Faith In Today's World: Profanity
SCRIPTURE
እግዚኣብሄር ስሙ ብኸንቱ ንዘልዐለ ኸይቀጽዔ ኣይሐድጎን እዩ እሞ፡ ስም እግዚኣብሄር ኣምላኽካ ብኸንቱ ኣይተልዕል።
"You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”
REFLECTION
In our previous discussion on living the faith today, we began with Exodus 20:7 as our foundation. "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." When we take the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain, we become guilty before Him. Understanding this, we see that using profanity only dishonors His commandments and His Holy name. His name is meant to draw us nearer to Him, not push us away. When we use filthy language, it reveals that we have already disregarded the second commandment as Christians before even considering the third. Our Lord says, "If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:21 tells us clearly that whoever loves the Lord also loves His commandments. So we must ask ourselves, do we truly love the Lord? If our answer is yes, then why do we not keep His commandments? We all have reasons: a bad habit we cannot break, an environment we grew up in, or friends who influence us poorly. But these are not reasons; they are excuses.
Adam tried to make excuses before God, yet God's law is without flaw, and His judgment is perfect. Adam received a clear commandment, he disobeyed, and he was found guilty. The same truth applies to this commandment. Using God's name in profanity breaks His command, and we have no excuse. We must blame only ourselves. Matthew warns us that our words will judge us. "I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37) This reminds us that profanity is not something that simply passes and is forgotten. These words will return to us when we stand before the judgment seat. The Lord also teaches, "That which enters into the mouth does not defile the man, but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." (Matthew 15:11) This verse warns us that careless words have the power to defile us.
Matthew repeatedly urges us to guard our tongues. Profanity reveals the condition of our hearts. When we curse or swear at another person, it exposes who we truly are and raises questions about our love for God. We return to John's words: to love Christ is to follow His commandments. The world around us uses profanity constantly, but that does not permit us to do the same. This is a struggle many Christians share. We use God's name carelessly so often that we forget our words will one day testify against us.
Saint Paul calls us to renewal. "But now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth." (Colossians 3:8). He sent a similar message to the church in Ephesus: "nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks" (Ephesians 5:4). The believers in Colossae and Ephesus dealt with the same struggles we face. Saint Paul instructs them to leave behind slander, shameful speaking, and filthiness because becoming like Christ requires putting away these things and offering thanksgiving instead. In Corinthians 11:1, Saint Paul tells us to imitate him as he imitated Christ.
The tongue holds great power. It can speak blessing or curse, and the choice is ours. Through the tongue we offer worship, participate in the liturgy, and sing hymns. Yet through the same tongue we speak profanity and evil. This is why James says, "But no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing." The tongue is so prone to evil that every word matters. Using foul language belongs to that evil. Therefore, let every word from our mouths be clean, for we are called to imitate Christ. Let us imitate Saint Paul as he imitated Christ.
THEOLOGICAL FOCUS
The name of God is Holy. His words are perfect. His judgment is perfect. In Oriental Orthodox theology, His name is sacred and carries His divine energeia. The great fathers of our faith, Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer, and Saint Cyril of Alexandria, continually remind us of the holiness of the name of God. This Holiness of God is what we often overlook in daily life, yet the fathers call us to remember it at all times. The name of God is not simply a word. It is a theophany, a revelation of His divine presence. When we call upon His name, we enter into communion with the Holy Trinity, for His name participates in His uncreated grace. To use His name without reverence is to defile what is most sacred and to cut ourselves off from His sanctifying theosis. The fathers teach that our tongue, sanctified through Holy Baptism and Chrismation, is consecrated for doxology and must not be stained by blasphemy or foul speech.
LITURGICAL MEANING
In every Divine Liturgy, we sing the Trisagion: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us." We confess the Father is Holy, the Son is Holy, and the Holy Spirit is Holy. This thrice-Holy hymn joins our voices with the angelic hosts, for we worship alongside the Seraphim. The same mouth that receives the immaculate Body and precious Blood of Christ in Holy Communion is the mouth we use every day. Therefore, our daily speech must reflect the Holy Mysteries we have received. The Liturgy teaches us to live Eucharistically, transforming all of life, including our words, into an offering of praise. If our tongues are worthy to sing the Cherubic Hymn and proclaim the Holiness of God, they must remain pure from all filthiness and profanity.
PRACTICE
To honor God’s name in today’s world:
Speak Carefully: Avoid swearing or casual affirmations using God’s name.
Deepen Knowledge: Study Orthodox teachings, liturgy, and prayers to strengthen faith.
Defend Faith Respectfully: Respond wisely to irrelevance, showing confidence in belief.
Repent and Reflect: Examine moments when His name was misused and seek forgiveness through prayer or confession.
Live Faithfully: Let honesty, kindness, and devotion in daily life reflect true faith.
