Swearing Forbidden
Introduction:
1. Do you cringe when you hear the filthy language used on television?
2. How do you speak when you are not in "church"?
3. Part of keeping our body in subject and controlling our thoughts is to keep our mouths pure.
4. Consequently swearing is forbidden.
5. James 5:12 - But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
6. "Above all things" should focus our attention.
7. As a result we should pay particular attention taking great care in the things we speak.
I) Sin of Profanity
A) Profanity is speech containing that which is profane and vain.
1. Swearing or profanity is invoking the name of God to confirm something as true.
a. Profanity is an oath.
b. The third commandment of the Decalogue is to avoid profanity.
c.
Exodus 20:7 - Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah
will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
2. Taking a name in vain address the flippant and frivolous use of the sacred.
a. Many of the Jews resorted to technicalities or illogical reasoning to justify their oaths as long as they did not invoke the name of God.
b. Some rabbis held that one was bound to an oath, pledge or promise only when a name of God was used.
c. Otherwise the speaker of the oath did not have to tell the truth.
B) Two things are required to call speech profanity.
1. The first is utilizing profane and vain speech.
a. This we have already covered.
b. God has always regarded with great displeasure the description of Himself or His creation flippantly, frivolously, or irreverently.
2. The second concerns the sacred things of God.
a. Profane implies a derision against anything that is holy or worthy of honor.
b. These sacred things include: Bible, Temple, Church, Ark of the Covenant, a Prophet, etc.
c. The sacred things include: God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, or Holy Spirit.
II) Sacred Things and Names of God
A) What can we learn from the Jews of the 1st century?
1. The Jews used trickery and evasive methods keeping them from fulfilling their oaths.
2. They avoided using the name of God in their oaths by swearing by His handiwork; the heavens, earth, sun, moon, stars, etc.
3. As a result the inspired writer says, "swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath."
B) What about curse words in the Bible?
1. These words are not oaths but rather actions by God.
2. Damning someone does not mean the euphemism "damn."
3. Hell refers to the place of punishment for lost souls and does not imply anything like "go to hell."
4. Therefore, what we find in the Bible is not swearing.
C) Euphemisms are condemned.
1. When speaking whether it is by surprise, disgust, dismay or any other emotion that is ejaculatory in nature the use of euphemisms is strictly forbidden.
a. Hitting thumb with hammer.
b. Surprise at something you accomplished
c. Sadness over an unexpected event.
d. Being scared.
2. Euphemism defined - A representation of good qualities; particularly in rhetoric, a figure in which a harsh or indelicate word or expression is softened, or rather by which a delicate word or expression is substituted for one which is offensive to good manners or to delicate ears.
3. To use euphemisms is to declare a mild oath.
a. Mild oath - Invoking of the holy to confirm the truth of a statement.
b. Essentially one utters a mild oath when they intend to call upon something above their own honest statement.
c. It implies that the truthfulness of their character is not enough and thus needs something greater.
D) Which euphemisms affect us today?
1. Gee Whiz - Jesus and something excellent
2. Gosh - God
3. Gad - God
4. Egad - God
5. Golly - God
6. Good Gracious - Goodness of God
7. Good Grief - Goodness of God
8. My Goodness - Goodness of God
9. Jiminy - Jesus (J.C.)
10. By Jove - By the power of Jesus
11. Good Heavens - work of God
12. For Heaven's Sake - work of God
13. Any combination of these and others.
14. Every one of these invokes a mild oath toward a sacred thing or the name of God.
a. We are not to conclude that we cannot use the various names of God in our every day speech.
b. As long as the names are used with reverence, respect and sobriety the use is allowed.
c. It is the profane and vulgar use of the Holy that should be expunged from our vocabulary.
III) Parallel Passage
A) Let our speech always be true.
1. Matthew 5:34-37 - But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
a. We must be certain when we say "yes" that "yes" is the true answer.
b. When we say "no" the correct answer is "no."
c. Both Jesus and James are reinforcing the fact that we must be truthful in all the things we say that there is no need of strengthening them by an oath.
2. It is not that all oaths are forbidden.
a. Jesus testified under oath to Caiaphas -
(i) Matthew 26:63-64 - But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
b. Paul often solemnly asserted things in the form of an oath - Romans 1:9;
(i) Philippians 1:8 - For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
c. God swore by Himself -
(i) Hebrews 6:13 - For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
d. Prophets often involved the name of God in their affirmations -
(i) Isaiah 65:16 - That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
3. The sin of profanity, frivolous, flippant use of the names of God and sacred thins is forbidden.
B) Profanity condemns one to the judgment of God.
1. Falling under judgment
a. Puts one in a position where one will be judged.
b. This is the process of judging.
c. Since profanity is uttered in this life then ones' soul still has a chance for salvation.
d. But gone unrepented of, one's profanity will surely send one to Hell.
2. Matthew 5:34-37 reveal that swearing is influenced by the Devil.
a. You who swear have been influenced like Eve in the Garden of Eden.
b. Satan has blinded you to the necessity of true words.
c. Therefore, resist him and he will flee from you or suffer the consequences of the judgment of God.
Conclusion
1. Swearing is forbidden.
2. James calls our attention the dangers of not only the blatantly profane but to the euphemisms which are profane as well.
3. If we are guilty of using these words then we must repent.
4. Repentance is a part of the salvation of mankind for the alien sinner, one who has never been a part of the church, or the fallen saint, one who has known the truth but forsaken it.
5. God's plan is that one B, R, C, BfRoS
6. God's plan for the fallen is R and CoS.
Posted in: Book of James, Sermon Outlines, Swearing