Author : Keith Sharp
Recently the Sharps and another couple enjoyed some cheap but wholesome entertainment. We drove to the Beaver River Central School in Beaver Falls, New York to hear a concert by the Orchestra of Northern New York for five dollars each. Hard to beat.
As we waited for the music to start, a couple came in, sat beside me, and greeted the couple seated in front of me. They exchanged pleasantries laced with a little profanity here and there. They apparently thought nothing of it, meant no harm, and were oblivious to the fact that I was cringing. They displayed to any discerning ear a total lack of reverence for God.
As proof that all men have sinned, the apostle Paul quoted David’s accusation, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18; Psalm 36:1). He exhorts the disciples in Corinth to perfect “holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1) and the Christians in Ephesus to submit “to one another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:21). The writer of Hebrews warns his readers to “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28-29). The apostle Peter simply commands, “Fear God” (1 Peter 2:17).
Thayer explains that the Greek word translated “fear” means “to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience” (e-Sword).
The Old Testament specifically forbade the kind of language that demonstrates lack of reverence for God. The third of the Ten Commandments is, “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” (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11). The Law demanded that anyone “who blasphemes the name of the LORD, he shall be put to death” (Leviticus 24:16).
The New Testament goes to the attribute that lead to profane speech by repeatedly commanding us to “fear God.” The author of Hebrews graphically explains why. “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).
Our speech reflects our hearts.
Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things (Matthew 12:33-35).
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man (Matthew 15:18-20)
When profanity comes out of a person’s mouth, whether it be the careless use of the name of God or outright cursing, he is displaying to all who hear his lack of reverence and fear of God.
The apostle Paul commands, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). Profanity is a form of corruption (“unwholesome,” New American Standard Bible) speech. Such words should never leave our moths. Does it edify or impart grace?
“O my God” is the favorite byword of the ungodly generation in which we live. “Oh, but I don’t mean anything by it. I don’t even think about saying it.” That’s the point! You’re using God’s name in vain, for no purpose. By doing so you’re demonstrating you do not reverence or fear Him. You’re using His name as an “idle (careless, NASB) word.”
But I say to you that for every idle world 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. (Matthew 12:36-37).
Did you hear the story of the worldly guy who used several choice profanities, not knowing a preacher he knew was present? The preacher chided him for his language, and the fellow apologized, “Sorry preacher, I didn’t know you were here.” The preacher replied, “Don’t apologize to me; it wasn’t my name you were abusing.” If you’ve used the Lord’s name in vain, you’d better make it right with Him.
