Is Profanity a sin?

I remember students coming up to me and asking me if it was a sin to cuss.  I said, "Well, what do you think?"

I heard some decent thoughts on it.  One was the fact that we use other words that are not considered profane to describe the exact same things that the profane words describe- female dog, bowel movement, making love, etc.  What makes one word, that describes a female dog, and the actual words "female dog" so different?  Another one was the statement by one of my students that if he were to use German swear words, and no one spoke German (and therefore no one was offended) would it really be cussing?

That, plus the fact that profanity is so common now, so accepted, so  . . . .  NORMAL- is it truly a sin?  Does the use of profanity dishonor God?

I have two thoughts on the subject of profanity, one Biblical and the other not.  I'll start with the non-Biblical one.  Before I start, I have to confess that in my younger years, especially in high school and early college, that I was a profane individual.  There were many points in my life where I doubt I could say a single sentence without throwing in a few words that would make a sailor blush.  In locker rooms, in the fraternity house, on the soccer field, and just in casual conversation with friends, my mouth was something that was less than pure and saintly to say the least.

First, the non-Biblical thought.  I have noticed, as I have gotten older, that wise people truly do have a tight rein on their mouths.  Foolish and impetuous people don't control what they say or when they say it.  I have noticed that words, much more than actions, cause the most problems in this world- in life, in relationships, in schools, at work, and in the home.  People who use wisdom in how they speak give careful thought to the words they say, and they rarely, if ever, engage in gossip, condescension, or use profanity.  Wisdom is the ability to foresee the consequences of their actions, and they wisely see that this kind of language rarely brings about the result that they intend.

I have noticed that while many non-violent people use profanity, profanity is nearly ALWAYS used by aggressive and violent people.  Very few violent criminals use the word, "Darn."  The same is true with self-controlled individuals.  While there are self-controlled individuals that use profanity, nearly ALL non-self-controlled individuals use profanity.  Profanity is the lower standard, while the abstention from profanity is the higher standard.

Second, the Biblical thought.  I believe that profanity is simply an expression of a bigger problem.  Jesus told us that, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."  The mouth is the megaphone of the heart.  It is a great indicator of what is going on inside.  When a person is full of profanity, it shows a darkness within the heart that is troubling.  I know that before my conversion to Christ that my heart was very dark.  I was depressed and angry and purposeless, and my mouth showed that.  My mouth, through profanity, expressed my depression and anger.  It expressed my lack of self-control and my lack of love.  I look at my former use of profanity as the "foaming up of my shame" described in Jude 1:13.  It shouted to the world that things were not right within me.

A heart that is surrendered to Jesus is not full of depression and anger and purposelessness.  It is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  For which of these is profanity needed to express?  None.

When I became a Christian, the first thing that God changed about me was my mouth.  I was powerfully convicted by the words that came out, and I was given new eyes to see the darkness that was prevalent in my heart . . . .  shown by my words.  I realized that if I was going to live a life according to the Bible, I was going to have live Ephesians 4:29 everyday, "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up."

This is why I choose to forego the use of profanity in my life.  I always hope for a higher standard- a higher plane of class- than the use of profanity affords.  Whenever I am tempted to use profanity, I realize that there is something wrong in my heart that needs cleansing and grace.  I also never want to be accused or thought of as a man that lacks self-control or is hot-tempered or has no control over the deadliest part of the human body- the mouth.  I am calling all Christians to examine their use of profanity and realize that it has no place in the life of a person who has surrendered his or her life to Jesus and is filled with the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that the Holy Spirit brings.