Articles
Words Matter
I can remember as a young boy when I learned about the Ten Commandments. One stood out above the rest, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain” (Ex. 20:7; Deut. 5:11). I wasn’t sure why that particular commandment had more influence than the others, but it scared me. Reflecting on the passage, I wasn’t so much concerned with the reference for God as I was focused on blasphemy. Simply put, cursing God’s name.
My understanding of cursing God for the majority of my life was limited. I simply thought that it was saying His name, “God,” plus a four-letter word of profanity. Over the years, I realized that profaning the LORD’s name consisted of so much more. Never had I understood when I was an adolescent or young adult that cursing God included disrespecting Jesus or the Holy Spirit. To me, only God, the Father, was LORD. Thankfully, I can say that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are LORD (cf. Jn. 20:28; Acts 5:3ff).
In our daily lives, how amazing it is to hear such foul language! It’s like breathing to people. Sadly, they don’t know the LORD, but they certainly like saying His name when they are frustrated or want to make a crude joke. How about atheists and agnostics? Pay close attention to their words. Do they ever say “God” or “Jesus” in conversation outside of denying their existence? Are they only saying their names in a defamatory manner? There is a common phrase, “I pray to God.” The next time you hear a non-believer say this, challenge them by asking—“What do you mean by those words?” Some may dismiss it by saying that it is just a common phrase. First of all, it is not a common phrase, or at least it shouldn’t be viewed as such. Secondly, press the issue further. There are so many other words an atheist or agnostic can use. Another challenge to point out is when someone will flippantly say the name of “God” or “Jesus Christ.” Ignorance of blasphemy does not excuse the behavior. Again, believers should question why the individual feels compelled to say the LORD’s name in vain.
Scripture gives us the answer as to why people say what they say. God labels these people as fools. Solomon repeats over and over how fools express themselves through their words (cf. Prov. 29:11; Ecc. 10:12, etc.). The apostle Paul warns the brethren at Ephesus to engage with corruptible speech (cf. Eph. 4:29ff). We can narrow this down to those that belong to the world or Satan’s kingdom (cf. Eph. 2:2). The world continues to choose to consume itself with the speech of Satan (cf. Jn. 8:44). Our words are supposed to strengthen one another, not destroy.
James provides a graphic description of the tongue. He likens it to a fire (Jas. 3:5f). Think for a moment. How often do we fail to seriously take what comes out of our or someone else’s mouths? Words pack a wallop. They burn as they escape the mouth and as they touch the flesh. The adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is a complete fallacy. Ask a loving parent who hears their child say, “I hate you!” Don’t think for a moment those words don’t matter. How do we think God feels when one of His children says to Him, “I hate You!” The LORD grieves over His children when they vehemently turn their backs on Him (cf. Matt. 23:37). He desperately wants to gather His children, but most refuse (cf. Matt. 7:13f).
Have we become desensitized to our words? Remember the words of the LORD, “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man” (Matt. 15:18). We should feel disgusted by filthy words. However, there is nothing more loathsome than disrespecting the Creator. The Name of the LORD is Holy! May we always glorify the Name of the LORD!
