What follows is an excerpt from a very dear friend to whom I did my best to explain the view that I believe that God communicates to us from His word. As always, please leave a comment and let me know how you think I represented the view from the Scriptures. If you do want to comment, please do read my whole post, just so you do not get an idea from what I said that is not what I am trying to write. Thanks! I hope this helps to at least get the wheels turning in your mind, if nothing else.
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I know that what I will say will probably (hopefully) spur further conversation concerning this topic, but I will similarly risk your not liking me or thinking less of me in some way and let you know what I've been thinking.
I've thought A LOT about the whole issue of language and what is appropriate and inappropriate and I have come to some conclusions, and some other non-conclusions as you will see
My first conclusion was in the form of just questioning what I've always grown up being taught by simply asking, "Why?" Not necessarily in a rebellious "I don't want to obey" type of attitude, but just asking, "Why do we have such stringent rules the way we do?" I thought to myself that if one is to own such standards/rules/guidelines, or even more strongly perhaps, an moral injunction, one should be able to support such rules with clear Scriptural support, not just a few misapplied verses.
Having asked the "Why?" question, I began to get feedback. Many people said that the Bible clearly speaks against "cursing", "swearing", and using "filthy/corrupt language."
Looking at cursing for instance, the Bible speaks of cursing as cursing another person, not as we would say that someone "cursed someone out." That kind of application isn't used in the Bible. Cursing is more like speaking beguilements towards someone or something, such as the kind of mockery Jesus endured on the cross as he had many men speak curses to him, wishing ill and harm to him as he was on trial and hanging being slapped and asked to prophesy. You know the story. Also, a few more examples of cursing are things like Job cursing the day he was born, or when King Balak asks Balaam to curse Israel. It seems ridiculous that the king would ask Balaam to just utter a "curse word" against Israel, but actually to prophesy evil upon them. A modern example would be saying "D- you" out of anger towards another person. Those are the kinds of things against which the Bible directly speaks.
Swearing seems even more straightforward than cursing. When the Bible speaks of swearing, as in Matthew 5, Jesus says, “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all by heaven, for it is the throne of God... Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil." Jesus equates swearing with oath-making. There should be no need to say "I swear on my mother's life that I didn't take the cookie." Our word should be so trustworthy that we are taken to sincerely mean what we say.
We could do word studies on these word usages, as many have done- and compile a laundry list of places in which both words have been used, but in none of the cases I have found have I seen either of those words mean anything other than the things that I mentioned.
This discussion gets interesting when the third reason given against using "sinful words" is brought up, and the most clear passage cited is Ephesians 4:25ff. Paul makes a list of things in the format of "Don't do this, but instead do this, the reason being... (and applies an aspect of the Gospel to each particular instance)." Specifically, we're looking at verse 29, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." The issue here hinges on the definition of "corrupting talk." I won't make up some Greek word that supports my argument, because frankly, I don't know Greek . However, we can get an idea of what Paul means by seeing the positive speech qualities with which he contrasts "corrupting talk." He says that things that should be uttered should not be corrupting, but are things that are 1) useful for building up, 2) fitting for the occasion, and 3) used to give grace to the hearer.
It may seem like an open and shut case on the side of never using any kind of "bad words" at all, but I ask that you look at the broader context of the way that Paul talks. First, building others up does not mean that we are supposed to make everyone feel nice and warm inside. If that were true, then Jesus sinned all the time. His purpose was to use the means necessary to (sometimes in a jarring way) proclaim truth. Paul says in Ephesians 4:15 that we are to grow up into the head (of the body of the church) which is Christ. That is our motive- we need to do whatever we can to help people understand truth, so that they will see God in a clearer way in order to help someone in their process of sanctification. So things that build up may be something like, "The Spirit was moving through your message today, pastor", but may also be some a variation of "You need to get your head where it needs to be and see what's actually going on here in 'x' situation." Both are things that will hopefully build up a brother/sister- one nicely, the other more harshly.
