern trend – that is still observable today – of ministers who believe that one way they can reach a godless culture by using their language…all of their language. That practice comes from a misinterpretation of Paul saying that he must be all things to all men (I Corinthians 9:19-20). MacArthur cites several examples of pastors who use unacceptable and inappropriate language from the pulpit.

One observation he makes about this form of worldly Christianity is as follows – “Worldly preachers seem to go out of their way to put their carnal expertise on display—even in their sermons. In the name of connecting with ‘the culture’ they want their people to know they have seen all the latest programs on MTV; familiarized themselves with all the key themes of ‘South Park’; learned the lyrics to countless tracks of gangsta rap and heavy metal music; and watched who-knows-how-many R-rated movies. They seem to know every fad top to bottom, back to front, and inside out. They’ve adopted both the style and the language of the world—including lavish use of language that used to be deemed inappropriate in polite society, much less in the pulpit. They want to fit right in with the world, and they seem to be making themselves quite comfortable there.”

That last sentence is really the issue in my mind – Christians that use cuss words often use them because they believe those words give them an opportunity to relate to others better and it easier to do that that stand out with something else.

Here is how we should process the question of what words we should or shouldn’t say – the use of profanity in the life of the Christian. Ask these questions:

How holy can my speech be? The wrong question is, “What can’t I say?” or “What cuss words are more in the grey area and not black and white?” The right question is, “How holy can my words be at this moment” or maybe even “What words are not questionable?” In other words, don’t worry as much with what you CAN’T say but what you CAN say.

What is my motive for saying it? When we are tempted to use a cuss word, we need to ask ourselves, “Am I wanting to fit in? Is that why I chose that word? Am I trying to be accepted? Is that what I am truly after?” If that’s the case, we have chosen people-pleasing rather than God-fearing.

Will it offend my brother or sister? In my mind, this is the core issue. Regardless of my motive being pure, if I am in a context where my brother or sister will be offended, I should never use that word. Paul is very clear about this issue in I Corinthians 8-9. Our brother’s preferences should ALWAYS trump ours.

“¹² Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.¹³ Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (I Corinthians 8:12-13).

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them” (I Cor 9:19).

“I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (I Cor 9:23).

The issue is offending your brother and motives and not as much what words can I be okay with saying. I cannot give you a list of “don’t say these things” because those words will vary with culture and time.

My recommendation is this, “If you have to ask if a word or phrase is appropriate, find something more edifying to say.” In short, we should be defending God’s holy name, not using it in place of curse words or as a throwaway portion of a sentence.

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