It's a sad fact, but it's true. We hear them every day: Curse words. Cuss words. Swear words. Whatever you might call them. It's all the same. I don't know who invented such stupid things, and I don't know why they are so ubiquitous, but I do know one thing: They are sin.
A Logical Point
If you really think about it, you have no real reason to use cuss words. There is a substitute for about anything you can think to say, and it's not really hard, either. Instead of using the f-word, just say "Poop on you" or "I don't like you" or something. It doesn't have exactly the same meaning or emotion, yes, but it's the same thing. And you can just as easily say "dung" or "feces" over the s-word. It's not exactly rocket surgery.
It used to be that those who cussed were stupid. Cussing was a sign that you had a low vocabulary and couldn't find a better way to express yourself. Now, it's the "cool" thing to do. Now, cussing sets you apart from the non-cussers. You're unique if you cuss. However, if you're cussing to be cool or unique, it's not working. There's absolutely nothing cool about such words. After all, they're still just words, and your vocabulary does not determine your worth. If that were so, a great many of us would be in trouble. So just don't cuss because it doesn't make you look any cooler.
A Biblical Point
But now on to the important reasons not to cuss. Colossians 3:8 says,
"But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth."That means we're not supposed to use filthy language. If we do, it's a sin, because we're disobeying this passage. But you say, "What if I don't consider it filthy? Who determines what 'filthy' is?" Society does. Even though society uses cuss words all the time, they still recognize them, and the words recognized as "filthy" are not to be used. It doesn't matter if you find them filthy or not. The whole reasoning behind not cussing is to keep our minds pure, and if you'll notice, most cuss words refer to something impure or dirty: sex, private parts, feces, etc. We should keep ourselves pure from these words (whether they offend us or not) so as to keep ourselves pure from the "filthy" things associated with them.
Ephesians 4:29 states,
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."Cuss words are—and I'm sure you'll agree—corrupt. No doubt about that. So, plain and simple, this verse tells us not to use those words. They don't edify, and edification is necessary. They are corrupt, so we should disassociate ourselves from them.
And yet more evidence—1 Peter 2:1:
"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evilCussing is evil. It is offensive to many in society, and society itself considers cuss words to be cuss words, so they are most definitely evil. Thus, according to this passage, we are to lay them aside. The Christian has no use for cussing. He is to be kept pure and clean before God.speaking. . . ."
Cussing can also inhibit us from spreading the Gospel. If someone who is lost sees you cussing, they are not going to think of you as a Christian. However, if they see you helping others, being nice, and reading your Bible, then if they have a question about God or salvation, they're liable to come to you. We tell people a lot through our actions, and we might with ungodly behavior repel someone looking for God.
All things considered, cussing is a sin, and sin damns us (Romans 6:23). We cannot enter Heaven with sin. If we cuss, we must repent, and God will forgive us (1 John 1:9). It's a simple as that. So don't cuss.
As for some advice, try to keep yourself away from cussing. The more you hear it, the more it digs down into your brain and takes hold. Thus, the more cussing you are exposed to, the more likely you are to cuss. It's just a whole lot easier to resist the temptation when it's not even there.
I shouldn't have had to write this article, for most people know that cussing is wrong, even though they do it. However, if you didn't know, or were just unsure, this is proof that cussing is not a Christian activity. Thank you for reading, and please don't cuss.