For a word to be fitting for the occasion, it may similarly be an expression of blessing to a minister, or a warning to a straying brother or sister who may be harmfully affecting himself and/or others.
Ultimately, God-centered words are meant to give grace to the hearer. I think it's interesting that God does not define unwholesome talk by way of a vocabulary list. He could have done that. The reason I think He chose not to do such a thing is because rather than denigrating the battle for words by making about a list of "do's" and "don'ts", He makes it a matter of intention.
There are certain words that are condemning and judgmental, the foremost of this category being the "G-D" word. This word explicitly invokes the name of God to curse something that we have ABSOLUTELY no power to curse. It's the same thing to say D- You to any person for the purpose of wishing harm upon them.
There are also words that have very inappropriate sexual meanings that I would never want to say them because in saying them, they bring up sexual thoughts that should not be thought of at any time, regardless of the person.
Then there are words that are not sexual or condemnatory, but fall into the category of social politeness- words for excrement being among these. As an example, we wouldn't talk about the details of cleaning up after the dog during Thanksgiving dinner. God considers the heart of the words said (intention) more important than parsing out the uses of culturally defined words (vocabulary list).
Looking at Jesus, He always went right to the core of the matter- He never said, "You need to do x, y, and z to be one of my good disciples." He said that the summary of the WHOLE LAW was to love God with all of your heart and your neighbor as you would yourself. If we love God with our whole hearts, then the things that we say and do will directly follow from that heart (Matthew 15:18). That's why I don't see a problem using a euphemism to make a certain point about something I see as important. In this case, it really bothers me when people are under the delusion that real men are not allowed to cry. I used the phrase that I did because I honestly didn't see a problem with using it. I wasn't thinking, "Aha! Here's a way to toe the line of sin and still be not be sinning!"
While slightly unrelated to this specific instance, I also see just as much of a problem saying something like "Dang it" as I would saying "Oh snap" when something doesn't go the way it was supposed to- because someone that says "Dang it" isn't using that phrase in a way to inappropriately condemn something, but is saying something out of frustration. The intent is just the same as when someone says "Snap" or "Oh come on."
If there is a way that I can build someone up (by possibly using shock value as a way to get someone's attention) using language that isn't a part of my everyday vocabulary, I can't see in Scripture (either inductively or deductively) the conclusion that certain words are inherently worse than others.
However, I BY NO MEANS want anyone to think that I go around using base language all day, because I don't. I'm just convinced that while we need to consider the appropriateness of our speech, God holds our hearts accountable; and if we are trying and seeking God's enabling us to be mini-grace-dispensers (whether the form of grace be a pez candy or a hard pill to swallow) then I don't see what else God will judge us for.
If you're here that means that you've (hopefully) read my little epic on what I think the Bible says about speech , and I really hope that you don't just write it all off because it's different than what you and I have grown up hearing, but that you would think through my points, and let me know if you have objections to either the methods or the conclusions that I have in anything regarding this topic.
I love ya bro, and I'm really glad that we're friends
David
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
I'm A Loser
“I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection! Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer! But this I know with all my heart- His wounds have paid my ransom!”
This line is from a hymn and recently popularized Praise and Worship song called How Deep The Father’s Love For Us. I popped a CD into the CD player after trying to find something to do following cancelled plans with some friends. On the way out of the gym as I scoured anything resembling a coffee shop (in a city that is terribly lacking of such an establishment), I was blown away by this deep and life-altering line.
I am what you call an “emotional person”; and after listening to this song and singing my lungs out, I just started to cry right there at the stoplight waiting to turn left into the Starbucks plaza. I had a realization that I’m not sure that I’ve had before.
I’m a loser.
I do not mean this in a false-humility (hopefully) or self-deprecating type of way, but really. I am a loser. I am not “winning.” I really love myself. I work out, and then I praise myself for working hard and become happy that I’ve seemed to make some physical progress.
I worship my mind. If I hear a “deep” concept that I think that I can wrap my mind around, I get smug and arrogant. If I feel like I can successfully argue a hard philosophical or theological point, then I do the same thing. I love feeling intellectually superior over as many people that I can.
