Is Swearing A Sin?

[Ken Rank]

Sin is anything falling short of the glory of a Holy God!

Respectfully Ron, while I basically agree with you, how do you define, "the glory of God?" We have a two thousand page page and much of it is dealing with history, very little is dealing with the "being" of God. And, we are reading it... with the help of the Spirit, yes..... but still through fallen eyes that tend to lean toward their own bias. So what exactly "glory" and how can I fall short of it? Is that a set standard or does it vary, person to person?

 

[Albion]

Prior to reading Jonathan Edwards on the subject (if I understand your point), I would have agreed with you.

Jonathan Edwards made a resolution (#15) never to get angry at "irrational beings", but some, including myself, would include inanimate objects in that. He argued that ultimately this anger is directed at God who is in control of inanimate objects, and they don't have any will in which to plot against you.

I'm straining out gnats here, but if taken in the right spirit (not legalistically), I think that Edwards has a great point. Having said that, it doesn't always keep me from yelling at my tools or truck.

I am sympathetic to the idea that to swear like we've been talking about does represent some sort of 'losing control' and that that might be considered a failing. However, it's also the case that these words are simply woven into our patterns of speech for emphasis and do not come forth only in frustration or anger. What of that?

 

[Sammy-San]

Yes Sam... it is about intent. "Jesus Christ" said in the proper context is obviously a good word... but can used in a context that makes it a foul word.

So Jesus Christ without an expletive is terrible blasphemy?

 

[Ken Rank]

So Jesus Christ without an expletive is terrible blasphemy?

Have you ever heard anyone get REALLY ticked off and say with force, "JESUS CHRIST!!!!" in the same way that might say S.O.B. or F'ing ____? That is when those words can be a cuss.

 

[Sammy-San]

Have you ever heard anyone get REALLY ticked off and say with force, "JESUS CHRIST!!!!" in the same way that might say S.O.B. or F'ing ____? That is when those words can be a cuss.

Did you agree that adding the expletives makes it more blasphemous?

 

[Ken Rank]

Did you agree that adding the expletives makes it more blasphemous?

No, I think the intent of ones heart makes it good or bad. Words are just symbols Sam, they are neither good nor bad. It is HOW they are used, with what intent, that matters.

 

[Apex]

No, I think the intent of ones heart makes it good or bad. Words are just symbols Sam, they are neither good nor bad. It is HOW they are used, with what intent, that matters.

You must have said this 10 times in this thread, but I sensed that no one really wanted to concede to the implications of this point. You are absolutely correct. Words are not innately sinful. Intent is what matters. The next logical question is, how do we know our intent is morally good?

Christ bundled everything up nicely: "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."

As Christians, the best question to ask is, "Does this harm God or my neighbor?" If not, it is not a sin.

People, including myself, swear out of joy, happiness and bliss. People swear for all kinds of reasons.

Correct. I sometimes wonder what strict conservative Christians say when in the throes of passion with their spouse. I have a feeling saying something like, "I want to see your mammaries", doesn't really ignite any bedroom fires.

 

[Ken Rank]

As Christians, the best question to ask is, "Does this harm God or my neighbor?" If not, it is not a sin.

I was never a fan of the WWJD bracelets, but the concept is dead on. When Paul wrote, "in all you do in word or deed, do so in the name of the Lord" he was not suggesting a word... meaning, "J.E.S.U.S." What "in the name of" in Hebrew means is "in the authority of" or "in the character of" or "in the reputation of." The point being, yes... asking "does this harm God or neighbor" is a GREAT suggestion... but that is also the same as doing something in His name or asking what He would do seeing He walked it all out to perfection.

 

[RDKirk]

When I was active duty military, the question was, "Will the commander sign off on this?"

 

[Sammy-San]

It includes "obscene" but also covers epithets using God's Name, hurtful insults and tale bearing designed to denigrate someone's reputation.

what bible verse?

 

[Ron Gurley]

OP: Q: "Is "Swearing" A "Sin"?

A: DEFINE: "Swearing".
A2: DEFINE: "Sin".

