13. (a) To what extent has cursing become prominent today? (b) What wise advice of the Bible do we have on this matter?

¹³ Cursing today seems to be the going thing, the accepted way of life for many. The theater, movies, even television, have become victims of the “four-letter words” as they are called. To be somebody, the view prevails, you have to use foul language, you have to swear. To those with such warped views the advice and counsel of the Bible indeed seem archaic, outmoded and is looked upon with disdain. Nevertheless, the counsel is that those seeking to promote unity among mankind should not even let a rotten saying proceed out of the mouth. It does not make a person a “man” or a “woman” to be able to speak rotten things. The Bible’s good counsel is that those wishing to please God and promote unity will follow this advice: “Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.” (Phil. 4:8) Rotten sayings can produce rotten people. To avoid rottenness, follow the advice of Philippians 4:8. To promote unity, follow the advice of the good news of God’s Word. Shun things that would fill your mind with rotten sayings and ideas. If you feed your mind with the garbage productions of the theater, screen, television and the printed page, in time you will become a speaker of garbage or rotten sayings. Remember, the advice comes from mankind’s Creator through the working of holy spirit on men who spoke as they were moved along by such holy spirit.

Watch the tongue that it does not engage in obscene jesting, and be cautious that your conduct is above reproach, above shame. Why? So that unitedly you can serve the interests of the “good news” without differences due to custom, culture or national background.

10. What further cautions are given by Paul in the letter to the Ephesians?

¹⁰ The good news of God’s Word also cautions on the matter of lying, stealing and cursing. Paul wrote: “Wherefore, now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another. Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you in a provoked state, neither allow place for the Devil. Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work, that he may have something to distribute to someone in need. Let a rotten saying not proceed out of your mouth, but whatever saying is good for building up as the need may be, that it may impart what is favorable to the hearers.” (Eph. 4:25-29)