This is how much of a loser I am: I worship my “social progression.” I see where I came from as a 16-year-old jerk to “where I am now” after 3 years of education outside of being homeschooled for most of my grade-school education. I make the connection that because I used to feel very uncomfortable in large groups of people (especially groups that include a noticeable amount of females) and now I feel totally comfortable in any setting, I am of a higher quality than others who may not be “so socially gifted.”
Even if all of these things were true and I was a workout beast, intellectual giant, and a social guru, the problem remains: I feel miserable. Really, I feel miserable. Especially over the last week, I’ve felt hopeless, helpless, and very lacking in joy. How can this be? I’m a Christian right? Right. That’s the point. I’m a Christian, and have the same feelings and inclinations that I did when I wasn’t. What does this mean? It means that the effects of the soul-saving and spirit-securing Gospel of Jesus Christ has not been driven to the deepest recesses of my heart… yet.
I want to dispel the myth that once ‘you’ become a Christian ‘you’ have no doubts, fears, worries, or massive shortcomings. You do. Not only do your problems not go away, you become much more aware of the many problems that you have. The difference between a Gospel-believer and a non-Gospel-believer is not at all a mitigation of these problems, but is simply the presence of the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ’s resurrection in life to defeat sin and to possess the ability to dispense infinite amounts of grace and forgiveness to anyone who needs them.
After contemplating why I feel so miserable, I’ve realized how little I boast in my weakness, and how equally little I boast in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I love to bask in all of the previously mentioned idiocies of mine, and think about how much “strength” I seem to have. However, when something happens, such as finding out that a very close friend has been abused in extremely damaging ways, my feeble framework of self-preservation falls flat on its face with no recovery plan or 6-step program for self-improvement. I have nothing to say or anything to offer to someone that has hurt in ways that I have never hurt like that.
When I am boasting in my weaknesses, the healing power of God shines through clearly; but when I am not boasting in my weaknesses but smugly relying on worthlessness, there is no vital, vibrant, or restoring power of the Gospel in my lifestyle which plays out in my attitude. Nobody can be encouraged by someone who is self-focused in such an others-neglectful way.
As one of my more favorite pastors has said, “You can’t lead anyone to Christ and the cross if you haven’t been there yourself!” I want my modus operandi to be one of constant confession of my sin to God and to everyone around me, for the purpose of exposing my sin so that if anyone sees anything good in me, they will know for sure that it has nothing to with me, but God who is working in me to both will and to do His good pleasure.
I’m a loser.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me both was and is not in vain.
Deus Spes Nostra.
This line is from a hymn and recently popularized Praise and Worship song called How Deep The Father’s Love For Us. I popped a CD into the CD player after trying to find something to do following cancelled plans with some friends. On the way out of the gym as I scoured anything resembling a coffee shop (in a city that is terribly lacking of such an establishment), I was blown away by this deep and life-altering line.
I am what you call an “emotional person”; and after listening to this song and singing my lungs out, I just started to cry right there at the stoplight waiting to turn left into the Starbucks plaza. I had a realization that I’m not sure that I’ve had before.
I’m a loser.
I do not mean this in a false-humility (hopefully) or self-deprecating type of way, but really. I am a loser. I am not “winning.” I really love myself. I work out, and then I praise myself for working hard and become happy that I’ve seemed to make some physical progress.
I worship my mind. If I hear a “deep” concept that I think that I can wrap my mind around, I get smug and arrogant. If I feel like I can successfully argue a hard philosophical or theological point, then I do the same thing. I love feeling intellectually superior over as many people that I can.
This is how much of a loser I am: I worship my “social progression.” I see where I came from as a 16-year-old jerk to “where I am now” after 3 years of education outside of being homeschooled for most of my grade-school education. I make the connection that because I used to feel very uncomfortable in large groups of people (especially groups that include a noticeable amount of females) and now I feel totally comfortable in any setting, I am of a higher quality than others who may not be “so socially gifted.”