A:
Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.

The use (INTENTIONAL OR NOT) of language: SWEARING, cursing or cussing.= PROFANITY

Profanity is SOCIALLY offensive >LANGUAGE<,which may also be called:
bad...strong...offensive...coarse...foul...vulgar...lewd...OR >>"choice words" or "EXPLETIVES"<<...

In its older, more literal sense, "PROFANITY" refers to a >lack of respect< for things that are held to be sacred, which implies anything inspiring/deserving of reverence, as well as >behaviour< showing similar disrespect or causing >religious offense.<

REF: Profanity - Wikipedia

LANGUAGE: (~= TONGUE)

Genesis 10:5 (ALL NASB)
From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands,
every one according to his LANGUAGE, according to their families, into their Nations.

according to his language...Hebrew 3956...lashown...A.tongue (of men)

Acts 2:6,8
And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language...
And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?

language...Greek 1258...dialektos...
I.conversation, speech, discourse...
II.the tongue...peculiar to any people (dialect)

TONGUE:

Psalm 34:13...Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.

TONGUE...Hebrew 3956...lashown...A.tongue (of men)= LANGUAGE

Psalm 120:2...Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, From a deceitful tongue.

Proverbs 6:16-19... There are six things which the Lord hates,Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
A Haughty eyes, B. a LYING TONGUE, C.And hands that shed innocent blood,
D. A heart that devises wicked plans, E. Feet that run rapidly to evil,
F. A false witness who utters lies, G. And one who spreads strife among brothers.

Acts 2:4
And they were all "filled with" (CONTROLLED BY GOD) the Holy Spirit
and began to speak with "other tongues", as (GOD) the (Holy) Spirit was giving them utterance.

tongues...Greek 1100...glōssa...
I.the tongue, a member of the body, an organ of speech
II.a tongue
A.the LANGUAGE or DIALECT used by a particular people distinct from that of other Nations

A2: DEFINE: "Sin".

Romans 14:23b...
whatever is not from (spirit-led) faith is sin.

SIN / SIN(S) / SINNERS / SIN NATURE...Defined and Explained

"SIN" :
414 times in 269 verses in the OT Hebrew concordance of the NASB...condition of sin, guilt of sin, punishment for sin, sin-offering

OT: Hebrew 2403 - "chatta'ath"

NT: Greek 266 - "hamartia"
a) to be without a share in
b) to miss the mark
c) to err, be mistaken
d) to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong
e) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin
2) that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act
3) collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many

My Attempted DEFINITIONS:

1. SIN = "falling short" = ANYTHING contrary to the perfect CHARACTER and ATTRIBUTES of the TRI-UNE GOD...ALL fall short!
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(This is the spiritual gap between God's perfect good and Man's imperfections.)

2. SIN(S) = personal "missing the marks" = willful or ignorant, commission or omission, "trespasses" that cause loss of fellowship with / create a barrier between God and Man...
For Believers, these can be FORGIVEN! 1 John 1
For UNbelievers, SALVATION is first required.
For Believers, CONFESSION (spiritually agreeing with God) 1 John 1

3. SIN NATURE = the natural-born innate capacity and inclination to do / not do those things that can in no way commend Man and his "works" to God....
This natural tendency is SPIRITUALLY changed by the SALVATION / REDEMPTION EVENT, BUT it still rears its ugly head in the BODY / SOUL combo ("flesh") during the SANCTIFICATION PROCESS.

4. IMPUTED SIN:?...Romans 5:12. 15-17 (NIV)...Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ = IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS

2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

How believers deal with SIN(S) in their lives after salvation...>>> the "carnal Christ-follower " must CONFESS (agree with God)...
1 John 1: 5-10...Walking in the light

1 Peter 3: 15-22 (NIV1984)...substitutionary atonement
For Christ (Jesus the God-Man) died FOR (ALL) sin(s) once FOR ALL,
the righteous (Jesus the God-Man) FOR the unrighteous,(all natural men with IMPUTED SIN)
to bring you to God. (salvation and reconciliation)