Is this a red flag to you?

[Life2Christ]

At church yesterday one of the " elders" who is respected got up to speak. He teaches classes at the church and is well respected in general. Yesterday he was telling us something from his life about failing a test he studied for and casually said, "jesus christ....". You know when people say"jesus Christ I can't believe it.". Now sometimes I have a foul mouth but saying JC in that manner is something I just dont do. At all. Am I being sensitive?

 

[Theofane]

Taking the Name in vain is a no-no, but I've never met the person in question and it's between him and God anyway.

 

[aiki]

Exodus 20:7
7 "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.

Seems pretty clear to me in light of this verse that the elder was in the wrong casually using the name of his Saviour and Lord as he did. Even beyond this command, though, is the honor and glory due the One who saved us. What does it say about the regard this elder has for his Redeemer that he is okay with using Christ's name merely as a means of emphasis in casual conversation. I'm sure were he standing before Christ himself he would not be using his name in vain!

Selah.

 

[BFine]

At church yesterday one of the " elders" who is respected got up to speak. He teaches classes at the church and is well respected in general. Yesterday he was telling us something from his life about failing a test he studied for and casually said, "jesus christ....". You know when people say"jesus Christ I can't believe it.". Now sometimes I have a foul mouth but saying JC in that manner is something I just dont do. At all. Am I being sensitive?

*You admit to having a foul mouth..well that elder's mouth went foul as well...forgive him.

Did you mention his vain use of Jesus Christ, after the service ended?
What did he say?

 

[iambren]

A pattern of profanity would definitely give me pause, to question his qualifying as an elder. Sometimes people easily mis-speak and grace can be given. But if my pastor had a habit of using the f-word he would no longer be my pastor.

 

[brinny]

At church yesterday one of the " elders" who is respected got up to speak. He teaches classes at the church and is well respected in general. Yesterday he was telling us something from his life about failing a test he studied for and casually said, "jesus christ....". You know when people say"jesus Christ I can't believe it.". Now sometimes I have a foul mouth but saying JC in that manner is something I just dont do. At all. Am I being sensitive?

Bluntly? His walk with God is not what it should be. There's something a'miss in his heart and mind and he needs to make it a'right with God. He needs to apologize and repent, publicly.

 

[hedrick]

It's not something he should do, but if this is his most serious failure, he's in pretty good shape. The problem is that people grow up with this, and it can be really hard to stop.

 

[PaladinValer]

At church yesterday one of the " elders" who is respected got up to speak. He teaches classes at the church and is well respected in general. Yesterday he was telling us something from his life about failing a test he studied for and casually said, "jesus christ....". You know when people say"jesus Christ I can't believe it.". Now sometimes I have a foul mouth but saying JC in that manner is something I just dont do. At all. Am I being sensitive?

Yes, you are.

We're all sinners, and that includes the clergy. You have, I'm sure, a lot of issues you are dealing with right this moment too; would you like it if someone were to point a finger at you? And no, you do say it obviously in a manner you know isn't appropriate, so do not find excuses. Instead, take it as a sign that you too need to improve.

Clergy are not super Christians. Yes, they are called to a lifelong commitment of service to His Holy Church and yes, they are called to be role-models, but even they are entirely human. They sin just like we do. The idea of clergy having to be entirely without fault or sin in order to be viable clergy was condemned as a heresy by the Early Church: it is called Donatism.

Let's not waste time pointing fingers at others when it only means pointing the finger at ourselves. Instead, focus on your admitted fellow problem. If you do that, no one will point a finger at you, and if they do and you are in a constant state of reconciliation and working with God the Holy Spirit on your same issue, then you have no reason to fear their fingers. Just point out that they sin too. If that doesn't shut them up, then bring it to your priest/pastor and let them deal with it.

So long as you faithfully cooperate with God the Holy Spirit on working on your own issues, you will be living the Gospel. Struggle is a part of the Christian Way. We violate it when we point fingers at others' when we are guilty of the same. Again, take your elder's mistake as a reminder of your own same problem and recommit yourself to cooperate with Him to cease it.

 

[Sketcher]

I don't believe in taking the Lord's name in vain, and I believe elders should be a good example. Without context, I don't really know if he really committed that sin or not, so I can't judge.

 

[Ark100]

Everybody makes mistakes. The fact that he's an elder does not mean his mouth won't slip. He is human, im sure he realises and would have asked forgiveness. If its not his usual habit, then God sees his heart

 

[Trogool]

At church yesterday one of the " elders" who is respected got up to speak. He teaches classes at the church and is well respected in general. Yesterday he was telling us something from his life about failing a test he studied for and casually said, "jesus christ....". You know when people say"jesus Christ I can't believe it.". Now sometimes I have a foul mouth but saying JC in that manner is something I just dont do. At all. Am I being sensitive?

Yes. It was inappropriate, but since it is apparently an isolated incident it's not something I'd be working myself up over. He's human. He apparently had a slip of the tongue. It happens.

 

[Jere209]

At church yesterday one of the " elders" who is respected got up to speak. He teaches classes at the church and is well respected in general. Yesterday he was telling us something from his life about failing a test he studied for and casually said, "jesus christ....". You know when people say"jesus Christ I can't believe it.". Now sometimes I have a foul mouth but saying JC in that manner is something I just dont do. At all. Am I being sensitive?

I don't think that's something that should be taken lightly,:o and I'd say you're not being too sensitive!

 

[Life2Christ]

Thank you for the input. BFine, I didn't mention it to him after the service. I'm always accused of being too sensitive and I immediately would have been the enemy.

 

[webman1200]

I know that we all slip up, but saying the Lord's name in vain is a sin. A church shouldn't be a place to sin, but a sanctuary from the sinful world that we live in. A place to worship God in unity with and fellowship with other Christians, and a place to deepen your relationship with God.

 

[aiki]

I can see a new Christian who is in transition from a life where using Christ's name in vain was commonplace falling into old speech habits and slipping with an occasional "JC!" An elder in the church, however, is a very different matter. Of all the people in the church one should expect never to hear use the name of Christ casually or carelessly, an elder should be at the top of the list. Certainly, an elder is not perfect, but this does not mean we should have no standard at all by which to judge his conduct. In fact, Scripture indicates that there are very specific and fairly stringent standards to which leaders in the church in particular are to be held.

1 Timothy 3:1-15
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
11 Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Selah.

 

[Mr. 5020]

It is a red flag. But it's just that - a red flag. It's not a deal-breaker.

 

[brinny]

I don't think that's something that should be taken lightly,:o and I'd say you're not being too sensitive!

Amen.

 

[brinny]

I know that we all slip up, but saying the Lord's name in vain is a sin. A church shouldn't be a place to sin, but a sanctuary from the sinful world that we live in. A place to worship God in unity with and fellowship with other Christians, and a place to deepen your relationship with God.

amen.

 

[brinny]

I can see a new Christian who is in transition from a life where using Christ's name in vain was commonplace falling into old speech habits and slipping with an occasional "JC!" An elder in the church, however, is a very different matter. Of all the people in the church one should expect never to hear use the name of Christ casually or carelessly, an elder should be at the top of the list. Certainly, an elder is not perfect, but this does not mean we should have no standard at all by which to judge his conduct. In fact, Scripture indicates that there are very specific and fairly stringent standards to which leaders in the church in particular are to be held.

1 Timothy 3:1-15
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
11 Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Selah.

Amen, brother, speak the truth.

 

[brinny]

Thank you for the input. BFine, I didn't mention it to him after the service. I'm always accused of being too sensitive and I immediately would have been the enemy.

It doesn't sound like a safe or edifying place to be.