Is this a SIN??

[Russell Roberts]

If you merely THINK a cuss word, is it a sin?

If so, have I provoked you to sin if I type that someone told me they were going to beat the S*** out of me?

Please explain why it would or would not be a sin.

[macgulley]

Who decides which cuss words are sinful?

[RamboPreacher]

maybe depends if I were cursing or cussing.

[Russell Roberts]

Macgulley,

I think some sins are culturally defined.

Or at least what is PERCEIVED as sin is culturally defined.

[Poimen]

In order to circumnavigate the wrangling over the appropriateness of cussing, skipping the discussion on the merit or worthlessness of profanity, I will address the real question here concerning a pure thought life, and when thoughts become sinful.

So...

Even if cussing is a sin (if only perhaps a cultural one), still... the mere thought itself is not sin. The heartfelt thought is when thinking becomes sinful.

Rough example of an indisputable sin...

I see a beautiful naked woman and am entranced by her. I have not sinned.

My gawking may render problems with my wife, and may expose my thoughts and heart to temptation, as well as create on going battles in my thought life in days to come, but is not in itself sin. I am merely drawn away, and enticed.

If I keep on looking the natural desires will give way to the thought of sin. Sinful thoughts are going to pop in my head. Still, that's just a thought. I can dismiss it, and bring my body and my thoughts under subjection to Christ. I have not sinned. I am merely struggling with temptation - sin has conceived, but has not brought forth.

But, if I do not dismiss it, if I embrace the temptation with my heart, effectively consenting to the desire and temptation, THEN I have sinned. I have yielded my inner man to the temptation and it has brought forth sin in my heart, a spiritual death.

James 1:13-16

As to maintaining a pure thought life, to borrow a phrase from the famed Queener...

"You can't stop a bird (i.e., a stray thought) from flying over head, but you don't have to let it build a nest."

[oletimer]

Poimen wrote
I see a beautiful naked woman and am entranced by her. I have not sinned.

My gawking may render problems with my wife, and may expose my thoughts and heart to temptation, as well as create on going battles in my thought life in days to come, but is not in itself sin. I am merely drawn away, and enticed.

Jas 1:13
¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16
Do not err, my beloved brethren.

I had to read the whole section of those versers to refresh my memeory, but verse 14. The temptation comes when we are drawn away of our own lust enticed.

ENTI'CED, pp. Incited; instigated to evil; seduced by promises or persuasions; persuaded; allured.

"My gawking may render problems with my wife, and may expose my thoughts and heart to temptation"

There is no doubt about it, it will lead you to lust and " when lust hath conceived" - "it bringeth forth sin" Staying too long where you don't belong, looking at things you shouldn't be looking at will get you into trouble spiritually.

Eph 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Php 1:27
¶ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

1Ti 4:12
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1Pe 1:15
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

2Pe 3:11
¶ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Weither in lust , conversation, or anything else that is unbecoming of a child of God, we need to bring ourself into subjection to conform to the image of Christ, who was found with guile.

1Pe 2:22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

In the words of Jesus Himself;
Mt 5:37
But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

I was all ways taught that a man's words was a good indication of the condition of a man's heart.

2 cents

[Poimen]

Oletimer,

Not sure if this portion was a reference to my comments or to cussing. Just in case...

I was all ways taught that a man's words was a good indication of the condition of a man's heart.

I hope you realize that was a purely theoretical musing. I made it up on the spot to use as a practical example of the progression from initial temptation, to struggling with temptation, to yielding to temptation and sinning.

Other than that, It seems we agree. We must keep our thought life pure. The sooner we control our thoughts the better (and the sooner we can control our passions or desires). Albeit, sin has not been committed in the heart until we have lusted with the heart. Desires (aka "lusts" in Old English) do not in and of themselves constitute sin, but are the means of temptation. Temptation yielded to is sin.

All I was trying to do was show how thoughts trigger temptations, and temptations battle for dominance if entertained, and how finally, when yielded to, temptation births sin -- even in the thought life.

[Pastor Gary]

Who decides which cuss words are sinful?

We have hashed this out before, but it has been a while. It would seem that many words considered "cuss words" in one culture, or in one region, are frequently used by Christians in other places/cultures without a blink.

[Shellie]

Heck, any ol' dang word can be a frickin' cuss word. But any ol' way you cut it, bullcrap is still crap. Some people think this sucks, but it's just the way it bloody well is. Either way, it p's me off when people show their arse using "cuss" words in front of my children.

If it's a "bad" word in your culture don't use it. Let your conversation be as clean as possible and therefore be a good witness to those around you.

[Pastor Gary]

Heck, any ol' dang word can be a frickin' cuss word. But any ol' way you cut it, bullcrap is still crap. Some people think this sucks, but it's just the way it bloody well is. Either way, it p's me off when people show their arse using "cuss" words in front of my children.

If it's a "bad" word in your culture don't use it. Let your conversation be as clean as possible and therefore be a good witness to those around you.

Post of the year so far.

[beckrl]

If it is to defile the man it will come out of his mouth.

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
(Matt.15:11,18,19)

Then we have Swearing and Cursing.

Jesus commanded not to swear at all. This relates to telling someone something and then relaying that God is the witness.
First, it is apparent that “swearing” means making a solemn oath or promise. (”I swear it shall be done.”) In the OT, as a token of their status as The Chosen People, Israel was allowed (even encouraged) to make these sacred promises in the name of God - to swear by His name. However, one of the aspects of the Law of Moses that was fulfilled by Jesus was this practice. In its place, Jesus commanded to “swear not at all”.
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.(Matt. 5)

Cursing.

“Damn” is a noun meaning “something of little value”. A good example of this is, “That isn’t worth a damn” - meaning it is worthless. Otoh, “to damn” means to enact a curse - to cause someone to become of no worth, figuratively casting someone to Hell (the place where they are of no worth). Therefore, “Damn you,” is exactly what is forbidden in scriptures, for two reasons:

1) It incorrectly places the one who “curses” another in the place of God, the only one who can be the Judge and validly make such a pronouncement; and
2) it invokes that status in opposition to Jesus’ command to “swear not at all” - since invoking such a curse is, in effect, stating one’s authority to “promise in the name of God” that it will happen.

[Full Quiver]

you aint right Rus but just to let you know my very name is a cuss words in some circles so be careful not to speak it

[macgulley]

Great answer, Poimen.
Shellie, that's hilarious!
Oletimer, I've heard people use the verses about guile before but I don't understand how it relates to cursing.

Main Entry: guile
Pronunciation: \ˈgī(-ə)l\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English gile, from Anglo-French, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old English wigle divination — more at witch
Date: 13th century
1 : deceitful cunning : duplicity
2 obsolete : stratagem, trick

[oletimer]

macgulley wrote

Oletimer, I've heard people use the verses about guile before but I don't understand how it relates to cursing.

Because nothing came out of His mouth that wasn't clean and or holy and that should be the same way of the child of God.

Mt 5:22
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

R'ACA, n. A Syriac word signifying empty, beggarly, foolish; a term of extreme contempt. Matt. 5.

It seems that any way that we use to down put one as being useless would be counted as cussing as well as taking the LORD name in vain. Also many of the "black gard" words are nothing more then word changed in spelling and the way that they are pronounced. That don't change the meaning any, may ease the conscious and these days it so easy to do that.
What was once shocken to people doesn't do much shocken today, Just maybe it should.

[dolfan]

May be the funniest post ever, Shellie. And the most effective.