There are things that Christians do not agree on, such as drinking alcohol, observing Halloween, and using curse words. So when asked if Christians should allow themselves to use curse words, evangelical speaker Jefferson Bethke says the Bible offers a clear answer.
Bethke says on his YouTube channel that the Bible has "a ton to say about our speech, our words, our mouth." For example, James 3 says that whenever Christians mock or gossip about others, they are also doing the same thing to God.
"When we make fun of someone, or heap pain, or gossip, or damage upon them, we are actually assaulting our Creator," he says.
Bethke says a Christian does not have to say a traditional "curse word" to speak out against God because they are already doing so when they indulge in gossip or mockery. At the same time, when Christians do these things, they not only damage their relationship with God; they also make a bad impression of themselves on non-Christians.
The author of "Jesus Is Greater Than Religion" also argued that language is a "reflection of what's going on in our hearts." What comes out of a person's mouth is a good barometer of their relationship with God.
It is also good for Christians to consider, "How do you speak to or how do you treat the people that seem to do nothing for you?"
Meanwhile, Ephesians 4:29 reminds Christians to "let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths."
Bethke also says that Christians should assess not just the negative things that come out of their mouths, but every word they say.
He encourages Christians to allow only words that "build up, encourage, [and] love" to come out of their mouths, since they have a responsibility to "give grace to those who hear."