Even if all of these things were true and I was a workout beast, intellectual giant, and a social guru, the problem remains: I feel miserable. Really, I feel miserable. Especially over the last week, I’ve felt hopeless, helpless, and very lacking in joy. How can this be? I’m a Christian right? Right. That’s the point. I’m a Christian, and have the same feelings and inclinations that I did when I wasn’t. What does this mean? It means that the effects of the soul-saving and spirit-securing Gospel of Jesus Christ has not been driven to the deepest recesses of my heart… yet.
I want to dispel the myth that once ‘you’ become a Christian ‘you’ have no doubts, fears, worries, or massive shortcomings. You do. Not only do your problems not go away, you become much more aware of the many problems that you have. The difference between a Gospel-believer and a non-Gospel-believer is not at all a mitigation of these problems, but is simply the presence of the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ’s resurrection in life to defeat sin and to possess the ability to dispense infinite amounts of grace and forgiveness to anyone who needs them.
After contemplating why I feel so miserable, I’ve realized how little I boast in my weakness, and how equally little I boast in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I love to bask in all of the previously mentioned idiocies of mine, and think about how much “strength” I seem to have. However, when something happens, such as finding out that a very close friend has been abused in extremely damaging ways, my feeble framework of self-preservation falls flat on its face with no recovery plan or 6-step program for self-improvement. I have nothing to say or anything to offer to someone that has hurt in ways that I have never hurt like that.
When I am boasting in my weaknesses, the healing power of God shines through clearly; but when I am not boasting in my weaknesses but smugly relying on worthlessness, there is no vital, vibrant, or restoring power of the Gospel in my lifestyle which plays out in my attitude. Nobody can be encouraged by someone who is self-focused in such an others-neglectful way.
As one of my more favorite pastors has said, “You can’t lead anyone to Christ and the cross if you haven’t been there yourself!” I want my modus operandi to be one of constant confession of my sin to God and to everyone around me, for the purpose of exposing my sin so that if anyone sees anything good in me, they will know for sure that it has nothing to with me, but God who is working in me to both will and to do His good pleasure.
I’m a loser.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me both was and is not in vain.
Deus Spes Nostra.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
7 Reasons Why Rain Is Grace From God
1) Rain is an evidence that God has not forsaken the land so as to withhold water from it (1 Kings 17:1).
2) Rain is necessary for growth. There can be no times of growth, physically or spiritually without times of rain. Physical rain is a reminder of that reality.
3) Rain is God’s evidencing that He truly does have a love for every person everywhere (Matthew 5:45).
4) We often tend to take sunny days for granted if there have been no seasons of rain. A time of rain is preparation for a time of rejoicing.
5) Rain is one of God’s means for displaying His everlasting promise that He will not send another catastrophic flood in order to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:13-16).
6) The simple reality that rain cools off someone who is exercising or working outside points to it as a blessing that comes down from the Father of Lights.
7) While rain seems formidable and incredibly overpowering, it this occurrence that Jesus uses to display his sovereign power over nature in Matthew 8:23-27, and is also the means against which God is described as a fortress and protector. He is the Shelter in the midst of the storm (Isaiah 25:4).
2) Rain is necessary for growth. There can be no times of growth, physically or spiritually without times of rain. Physical rain is a reminder of that reality.
3) Rain is God’s evidencing that He truly does have a love for every person everywhere (Matthew 5:45).
4) We often tend to take sunny days for granted if there have been no seasons of rain. A time of rain is preparation for a time of rejoicing.
5) Rain is one of God’s means for displaying His everlasting promise that He will not send another catastrophic flood in order to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:13-16).
6) The simple reality that rain cools off someone who is exercising or working outside points to it as a blessing that comes down from the Father of Lights.
7) While rain seems formidable and incredibly overpowering, it this occurrence that Jesus uses to display his sovereign power over nature in Matthew 8:23-27, and is also the means against which God is described as a fortress and protector. He is the Shelter in the midst of the storm (Isaiah 25:4).
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