A Sin of the Tongue: Cursing (Part 1)
Joe R. Price

The wise man Agur wrote,
“There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.”  (Prov. 30:11-13; see Exo. 21:17; Lev. 20:9)
We live in the midst of such a generation. The filth that flows from the mouths of youth and aged, male and female, floods our land. Profanity is commonplace in our schools, on the job, in the marketplace and in the media. Its influence rots any society where the hearts of the citizenry are given over to selfish and prideful aspirations. Cursing is an example of such profanity.

Cursing is Sin

     Where I grew up in Texas it is called “cussing” (or more precisely, ‘cussin’). Either way you pronounce it, cursing is sin. God’s word describes the wicked man as one whose “mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is trouble and iniquity” (Psa. 10:7). The apostle Paul used this verse to describe the sinfulness of “both Jews and Greeks” (Rom. 3:9, 14).
     We commonly think of profanity and vulgarity when “cursing” is discussed.  The word translated “curse” in the New Testament signifies “to pray against, to wish evil against a person or thing; hence to curse” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 141). To curse, therefore, is to invoke or call down evil upon a person; it is the denunciation of one’s fellow man. Profanity can be an element of cursing, but not necessarily so. True, most of the cursing that occurs today is laced with profanity and vulgarity. All “filthy language” must be eliminated from our mouths, which includes cursing, profanity and vulgarity as well as using euphemisms in the place of curse words (Col. 3:8).  (One person called such euphemisms “Christian Cursing” – a curious and correct description. These, too, must be eliminated from our speech.)

Cursing Words are Idle Words

     Jesus said, “for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37). Idle words include those spoken rashly, hastily, lightly and angrily. Idle words are barren of moral goodness and useful fruit. They tear down kindness, friendship, brotherly love and everything that is good and decent among men in the sight of God (Eph. 4:29-32). Curse words are worthless words that condemn the user. The user of them is powerless to execute the threatened curse. Curse words are Godless words that promote selfishness. Using such idle words will cause one to be condemned on Judgment Day

Cursing Expresses Hate

The verbal denunciations of cursing proceed from a heart that detests its object. Thus, to curse another is the antithesis of love. 
Goliath exemplified the hatefulness of cursing when he said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. (1 Sam. 17:43) Peter, when denying knowledge of Jesus, “began to curse and swear” (Matt. 26:74). Little wonder that this tenderhearted disciple “wept bitterly” when he realized His sin against the Savior (Matt. 26:75).
     Jesus teaches to “bless those who curse you”, and shows us by His example how such is accomplished (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:14). When Jesus was reviled, He “did not revile in return” (1 Pet. 2:23). In like manner, His disciples are to return “reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9).
     Cursing is the opposite of blessing (see Prov. 30:11 above). With the tongue “we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (Jas. 3:9-10). Whereas to bless a person expresses one’s desire that he receive happy and joyful things, to curse a person articulates one’s desire that dread, calamity and sorrow is heaped upon him. To curse a person is not loving one’s neighbor as oneself or treating others as we wish to be treated (Mk. 12:31; Lk. 6:31).

Cursing Words are Prideful Words

     Cursing is not only hateful, it is full of pride and conceit: “For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak” (Psa. 59:12). As one’s mouth distributes its disdainful curses it displays a heart that is elevated above others. The person who curses his neighbor thinks too highly of himself (Rom. 12:16). As he curses with his tongue he exposes his foolish pride that supposes he has the position, power and prerogative to denounce another person. Pride is on display whenever cursing occurs. By cursing another person one implies himself to be superior to that person. The cursing person is an arrogant person.
     Instead of calling down reproaches and denunciations upon others, we must “let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” and put away all evil speaking with malice (Eph. 4:29, 31). We grieve the Spirit of God when our words curse and destroy others (Eph. 4:30).

Cursing Words are Irreverent Words

Even some people who allow cursing to flow from their mouths understand that it is not respectful toward others. (On several occasions I recall people who generally use profane language actually changing their speech around a woman or “the preacher”.) We should realize that we are always in the presence of Almighty God. By cursing men we show a lack reverence for God, who created and sustains all men (Jas. 3:9).
     To curse a person shows a lack of love for him and a lack of love and respect for God. The one who loves God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength does not curse God or man (Mk. 12:30).
     Incredibly, many people openly curse God. When a man blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed in the camp of Israel he was stoned to death.  God said,
Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: “Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death.” (Lev. 24:14-16)
The fact that we do not live under the Law of Moses and do not stone people is no comfort to the person who takes the name of the Lord in vain (Exo. 20:7). The Lord did not hold guiltless the person who took His name in vain under the first covenant, and neither will one escape punishment today who profanes the name of the holy God (Heb. 2:1-2; Matt. 12:37).

  (Continued next week)

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

"I Believe in Jesus Christ"

1. Must believe & obey the gospel to be saved, Mk. 16:15-16. (1 Jno. 5:10-11)
2. A lack of faith prevents salvation, Acts 8:36-37.
3. What is it the sinner is confessing when he confesses faith in Jesus?
4. What I must believe about Jesus to be saved:

I. JESUS IS THE CHRIST, Acts 17:2-3.

  A. Promised Savior, Lk 2:11; Ac 8:32-35; 3:26.
  B. Promised Prophet, Jno. 1:21; Acts 3:22-23.
  C. Promised King, Jno. 18:37-38.

II. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, Jno. 1:1-3, 14.

  A. His Divine Nature: Jesus is Fully God and Fully Human, Col. 2:9; Jno. 8:23-25, 53, 58.
  B. One with Father, Jno. 10:30-38; 5:17-18, 24; 1:18.
  C. That He is God, Phil. 2:5-11.

III. THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS.

  A. Miraculous Entrance of the Son of God into the World, Lk. 1:30-35; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Gal. 4:4.

IV. THE DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, 1 Cor. 15:1-4.

  A. That Jesus Died for My Sins, Isa. 53:4-6 (Acts 8:32-33); 1 Pet. 2:24.
  B. That He was Buried & Arose from the Dead, Rom. 1:4; 10:9-10.
  C. Without this Faith, We will not have Eternal Life, Jno. 11:25-27.

V. THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE, Acts 4:12.

  A. Only Jesus can Save Me, Jno. 6:68.
  B. Belief in the Authority (Power, Name) of Jesus to Save, 1 Jno. 5:13 (Matt. 28:18-19).

Conclusion

1. The word brings sinners to faith, salvation & eternal life, Jno. 20:30-31.
2. What do you believe? 1 Jno. 5:11-12

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

You Can Fall Away!

1. Christians can be confident of our salvation (1 Jno. 5:13; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).
2. Not a license to sin (Rom. 6:1-2, 23).

I. THE POSSIBILITY OF APOSTASY.

·   Righteous can turn away & die, Ezek. 18:24.
·   One who has believed can fall away, Luke 8:13.
·   Christian severed from Christ – fallen away from grace, Gal. 5:2-4.
·   Enlightened can fall away & become unreachable, Heb. 6:4-6.

II. EXAMPLES OF APOSTASY.

·   Israel, Exo. 24:7; 32:7-8; Jer. 3:6-14.
·   Simon Peter, Lk. 22:31-34, 54-62; Gal. 2:11-14.
·   Simon, Acts 8:12-13, 18-24.
·   Church member, 1 Cor. 5:1-5, 13; 2 Cor. 2:5-8.
·   Hymenaeus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1:18-20.
·   Laodiceans, Rev. 3:15-19.

III. CAUSES OF APOSTASY.

·   Times of temptation, Luke 8:13.
·   Worldliness, Luke 8:14; Jas. 4:4; 2 Tim. 4:10.
·   False doctrine, Ac 20:29-30; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 6:3-5.
·   Justification by the OT Law of Moses, Gal. 5:4.
·   Hardened hearts against God’s will, Heb. 3:12-13

IV. THE PREVENTION OF APOSTASY.

·   Spiritual growth, 1 Pet. 2:1-2; 2 Pet. 1:5-11.
·   Don’t love the world, 1 Jno. 2:15-17; Col. 3:1-3.
·   Doctrine of Christ, 2 Jno. 9; 1 Tim. 6:3; 1:3
·   Salvation is only in Christ, Gal. 2:16; Acts 4:12.
·   Do not harden your heart, Heb. 3:7-8.

V. THE REMEDY FOR APOSTASY.

·   Repent of your sin, Acts 8:22; 17:30.
·   Confess your sin to God, 1 John 1:9.
·   Pray to God for His forgiveness, Acts 8:22.
·   Conversion (new life), Jas. 5:19-20; Gal. 6:1.

Conclusion  2 Peter 3:17-18

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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

The Problem of Teenage Pregnancy
Joe R. Price

     Another teenage star announced she is pregnant (on the cover of a national magazine, no less). We are thankful the 16-year old is not aborting the child; murdering the unborn is not the solution to an unwanted pregnancy.

     Statistics say adolescent pregnancy has declined since reaching an all time high in 1990. However, the decline is not attributed to morality and abstinence, but to increased use of birth control. In other words, more teenagers are fornicating “with protection”. Of course, their souls are not “protected” (Eph. 5:1-7; Gal. 5:19).

     Morally accountable young people must understand that lustful, sexual activity before marriage is sin against God that causes them to be eternally lost. Whether or not “protection” is used to avoid pregnancy is entirely beside the point; that is the counsel of those who do not have God in their knowledge! Why do so many teenagers see no problem with sexual contact before marriage?

     There is a moral problem. Teenagers have not been taught a moral standard of purity (2 Tim. 2:22). They will not live what they have not been taught. Evolution convinces them they are just animals, made in the image of our physical predecessors and not in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). With no God there is no moral right and wrong, no conscience, no accountability (Rom. 1:28-32).

     There is a cultural problem. Our culture promotes the acceptability of sexual “freedom”:
“Adolescents today are growing up in a culture in which peers, TV and movies, music, and magazines transmit subtle and obvious messages that unmarried sexual relationships (specifically those involving teenagers) are common, accepted, and even expected.” (“Adolescent Pregnancy”, Health Guide, The New York Times)

     There is an example problem. Adults are setting sinful, immoral examples that adolescents follow. Children live what they learn (see). Teenagers need godly, moral role models. Be one for them!

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