Don’t smoke, don’t cuss, don’t drink, don’t chew, don’t run around with women who do. That was the old joke in Sunday School when I was a kid. We shouldn’t do these things if we were a Christian. Cussing makes the list, but what does the Bible say about profanity?
Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to say certain words. Very little reason was given to me about why, even when given the rare Bible verse. I won’t list the words here, but I did have a season as a young teenager when I began testing those boundaries, saying certain phrases. My dad ended up arguing how using profanity made me sound stupid and uneducated, and the talk worked on me.
In my Bible study and travels around the world, I wrestled with the idea of profanity on my own. Different cultures have their versions of profanity, even in English-speaking countries. What’s offensive in one country isn’t the same in another. We use different terms to describe profanity: cussing, cursing, swearing, offensive language, crude language.
However, as cultural as this discussion might be, the Bible is concerned with what we say.
What does the Bible say about crude language?
For crude language, we might place terms of a graphic sexual nature or speak of bodily waste, at least for Western cultures. While it may not explicitly address crude language as a modern concept, several biblical principles can be applied to understanding how Christians should approach their speech.
Ephesians 4:29 instructs us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what helps build others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” The context here teaches the importance of speaking beneficial and constructive words rather than coarse or vulgar. We are called to use their speech to encourage and edify others, reflecting the love and grace of Christ in their interactions.
Similarly, Colossians 3:8 admonishes us to “rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” We must guard against the use of language that is disrespectful, derogatory, or offensive. Instead, believers are called to cultivate hearts of love, kindness, and humility, allowing our speech to reflect the character of Christ.
James 3:10 highlights the inconsistency of using praise and cursing with our speech: “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” This letter from James reminds us how words have the power to build up or tear down. For the disciple of Christ, our whole lives belong to him, including the things we say. What comes from the lips should praise God.
Jesus himself emphasized the importance of purity in speech. In Matthew 15:11, he declares, “What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” What we say reveals the condition of the heart.
Do our words reflect a mindset on crude and sexual things? Or a mind and heart set on Christ?
What does the Bible say about cursing?
One element of profanity centers on cursing a person or thing. Calling a person a name, insulting someone, or terms that wish harm to someone or something fall into this category. As James points out, we should not curse but praise. The idea of a curse comes from rebellion or the fall, not from a life seeking to save and rescue.
While curses can take various forms and contexts throughout scripture, several key principles emerge regarding their nature and impact.Proverbs 18:21 says,
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” The words we speak have the power to bring life or death. Curses spoken in anger, malice, or ill intent can carry significant weight and impact the one who speaks them and their intended target.
Galatians 6:7 warns, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” To curse another person means to curse ourselves. Jesus calls us to love each other as we love ourselves, so our cursing someone, whether they deserve it or not, causes harm to ourselves, as well. Further, cursing has other consequences like discord, division, and strife.
Christ broke the curse over all creation, including humanity, through his blood and sacrifice on the cross. In him, and only in him, are all curses powerless for those submitted to Christ. Proverbs 26:2 states, “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.” Curses spoken without cause or justification will not have a lasting impact. However, when curses are spoken with intent or merit, repentance, and prayer are essential for breaking their power. James 5:16 encourages believers to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Through repentance and prayer, believers can seek God's forgiveness and protection from the effects of curses.
Instead of cursing, we should bless. We deserved the curse of sin in our rebellion and received mercy. We must give mercy and grace in return. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs his followers, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This teaching challenges us to respond to curses with love and prayer rather than retaliation or vengeance. We demonstrate the transformative power of God’s love and mercy by extending grace and forgiveness to those who curse us.
What does the Bible say about swearing?
The last version of profanity we can discuss is when we call it swearing. Profanity includes swearing upon a person or thing as if that will help us accomplish something. The Bible takes swearing (vows, oaths) extremely seriously, emphasizing the importance of integrity, honesty, and faithfulness in fulfilling commitments.
God keeps his promises, and when we swear an oath, we are bound to fulfill it, which can be difficult. Psalm 15:4 describes the characteristics of those who dwell in God’s presence, stating, “who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind.” We should keep promises and honor commitments, even when it requires sacrifice or discomfort.
Jesus tells us not to make an oath at all. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:33-37) Even when desiring good things, we shouldn’t make an oath to do it, simply allowing our commitment to be evident and consistent in what we say or do. Our agreement should be enough. James 5:12 cautions,
“Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven, earth, or anything else. You only need to say a simple 'Yes' or 'No.' Otherwise, you will be condemned.”
This verse echoes Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5, emphasizing the simplicity and integrity of truthful speech. Swearing oaths by invoking God’s name or other sacred entities should be avoided, as it may lead to irreverence and dishonor to God.
In these passages, the message is clear: let your yes be yes and your no be no. This means we should speak truthfully and sincerely without needing additional vows or oaths. Our words should carry weight and be trustworthy, reflecting the integrity of our character as followers of Christ.
What is the most important lesson from the Bible about what we say?
In each of these cases, the real issue isn’t the words we say but the heart behind it. God cares about our motives more than the legalistic idea of not saying certain offensive words. Jesus addresses this in the Sermon on the Mount:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” - Matthew 5:21-22
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges the religious and legalistic attitude of the day. He focuses on the Ten Commandments, a few bad ones, murder and adultery. No one in his day would have excused anyone for committing those two. But Jesus reveals where these sins originate. Adultery begins with lust. People might condemn adultery but excuse the lust of the heart. God doesn’t. Murder begins with hate. People might condemn murder but overlook hate. God doesn’t. In this context, Jesus then deals with a cuss word.
The word raca means nothing to us today. Two thousand years ago, this was an extremely offensive cuss word in Jesus’ culture. The term raca meant “you fool.” If you spoke the word raca in Jesus’ day, you’d get in trouble with the religious authorities.
But Jesus cares more about the heart and our motives. A person can still say, “You fool!” and curse another human being made in the image of God. Using the words “you fool!” avoided consequences from the religious leaders, but not from God. To attack and hate another person, even with “safe” words, we are in danger of hell.
God desires for us to be like him, holy in our thoughts and actions, with integrity between the two, because he knows our play-acting righteousness isn’t sustainable and only leads to hypocrisy and eventually hell. God is love and acts from his own heart of love. When our motive is love, our actions will also naturally follow.
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For profanity, words matter, but the heart matters more. Crude language reveals a heart occupied by crude acts of sex or bodily functions instead of blessing and building others up in Christ. Cursing wishes harm on others instead of loving them. Swearing by other people or things, even God and Heaven, undermines the integrity of people believing the simplicity of our word.
While we should be sensitive about saying certain words, that shouldn’t be our main focus. Getting the heart right corrects our speech, too. Let us seek to encourage others with our speech. Let us love others as we would ourselves, with grace and mercy, as Christ loves us. And let us not agree to anything quickly or without due consideration, making sure others can count on our word as we count on the promises of God.
If this seems impossible, it is. We can’t do this on our strength. This is why God gives us the Spirit of Jesus within us to share his thoughts, desires, and power with us. We must rest in his power and rely upon his ability to lead us into all truth.
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