The Words We Speak

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”

~Ephesians 5:3-4

As an editor and publisher, I see lots of manuscripts and get asked a lot of questions about what is acceptable for publishing with my company. One of the things that comes up regularly is curse words and “adult” situations— would-be authors want to know how much cursing and sex we will accept. My answer is, of course, none. As writers, we should be able to express our thoughts without using those elements, and as Christians, we should already know the answer. What people really want is approval to use those elements and I won’t give it to them. We are Christians and held to a higher standard by God, so the least we can do is hold ourselves, and each other, to that same standard.

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak (Matthew 12:36).”

When we claim to be followers of Christ, our lives are to reflect His life. There should be obvious changes in how we act, how we speak, and in our demeanor both privately and in public. What we do reflects who we are, and if we are living for Christ, that should be as obvious as when we were living in sin. Everything we do is done in the presence of Jesus Christ. Every word we speak or write goes to the ear of God and we will be held accountable. You can’t ride the fence between living for Christ and living in the world; we are to live for Christ alone.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).”

It’s easy to follow the world’s morals and standards because the bar is very low but following Christ requires us to separate ourselves from the world and its ways. It takes strength to follow Christ and abide in Him and His ways. Being separated from this world is what following Christ is all about. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are called to be different than we were, different than the rest of the world, and we are to show that difference in everything we do.

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does (1 Peter 4:1-6).”

Read Isaiah 31-36

©2018 Marie McGaha