Turning our lives over to God through trust in the person of Christ is an exciting time. In the beginning, everything looks and feels new. Suddenly, the sky seems much bluer, the grass much greener, and even the air smells more fresh and crisp. We’re on a spiritual high, and nothing can knock us down.
That’s when it happens.
Someone comes along and makes you angry, or even worse, you accidentally stub that right pinky toe in the middle of the night, and the next thing you know, out of your mouth flows a river of obscenities. I’m talkin’ four-letter words you thought were locked away forever.
Since you were told cussing is a sin, you start shaking, even crying because you think you’re no longer “saved.” So, running into the room, you slam the door shut and kneel down to pray for forgiveness. “Lord, please don’t take your Holy Spirit from me!” you beg in a frenzy, though you have no idea what that means. After that, you just hope for the best.
Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever been in this situation or will be in the future, you’ll be relieved to know that cussing is not a sin. Can we be sure of this? Yes, we can. Instead of relying on our traditional teachings, let’s put our thinking caps on and do some detective work to see how we come to this conclusion. In this post, we’ll answer some key questions such as, what is cussing? Is it even biblical? If so, is it a sin against God?
The topic may seem trivial, but many sincere believers have been discouraged in their faith and made to question their salvation because we’ve condemned them for their use of these particular words. Since we’ve been taught that cussing is a sin, if you say “I’m saved but I still cuss a little” then to us, it means you’re not really saved and you’re going to hell. And, yes, we feel the need to tell you so.
This is false, however, and our condemnation arises from pride and ignorance, not righteous judgment. Therefore, it’s important that we examine this traditional teaching more closely to determine whether or not it holds any weight when it comes to our salvation.
So, let’s get to it.
Cursing Vs. Cussing
First, let‘s distinguish between cursing and cussing because it seems we tend to mix up the two. Despite what some seemingly credible sources claim, they are not the same thing. In the Bible, the word curse indicates “devotion to evil or destruction.” It’s literally invoking evil or harm upon someone.
Cussing, on the other hand, is derived from the word curse, however its meaning is quite different. Today, cussing generally means “to use offensive words when you speak” (Encyclopædia). Cambridge Dictionary defines it as, “to say words that are not polite because you are angry.”
But it wasn’t until the 1800s that cuss became associated with bad language or “profanity.” Peter, on the night he betrayed Jesus, did not cuss as some preachers teach, but he cursed (Matt. 26:74).
Why Cussing is Not a Sin
So, why is cussing not a sin? First and foremost, it’s because it’s not against any commandment or teaching from God. Surely, some will argue, “But the Word says to put away all filthy language…”. Well, who decided that these words are filthy? Not God, not Jesus, not Paul, or the Bible, but people. In reality, they’re just everyday words.
The word damn, for example, is derived from the Latin word damnum which refers to damage, harm, loss, or injury (Brewer) and damnare, meaning to “condemn” or “doom” (Mann). Additionally, a b*tch is a female dog, and an a$$ is a long-eared horse. Moreover, the word a$$ is an Americanized version of arse, which originally meant “buttocks” “tail” or “rump” and wasn’t considered vulgar (Online).
Next, let’s take a look at sh*t. It’s believed that sh*it arises from the Dutch word schijte or the German word scheissen, both which may have originated from the Old English word for dung (Online) which is “animal poop.” Either way, it doesn’t mean “sugar honey iced tea.” Rather it refers to a “separation.” The word literally means “to void” or “to excrete” which makes perfect sense.
Finally, we come to the most notorious cuss word of all — loved by some, hated by many. Nowadays, we tend to hear more gasps when someone drops a cellphone than when someone drops the “f-bomb.” But, where did it originate?
Although there are different theories, it’s generally believed that the “f-word,” which may derive from German or Dutch, originally meant “to strike”, “to penetrate”, “to move to and fro”, etc. So, you see, these are all just regular words. That’s why “cussing” is not a sin.
But, as with many things we abuse–-like marriage, drugs, sex, etc.—our society has abused and corrupted the meanings of these words. As a result, they’re viewed as bad in the eyes of many. So, in light of this, should God’s people cuss?
Well, let’s think about it.
Often, these words are used in a demeaning, angry, threatening, or sexually inappropriate manner, which is not appropriate for the child of God and in my view, not attractive for anyone, regardless of their faith. If someone cusses for any of these reasons, the problem is not the words they’re using, but something in their heart that shouldn’t be there. The mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matt. 12:34).
In such a case, they could pray like the psalmist and ask the Lord to search their heart (Ps. 139:23-24) and guide them on how to proceed with the results. If the root problem is addressed, I believe the cussing will disappear in time.
That being said, there are many Christians who won’t speak one cuss word out loud, but frequently sin with their mouths, spewing hate, condemnation, false testimony, and the like against others. Whatever words we use, the main goal is to use them to build each other up with edifying speech instead of tearing each other down with unwholesome talk (Eph. 4:29).
Therefore, we should all be mindful of our words.
The Bottom Line
But the truth is—despite what some will tell you—no one should believe they’re unjustified in God’s sight or that they’ve sinned just because they’ve said a few (or more) words that are considered bad by society. When you think about it, it’s actually quite ridiculous. God gave us his instructions to follow. Making more rules as we go and demanding people to adhere to them is not allowed.
So, you can “cuss” all you want and still be a child of God. But even if you cuss for stubbing your toe, or “for fun” or whatever you want to call it, remember that something might not be wrong, but it doesn’t mean it’s beneficial.
Therefore, keep in mind that while cussing is not a sin, it’s generally frowned upon and considered offensive in our American society. If you cuss like a sailor, few people will be interested in what you have to say about God or anything else. Some won’t want to hear anyway, and you’ll only make it worse.
So, what’s the bottom line? Is it okay for us to cuss? I wouldn’t recommend it. But, to make these types of decisions, we should pray for the Lord’s wisdom and understanding and follow the leading of the Spirit. Using that wisdom, we should also understand why we shouldn’t condemn others or question their standing with God if they don’t make the same decisions we do.
But my take on it is this. At the end of the day, we are witnesses for the Lord, and we don’t live for ourselves. As individuals, we’re supposed to stand out, letting our lights shine before others. Doing good and not conforming to what is considered bad (as long as it doesn’t go against the will of God) will help us achieve that.
Bibliography
Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham, and Susie Dent. Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. Edinburgh: Brewer’s, 2012.
Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/cuss.
Mann, Trischa. Australian law dictionary. South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press, 2017.
“Online Etymology Dictionary.” Etymonline. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://www.etymonline.com/.
Perseus Digital Library. Ed. Gregory R. Crane. Tufts University. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu (accessed December 5, 2023)
“What’s the Difference between Cussing, Swearing, and Cursing?” Dictionary.com, January 19, 2021. https://www.dictionary.com/e/cussing-swearing-cursing/.
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